We have found a great two storey house near by which we love, although I would prefer a single storey one istead. I just wanted to ask, for those who have lived in a single storey and then moved into a two storey house with a toddler, how have you found the transitiont? I guess I'm asking because it's got stairs (obviously) and I'm worried he'll somehow start climbing them and hurt himself. We would be installing a gate on the bottom and on top of the stairs. Any tips/feedback/comments would be greatly appreciated.
We have stairs out the back and taught both girls and grandsons how to use them as soon as they could crawl. Taught them to go down feet first, backwards, and come up the same way hands first. The first few times I walked behind or in front until they got the idea. It won't take them long to learn.
It got a bit nerve wracking when they wanted to walk down but I made them hold onto the rail or they had to go down on their hands and knees
We showed the girls how to go up them and always supervised to start with. They kind of went up crawling using hands and sat on their bottoms to go down, they walk now holding the rail. Both of them have had tumbles if they were being silly (very scary but they were fine), now it's time to show ds!
Definitely safety gates all around, but be very cautious using them at the top of the stairs as I have heard of loads of bad accidents happening that way, due to the little bit that you need to step over at the bottom of the gate. We have gates blocking off every doorway that leads out to our stairs and at our old house, we had one that blocked off the hallway but still let DS2 go between his room and our room, which meant he used our ensuite when toilet training.
We tried having no gate at the top but they could open their bedroom doors and I was worried about them at night. They can both open the gates now but it slows them down.
We moved into a two story house when my daughter was 8 weeks old, and of course we have a gate at the top and bottom, and shes really good with it. She doesn't climb on the gates, yet. We just dont play around the gate and she usually forgets about it.
BUT, when I go downstairs quickly and she is upstairs she will shake the gate, which makes me very uncomfortable, but other then that, its all good
I had stairs when i had DD1 and DD2 and we never gated but they were always there so not something new. But since then we have moved to a place that doesnt have stairs. I dont worry about DS with stairs at other peoples houses. I find it better to learn now and than gates, its like my kids work harder to get something if they think they cant have it LOL maybe mind have just been naughty!
We moved here when DS2 was a toddler (18mths) and DD2 was born here. Both learned to manage the stairs in their own time - we did block them off for her when she was very little, just crawling, but at toddler age they both managed pretty well The biggest danger (and still is) is distraction - physically she is well able to walk up & down stairs, but if she gets distracted she can stumble.
IF we get that house (going to auction tomorrow, wish us luck!) we'll definitely be installing the gates top and bottom. DS is crawling and standing up to furniture but now walking yet. When we went to see the house again a few days ago, I went with mum and my DF. Mum had him initailly and then decided to put him down as he was whingeing.....she left him near DF who she thought was going to watch him, and took off with me. The next thing I hear DF screaming as DS was 4 steps up and intending to go further. Boy I got in trouble.....and it wasn't even me who put him down!
My concerm with the gates is forgetting to lock them and also if there is fire, and we're upstairs and the gate is locked, in the mad panic I'll break my neck!! lol. If it was just me and DF I would be fine, it's just that we now have a very curious and mobile 15 month old who is into EVERYTHING!
2014 BellyBelly RAK Recipient.
Moving to a 2 storey house with a toddler
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks