Visiting relatives who dont childproof... - Page 2

[Toposlonoshlep]

Originally Posted by texaspeach

that would not work around here. at all. you must either have your furniture already bolted to the wall or you don't have a climber. also, a 13 month old doesn't have the ability to comprehend that a hot stove can hurt him even if he has burned himself on it. their brains have not yet reached that developmental stage.

I respectfully disagree. I am not into mommy wars, but my son has walked and climbed since he turned 10 months and once he fell a couple times and gotten a couple minor burns, I tell him something is hot, he makes the sign for hurt and will not come near it. He gets it. I didn't realize it, but I think I got lucky! As for furniture, we don't really have any. Our mattress is on the floor, and we don't really sit on the couch, so we don't have one. We're kind of an outdoorsy fam, not too home-body-ish or that much into stuff, so we keep it simple. Our bookshelf, however, is not bolted, but is pretty sturdy. I guess I didn't realize that this worked to our advantage. If we had more climbing surfaces and a less cautious kid, I might be more concerned.

[DevaMajka]

And see, I think my almost 16mo might "get it" about some things, but either he doesn't care, or his impulse control is not good enough to stop himself.

eta- I'm fairly certain my older ds got it that young. We visited all kinds of non-baby friendly places when he was little, and never had a problem. I think it *really* depends on the kid!

[Chamomile Girl]

My kid just doesn't care...doesn't even cry when the cat scratches him. Just goes back for more.

[hakeber]

I used to bring a crap load of toys, snacks, books and our portable DVD player with me to new places and for longer visits a pack n play for naps or night sleep if it was a late night visit. I would move things out of his reach that looked unsafe or breakable and as I did so would just comment that I was going to put this away until he's in bed/we go. If anyone ever had a problem with that, they never said so. I think they were just happy to have us visiting.

I don't think most people would have a problem with stuff being moved up high. I think you could also ask that snacks be put on a higher table for the future as they may present a choking hazard. Most people are pretty acommodating to doing simple things like that.

But for the most part, you will always have to be on high alert duty with your kids until they get to be a bit older. Mine is 5.5 yo. I still can't fully relax. Things like a video he loved (The Einstein videos and Backyardigans were big hits at that age) and the shape sorter and snacks he could feed himself were all a HUGE help and provided me with at least a little adult time while at various events like these. At that age we brought DS to friend's barbeques, pool parties, relative's homes, weddings...and he was frequently the only child under 12 there.

I'm not a big childproofer, but I do use electric outlet caps, hide cords, and lock dangerous cupboards (the ones with knives or glass in them). I might be tempted to bring a pack of electric outlet caps on a long afternoon visit with my LO because she is strangely drawn to them and has already shocked herself once, but keeps going back for more. I wouldn't even make a big deal of it or ask anyone. I'd just do it and quietly remove them when I left.

[crunchy_mommy]

Originally Posted by Toposlonoshlep

I respectfully disagree. I am not into mommy wars, but my son has walked and climbed since he turned 10 months and once he fell a couple times and gotten a couple minor burns, I tell him something is hot, he makes the sign for hurt and will not come near it. He gets it.

My DS gets it about SOME things... he won't touch the stereo because one time he turned it on too loud & it scared him. He doesn't touch hot food. But other things, like climbing on things, it's just too much fun & hard to resist. I think "too hot" or "too sharp" or whatever are clear & directly related to the thing to be avoided, but fall hazards are harder -- kids fall all the time just walking on the ground so it's hard to tell them to avoid SOME things they could fall off but not others?? I don't know, just a thought. It does sound like you have a naturally child-friendly living space, which is kind of the same situation we're in, we don't have coffee tables or tall bookshelves or breakables or chemicals, so our house is just naturally more baby-friendly. I also found that the minimal baby-proofing we attempted (outlet covers, mostly) just seemed to heighten his interest in it (i.e. the outlets) so we removed them & he stays away from the outlets... well except when he practices plugging things in, which terrifies me because his fingers get in the way & *I* got a bad shock that way in college.

