When to remove the baby gate?

[kamilla626]

We live in a small Cape style house, with an unfinished 2nd floor. The stairs that go up to the second floor have always been left available for dd to "practice" climbing on, or just to play on. They're carpeted and they don't really lead to anywhere, just a ceiling door that goes to the upstairs.

But, we've been keeping a gate across the basement stairs. The cat's litter box is in the basement so the door is left partly open.

Dd is almost 2 now, and very coordinated (when she's paying attention), and I'm tempted to remove the gate, or maybe put it a few steps down?

What do you all think?

[oneotamama]

hmmmm...good question! maybe keep it around in case you just don't want her down there, yk? or see if the litter box becomes an issue. plus even though she's usually careful, there's always the possibility of a fall. is it a set of deadly steps? don't mean to sound cold, but that might effect my decision too.

on the other hand, some people never use gates at all. myself, i like to keep my yahoos in view

[apmammaof2]

I don't know how your basement floor is, mine is cement and I still get paraonid even though DD is almost 3! I still keep that gate locked and leave the one that goes upstairs open.
Sad but my grandma took a fall at age 63 down her basement stairs and it killed her so I guess I am overly paranoid!
Sorry if I depressed anyone, it just a sore spot with me.

[faythe]

It's a matter of what your comfort level is. We still have all our gates up, youngest dd is only 10 months.

Access to the basement will be restricted for quite a long time, for us. It's not a very safe place, dh's tools are down there, paint cans, boxed piled to the ceiling, open drains, etc. Plus the kitty box, of course.

[thepeach80]

We usually keep the gate to the kitchen unlocked (that's where the basement stairs are), but we still lock it sometimes so we don't have to worry (though he's never tried to go downstairs and knows he's not supposed to). I'd rather him not be in the basement b/c it's just full of stuff he shouldn't get into. The gate to the upstairs is open and we keep the gate at the top of the stairs open except for at night (I'm convinced he has sleep walked in the past).

[Rainbowbird]

Our basement floor is concrete. A tumble down them could well be fatal. So no, even our very agile two year old does not have access to them. We keep the door closed and locked with a kitty door in the bottom for the cat.

Besides, it is full of DH's tools and stuff, plus the litter box.

We have just finished half of it off, but still, the floor is concrete...so no.

I would err on the side of safety!

[Best Feeling]

We took our gates down once we were confident in DD's stair-climbing abilities. I think she was 16.5 months old. I think it depends on your child's abilities and your own comfort level.

[Dreaming]

we have 4 sets of stairs.
3 of them are off the main level.
there are currently 5 gates. we need one more.
until our dd learns to go down the stairs without flinging herself forward in a fearless manner, these gates will remain.
if we had concrete at the base of any staircase the gate would stay up for a few years most likely (or until dd learned to climb the gate).