Re: Do you have young toddlers? Tree Question

I have a 22 month DS who has sensory processing delays, where he is constantly touching things and seeking input. Our tree is out in the open, but DS has shown no interest in touching that. When we were putting it up, I showed him how to touch it gently, and since that day he has shown no interest. Go figure.

When we have gone to friends house, he does go to the tree, and looks, but never touches. I have never had to tell him no.

Message edited 12/18/2013 9:56:29 PM.

Re: Do you have young toddlers? Tree Question

My older DS hardly ever touched the tree so I never needed to gate it.

My younger DS likes to touch everything and can be known to break things. I gated it last Christmas when he was 9 months. DS is not 21 months and I have not gated the tree. I had all intentions to but I hate how it looks. So I decorated and made sure I didn't put anything breakable near the bottom. I figured he has to learn not to touch. So far he has really surprised me. He broke one shiny ball but that is it. He does occasionally touch things but hasn't been bad.

Message edited 12/18/2013 10:38:06 PM.

Re: Do you have young toddlers? Tree Question

No gate this year. We had one last year, but now that they are two they understand not to touch the tree. They do arrange the bottom ornaments, but never try to pull on it or anything. We have no glass ornaments or fragile ones.

Message edited 12/18/2013 10:54:09 PM.

Re: Do you have young toddlers? Tree Question

We have unbreakable ornaments.
Yes, they come down... But we put them back.

Do you have young toddlers? Tree Question

I have a 1 yr old and no gate around the tree. The only incident was today when she tried to eat a glitter ball but other than she's not mischievous with the tree lol

Do you have young toddlers? Tree Question

ds is 14m and I thought I was going to have a hard time keeping him away from the tree, so I bought a small 3 or 4 ft. tabletop tree this year and put it on the coffee table in the living room and he never touches is. Makes me wish I had put up our regular tree.

Re: Do you have young toddlers? Tree Question

I find ornaments in random places around the house, and we've had one broken one so far, but he understands. He loves his tree so much, and I'm fine with him touching the lower branches he can reach.

Re: Do you have young toddlers? Tree Question

Message edited 12/19/2013 7:54:57 AM.

Do you have young toddlers? Tree Question

I considered it bc my DS is 20 months and pretty wild. Plus he loves xmas trees and calls ornaments "balls" so that didn't make me feel too confident lol. But I figured we would put it up without the gate and see how he did. He's surprisingly really good about it. He loves the tree - points at it, blows kisses at the ornaments, does a little dance of excitement. He does touch some of the ornaments sometimes but like PPs said, I put the breakable ones out of reach and so far so good.

Re: Do you have young toddlers? Tree Question

Re: Do you have young toddlers? Tree Question

Never. I never gated or really babyproofed my house. For me personally there is nothing more annoying than gates and houses sectioned off. I always taught ds not to touch. He came into our world. I light candles,keep glass frames and knick knacks around.

Do you have young toddlers? Tree Question

No never. She doesn't even attempt to go near the tree. She's almost 3.

Re: Do you have young toddlers? Tree Question

Mine are now 2 & 4 - I never gated my tree.
IMO they need to learn not to touch certain things and they're never going to learn if everything is always gated, or moved from their reach etc. -

Re: Do you have young toddlers? Tree Question

No gate. I am teaching him not to touch

Re: Do you have young toddlers? Tree Question

No but my dd is not very interested in it. We tell her to look and not touch and she actually listens.

Do you have young toddlers? Tree Question

No. She doesn't really go near it. She points to it and says, "Tree, house!" But never really messes with it or the ornaments.

Re: Do you have young toddlers? Tree Question

no gate but DS has no interest in the tree. I put unbreakable ornaments toward the bottom as well. I don't find it odd though for those that do put up a gate.

Do you have young toddlers? Tree Question

I have a 4 year old and a 20 month old. My tree is not gated. We put the unbreakable stuff at the bottom. Sometimes my little one grabs an ornament, but whatever. She's just curious.

Re: Do you have young toddlers? Tree Question

DD is 27 months, never gated the tree. She knows that she can only touch 2 of the ornaments and if she touches any others Mommy & Santa will be very upset ;)

Do you have young toddlers? Tree Question

I have a 19 month old and a 2 year old nephew (who is always at my house). The tree is not gated and they have "messed" with it less than a handful of times.

Re: Do you have young toddlers? Tree Question

I did last Xmas when DD was 20 months old. This year, she's 2.5 and she's behaving. She will look at the ornaments and knows not to touch them. so far, so good.

Do you have young toddlers? Tree Question

I Definitly don't think its funny! I fully expected to have to gate my tree to protect the ornaments to my little winter village underneath the tree but my DD pleasantly surprised me and after the first day it was up, she learned not to touch the ornaments. She is 2. For what its worth, I had her "help" me decorate the tree.. so now she points to it and says "my tree" but doesn't touch the ornaments, I like to think that she is good about not touching it since I let her help me decorate it- but chances are I just got lucky with this one. She is very active but generally doesn't touch stuff she shouldn't.

Re: Do you have young toddlers? Tree Question

We didn't but only b/c there is no room for a gate. We only put shatterproof up and they are not really left unattended with it. They have shaken the branches and tried to eat lights but I just keep telling them no. Its just 1 more of like 40 things they can get into in the LR/Kitchen. Every time I baby proof something, they find something else to get into.

Re: Do you have young toddlers? Tree Question

Do you have young toddlers? Tree Question

We've never gated the tree and he's been really good with it.