[mamadelbosque]

When we goto friends/families houses that aren't childrpoof, I just do it. I go around and move things that ds1/ds2 aren't allowed to play with up out of reach. I just do. I always have... nobody has ever been offended/upset at me for doing so. And yeah, it takes an hour or so of moving stuff, but after that we're pretty good to go.

ETA: as for sleeping arrangments... I don't think I have ever traveled with a pack'n play or anything. We co-sleep, and so as long as ds1 (or now ds2) was/is in our bed, they sleep with us. They've also known how to get down from a bed from an early age (and no, its not something I ever 'taught'... they just figured it out ), so when we're at friends' late at night just hanging out the boys typically get laid down on whatever bed or couch is handy an out of the way an they sleep their till they wake up or we go.

[shnitzel]

Originally Posted by Toposlonoshlep

I respectfully disagree. I am not into mommy wars, but my son has walked and climbed since he turned 10 months and once he fell a couple times and gotten a couple minor burns, I tell him something is hot, he makes the sign for hurt and will not come near it. He gets it. I didn't realize it, but I think I got lucky! As for furniture, we don't really have any. Our mattress is on the floor, and we don't really sit on the couch, so we don't have one. We're kind of an outdoorsy fam, not too home-body-ish or that much into stuff, so we keep it simple. Our bookshelf, however, is not bolted, but is pretty sturdy. I guess I didn't realize that this worked to our advantage. If we had more climbing surfaces and a less cautious kid, I might be more concerned.

I definitely think this only works for some kids, DD does avoid hot to an extent but today she fell off a chair she had climbed on and her face caught her fall she sobbed hysterically and had a bloody nose and as soon as she calmed down she climbed right back on and stood up on the chair. We normally keep the chairs folded and away otherwise she climbs on our not too sturdy IKEA table.

[pumpkin]

When we go to the ILs I spend the entire time following DD. I have to stay within a few inches
of her. I do pick up some things and put them higher. Last time
she started pulling the ornate keys out of FILs antique cabinets. I just set each one on top
of the cabinet. I mentioned to the ILs what I had done and they were flabbergasted that a toddler
would care about keys at eye level with giant tassles hanging off them. I guess the other grandkids
aren't quite as into investigating things. Anyway, visits are exhausting and I just try to get through them and then go home
and collapse.
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[Bebe's Mom]

My mother doesn't babyproof at all, and at first when I went over there I kept moving things..My mother kept putting them back, so I decided that she didn't care if stuff got broken or torn. I don't take DD there anymore anyway b/c my mother smokes in her house and she refuses to stop around DD...My MIL bought baby gates and has made an effort to remove things such as fragile china figures and lacy doilies that DD likes to pull off the table houdini-style. Usually if I go over someone's house, they make an effort to move stuff out of the way that they value, or I just move anything potentially dangerous or valuable looking....I usually have to chase her around because people without kids have LOTS of stuff laying around that is irresistable to DD!! Our house is babyproofed to the extent that we have no breakable stuff at her level...and we have caps on the outlets, and a babygate blocking off the kitchen, but that is about it. I don't think most people mind if you move their stuff, especially since you are trying to keep it safe. If it were me, I would just stay home, sounds like something is bound to get broken or eaten. :-)

[Latte Mama]

Originally Posted by shnitzel

I definitely think this only works for some kids, DD does avoid hot to an extent but today she fell off a chair she had climbed on and her face caught her fall she sobbed hysterically and had a bloody nose and as soon as she calmed down she climbed right back on and stood up on the chair. We normally keep the chairs folded and away otherwise she climbs on our not too sturdy IKEA table.

And this is my kiddo. He falls, he cries, he repeats . I always watch him like a hawk whererver we go because he does. not. listen. ever. The only thing he stays away from are vacuum cleaners and blenders because he is scared of the sound.

We had to babyproof the kitchen because it is an open floor layout with our livingroom and could not be gated off. So all the drawers got locks, an oven lock, and a fridge lock. At my Mom's, we gate the kitchen off.