[phatchristy]

OK, I'm getting really frustrated here. My DS is a climber (19 months). My second DD was a mild climber, but my son is far worse. He gets onto everything. The scarry part is tables. He climbs up on them, will stand on them if you are not watching. He has no fear apparently

: .

I guess the main frustration in all of this is that during the day I wind up watching him/being with him all the time. While I vaguely remember that with my older kiddos I could leave them playing on the floor in a kidsafe area. With him, if it's there he'll climb on it.

So, I have about three loads of dishes in the sink, and a headache. The headache is most likely stress related (long story but I discovered that a few medical claims were not properly done and I have to go call everyone and get them fixed!!!).

The mess in the kitchen (which I can't even start to tackle until he is napping) is really making me frustrated. Sigh. Any ideas? (right now we're playing ball at the computer so I get to type LOL). I really need to be able to do something during the day. At night, I am just whipped (have no energy).

 

[winnie]

Hi there,

No advice on the climbing issue, but to get your dishes done, maybe set him up in a high chair with some paper and fingerpaints? Something that keeps him happy (and contained) for a short period may be helpful!

winn

 

[BellinghamCrunchie]

DD has been a crazy climber since she was 8 mths.

The only key to sanity is to babyproof. Even though its quite a pain. Lay chairs on their side away from the table when not in use, block off areas, empty drawers and screw them shut if they are used for ladders, etc. Its only for a little while (well, months) but it will seriously save your mind.

Also consider providing safe outlets for climbing such as a Kangaroo Climber (DD loved hers) http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/...c921076316d4a9

Also know you are not alone:

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=604646

 

[phatchristy]

:

Quote:

Originally Posted by BellinghamCrunchie DD has been a crazy climber since she was 8 mths. The only key to sanity is to babyproof. Even though its quite a pain. Lay chairs on their side away from the table when not in use, block off areas, empty drawers and screw them shut if they are used for ladders, etc. Its only for a little while (well, months) but it will seriously save your mind. Also consider providing safe outlets for climbing such as a Kangaroo Climber (DD loved hers) http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/...c921076316d4a9 Also know you are not alone: http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=604646

This kid is so smart...he knows how to undo the baby proof locks I have on the drawers as well. Sigh. He takes them off then opens them and will take out the contents I think the next step would be to take off all of the door handles. But their sunken in so nobody could open them

.

Yep, I know I am not alone....that is why I posted. But, I'm not getting much done. So far, I've done the stroller thing for doing dishes. Lately though he really hates it. I do get limited amounts of time when he is sleeping, though sometimes doing the dishes wakes him up.

He also likes to move furniture and will move chairs stand on them so he can reach other things.
UGH, I'm getting a headache just thinking about it.

(it's bad enough I might take some advil)

 

[WhaleinGaloshes]

Quote:

Originally Posted by phatchristy OK, I'm getting really frustrated here. My DS is a climber (19 months). My second DD was a mild climber, but my son is far worse. He gets onto everything. The scarry part is tables. He climbs up on them, will stand on them if you are not watching. He has no fear apparently :

My questions might annoy you, so I'll apologize in advance.

Has he ever fallen off a table? If he did fall off, how bad would it be?

My DD is a climber, big-time, but I have found that she also has remarkable balance and a cautiousness about her, too. She never falls, seems to test things to see if they are stable before she climbs on them and rarely topples something over (accidentally) twice. I have found I can actually trust her to get herself back down or at least call for help if she gets stuck. She slipped off a chair the other day and actually caught herself and then hauled herself back up.

I don't like standing on the table, either, believe me and I let her know when she does it that she needs to be careful and I would like her to get down. But I also go ahead and load the dishwasher or make lunch or whatever, otherwise I'd go nuts. For now, at 21 months, we seem to have compromised on sitting or at least squatting on the table and no one has gotten hurt yet.

That's my approach, anyway. If you have a dare-devil that is also accident-prone you have my deepest sympthy (and I can relate to that, too as that describes my husband perfectly but at least he's old enough to worry about himself

)

 

[Daffodil]

I also have a climber who's always getting into things I don't want him to play with. One thing you might consider is just letting him get up onto the table, as long as nothing breakable is up there. It may not be as dangerous as you imagine. I've found that my little climber has pretty good sense and good balance, and won't generally do anything crazy that might make him fall. And the couple of times he has fallen off something, he hasn't gotten really hurt.

