Children need rest and sleep.
They need it to replenish their boundless energy.
Where they find a play rest can change every day.
They fall asleep in beds, on floors... or with the family pets.
Redditor EllieDidNothingWrong wanted to discuss their experience and get some feedback, so naturally, they came to the "Am I The A**hole" (AITA) subreddit.
They asked:
"AITA for letting my son take his naps in a dog bed?"
The Original Poster (OP) explained:
"We got my dog a bed a few weeks ago, but he ended up not caring about it."
"He ocassionally lays in it, but that's it. "
"When my toddler (19-month-old) is throwing a tantrum, he throws himself into the dog bed and then falls asleep in there."
"He used to just throw himself there during tantrums and then get up once it was over."
"But he started sleeping there."
"I thought it was fine since it's not like it's dirty with dog saliva or fur."
"But my mom lost her mind when she found out I let him take his naps in it."
"I don't let him sleep in it overnight."
"It is only for naps."
The OP was left to wonder:
"But my mom's reaction got me thinking, maybe I am the asshole for leaving him in there?"
Redditors shared their thoughts on this matter and weighed in on some options to the question, AITA:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You're The A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
Redditors declared that OP was NOT the A-hole.
"NTA. I have 6 kids, whose ages range from 1.5-year-old to 20-years-old."
"Every single one of them has fallen asleep in random places."
"Your mom is being ridiculous."
"Kids sleep in weird places and in even weirder positions." ~ Aphera08
"It’s so important to get your child to sleep anywhere at any time! Stop thinking your mom is some kind of an expert just because you survived till today!"
"Try ordering your boy to the dog bed the next time he’s bad."
"Use the same words you used to tell your puppy to go to bed." ~ Melodic-Psychology62
"Exactly. My son, 3 at the time, wanted to sleep on our dog’s bed after we had to say goodbye to him (in that exact bed)."
"Threw a clean blanket on it and let him."
"He wanted to feel close to our boy, and I don’t blame him one bit." ~ strippersandcocaine
"Kids will nap wherever, and honestly, your toddler sounds like he's managing his own tantrums, taking space, and basically putting himself down for naps?"
"That's amazing. NTA." ~ That_Bee_Baker
"NTA. Honestly, who cares?"
"So long as he has an actual human bed in the house, let him take his little naps."
"He probably finds comfort in it because it belongs to the coolest, most awesome family member (dog)."
"Just run the vacuum over it a few times a week and put it in the laundry at the same time you change bedsheets."
"Don't let him sleep in the crate though 😛."
"My main reason for saying the last bit is not to shame anyone at all, but I wouldn't take my chances when it comes to an overreactive and likely disgruntled grandparent snapping a photo of the kid in a dog crate (kids in cages? oh my!!/s) and reporting it to C[hild]-P[eotective]-S[ervices] or posting it on social media so total strangers can overreact as well. It wouldn't be the first time family members try to weaponize CPS to gain control." ~ Stock_Particular6525
"I have a friend whose autistic son very much liked to hang out in another friend’s dog crates when he was about 12."
"I semi-seriously told her I can understand why he likes it, get him one for home, and just don’t put the door on so you can’t be accused of locking him in and let him make it his clubhouse!"
"Not much different than letting kids have a refrigerator box." ~ myssi24
"Kids keep in weird places."
"The dog bed is fine if he likes and wants it."
"He’ll outgrow it."
"Your mom’s reaction is kind of out there." ~ Familiar_Raise234
"NTA, assuming it’s clean."
"He’s a kid, and he has a little, well-padded bed on the floor that he likes and makes him feel safe."
"It’s not like you’re punishing him by making him sleep there."
"He crawls in there and sleeps."
"I think it’s sweet." ~ PikesPique
"NTA. In fact, if you have ever seen the show Shark Tank, one of the products on the show is a 'human-sized dog bed' because the setup is so cozy!" ~ Beck943
"Sounds like a healthy space to process emotions and feelings safely until he feels better, whether through sleep or being cozy."
"You're NTA."
"Perhaps consider getting your son his own one if it becomes a longer habit - although the dog may think it's his too anyway!" ~ Pixatron32
"NTA. It's not like you're FORCING him to sleep in the Dog's bed."
"It's a cozy, comfortable spot that he obviously enjoys." ~ LunaDog_Mom
"NTA, your mom is overreacting."
"In my mid-30s, I had an ill dog that required attention around the clock due to a botched surgery."
"For a couple of months, I placed a twin mattress next to his very large dog bed (St. Bernard/Great Pyrenees mix) to stay with him at night in the study."
"About 90% of the time, he wanted my bed, so I slept in his!" ~ PreparationThin8615
"NTA. I used to kick the dog out of his bed when I was a toddler, then I would have a nap in there."
"There are quite a few photos of him looking at me longingly while I’m very comfy in his bed."
"My mum washed the bed very, very often, but otherwise accepted my decision."
"Probably because a sleeping toddler is a sleeping toddler." ~ This_is_Bat
"NTA. As long as you keep it clean, it's no different than falling asleep in a beanbag chair, and probably a lot safer."
"Your mom needs to remember the golden nap rule, and let sleeping toddlers lie!" ~ MadameBlue42
"We purposely bought a dog bed to use for our 3-year-old when we went camping."
"It was the perfect size."
"My 9-year-old frequently falls asleep in the dog kennel with the dog."
"I slept in tons of weird places as a kid, the weirder ones being lying half across the top edge of the couch and half across the windowsill or the kitchen floor because the tiles stayed cooler than the rest of the house."
"Kids sleep anywhere."
"Just let them do their thing." ~ Mediocre_Ant_437
"NTA. The same child presumably rolls around on the floor and every other surface shared by the dog."
"The same toddler who probably kisses said dog on the lips?"
"So, what is the difference?"
"My rule... never disturb a sleeping toddler." ~ ManderBlues
"If the dog absolutely does not use it, then NTA."
"But I would be cautious about how the dog would react if they occasionally use it."
"It would be no different than a sleep mat at a child care facility or preschool, but I was extremely careful to keep my kid out of dog spaces."
"No playing on dog beds, with their bowls, toys, kennels, etc."
"It wasn't about clean/unclean, it was about boundaries with the kid and dog." ~ wildferalfun
"NTA. It could be that just the hint of dog on that bed is very soothing for your son and helps him calm down."
"Or it could be that it started that way, but now the bed is just instantly soothing to him, with or without any hint of dog."
"Kids do that."
"Plus, dogs are so cool and unconditionally loving that just the thought of them is comforting to all people, but especially the open hearts that little kids have."
Kids do plenty of gross things on their own."
"Falling asleep where there may be a dog hair, or two, is no different than falling asleep on the carpet or the couch." ~ swillshop
"NTA - There is no harm in what your son is doing, and he is learning to self-soothe and find safe places/ways to take time-outs when he is overwhelmed."
"That's a good thing."
"If he likes the dog bed and it makes him happy, that's a win!"
"Your mom is overreacting."
"Your mom is making a fuss over a very unimportant thing." ~ ProfessionalCat7640
"NTA. The bed is clean, and he is choosing to be there."
"Those are the important parts."
"If you were forcing him to sleep in a dirty dog bed, that would be an entirely different situation."
"But that's not the situation at all." ~ Imnotawerewolf
"I don't have an issue sleeping with the dog in my bed, so of course I'm going NTA."
"When I was a kindergartner a million years ago, we had our quiet time on little mats the size of bath towels."
"I don't see the dog bed as being much different, except that it probably has better padding." ~ NeverRarelySometimes
"NTA, I work at a kennel, and one of my former coworkers sometimes had to bring her kids to work, and they would literally put blankets in one of the office kennels and fall asleep... lol."
"One would even share the kennel with my dogs when they came to work with me (my dogs had a really nice memory foam bed for at work) and snuggle up and sleep with them... lol."
"My sister once bought her daughter an XL dog bed because she wanted one for herself."
"Your mom is overreacting." ~ Additional-Dirt4203
"NTA. The kid likes it. It's clean."
"Leave him alone."
"My first son liked sleeping in a drawer from the bureau in his room." ~ Imaginary-Goat1010
Reddit is with you, OP.
This really isn't your mom's concern.
As long as the bed is clean... who cares?
Good Luck.