Another thing that has really helped me is giving the kids water in bowls and buckets and jugs, and some spoons, cups, toothbrushes, etc., and letting them play with it out on the deck or in the backyard. That often keeps the 18 month old entertained surprisingly well, and if I keep the door open and keep an eye on him, I can work on stuff inside while he's playing.

 

[phatchristy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by easy_goer My questions might annoy you, so I'll apologize in advance. Has he ever fallen off a table? If he did fall off, how bad would it be?

'Nope, never fallen (not yet at least). We have ceramic tile on a cement slab so if he fell it could theoretically be an emergency room visit. Seriously

: .

I am going to try to get some group activities together so I can do the dishes. Of course, he loves to touch the dishes when I load (don't care if he does when I unload...just don't want him touching the dirty ones) so I'll be getting creative.

 

[WhaleinGaloshes]

Yes, I can see how tile could be a problem...

Have you looked at the Learning Tower?

http://www.organicgiftshop.com/catal...FSgRGgodXmHA7g

I resisted spending the $$$ for DD but she has one now and it really helps in the kitchen. She stands and colors with crayon on the counter-top.

 

[Momma Aimee]

i could have written your post

no matter how safe an area i have him in -- he WILL climb and he will find something to get into

I do most of my work during naps and after bed time.

I can do laundy with him -- and fold it all ont he back of the couch while he plays -- in soft bursts so he doesn't notice what i am doing.

I can make beds, stopping to remove him from the dresser 3 times

but diswasher, dishes, clean the kitchen, carry anything room to room -- all has to be done when DH is with him, or he is aleep

every nap time is a fgame of beat the clock

we have alearning tower and it does HELP -- but it is an easy climb from it to the table or the counter -- and he will pull it around to get to what he wants

But he will stand at it and eat or color a LITTLE and at least let me get ffood to shove in my face (pregant) but not really clean up.

ours has not fallen -- YET -- but I am not willing to allow that. We have hard wood and tile floors -- and he would be really hurt ffalling from our table or the counter.

AImee

 

[mmomosedc]

My 17 mo ds is a remarkable climber as well. He has recently mastered climbing out of his crib. I don't have to do this as much during the day as I used to, but for several months every morning after breakfast, I would move all the kitchen chairs and anything else that he could push around to use as a step up to the counter top or table into a locked room. It was a a hassle to have to do, but a real sanity saver for the rest of the day.

 

[SugarAndSun]

Quote:

Originally Posted by easy_goer Yes, I can see how tile could be a problem... Have you looked at the Learning Tower? http://www.organicgiftshop.com/catal...FSgRGgodXmHA7g I resisted spending the $$$ for DD but she has one now and it really helps in the kitchen. She stands and colors with crayon on the counter-top.

This saved us. I also tell them to climb in the tower, not on chairs or stools.

 

[phatchristy]

The learning tower is cute, though DH doesn't think it would work in our household. Plus, I have too much stuff in there already.

BUT,

Today we DID put all the chairs in our guest room AND I put our transh can on top the dryer. This kid is really smart

. He's resourceful and gets into everything. Hopefully it's only a few months that I'll have to do this.

Thankfully he's napping now (early nap as my DD got me up at 5:30 this am as she has a fever).

 

[stlmomof2]

Alex is really into climbing, too. I definitely haven't solved the whole problem but I have put a bunch of large pillows around some of the furniture that she loves to climb. I would love to make her a whole padded room of wonderful things to climb. She's usually pretty careful and coordinated but she has had a few nasty falls over the last several months.

 

[CrunchyParent]

My DD #2 is well on her way to the same situation. Right now when I put her down, if she's not crawling at full-speed toward the stairs (to climb up & down & up & down). She's sticking whatever she can find into her mouth (like teeny bits of kittly litter, lint, bits of old food, ANY little thing she can find, and she finds EVERYTHING). I can't get anythin done. My only moment of sanity is to put her in her highchair with some food she CAN eat and it generally occupies her long enough for me to unload & load the dishwasher or transfer loads of laundry. DD #1 wasn't that was at all....kids are all SO different.

 

[Momma Aimee]

Quote:

My only moment of sanity is to put her in her highchair with some food she CAN eat and it generally occupies her long enough for me to unload & load the dishwasher or transfer loads of laundry

I wish -- i am better off leaving mine to books for a second....

he will stand in the learning town and eat, or play, long enough to unload a few dishes -- butttttt the diswasher is such a draw for him.

i am so wondering what number 2 will be like

 

[cholderby]

Switch to really bulky CDs with a thick wool cover!!!!

My DS is 27 mos and he still can't get on the couch by himself!