My 28 month old is driving me crazy! We just bought a new tv that she knocked over today, has learned to climb up onto the top of the 500lb. fishtank that's 5 feet tall, is trying to climb trees, etc. She started climbing at 7 months and is obsessed with it. She wants to climb the wall at the zoo that is for kids 7+, etc. Spankings and warnings aren't working. She jumped off the kitchen table today and busted her lip open. She's starting to scare me so bad that I won't even leave her alone long enough for me to brush my teeth! Any other monkey mamma's with a solution?
Gosh this sounds like my daughter, she will be 2 soon this girl has NO fear at all. She climbs on my table, up and down the stairs, she also gets into my kitchen and throws everything. It's just great. I never have a chance to sit down. I hope when I am old and grey we can sit and talk about it and laugh because right now it's not funny at all. I am soooooo tired.
Take the time to install a climbing wall in your yard. I have always believed that kids need area's in the house that is theirs. Have it so you can spent time with her and watch her in this activity. Then when the time is up , state so, then if she does it any where else that is not approperite then send her to time out.
Using the word "No, Down", or "Feet on the floor" is good also.
Gymnastics! If you can get her in a program, a lot of places do a Mom and Me for toddlers, and then when they turn 3 they can join a regular class. It has helped my little girl with discipline (minding) as well as getting some energy out in a constructive way. Now I come into the kitchen to find her handstanding against the wall. Really cute :)
As far as the climbing being dangerous, I would implement a discipline system so she knows there are proper times to climb and improper times. Check out www.oneweekparentingmiracle.com, this has been a huge help with my two children for disciplining as well as helping them understand what they did wrong and why. I love this program, and I hope will help you!
Good luck with your little climber!
E.
We have all the bookshelves in our home screwed to the wall with L brackets and each individual shelf is screwed to the wall of the unit with smaller L brackets. She needs to climb, you are going to have to give her opportunity to do so. I don't know the Arlington are but in OKC they have taken an old grain elevator and turned it into an indoor rock climbing adventure. The parents take a class and they actually work the ropes and are helping their own kids. The youngest they have had climb was 18 months old. Of course that child didn't go all the way to the top but did climb around on the rocks some.
Maybe there is something similar to this in your area. We also have a very small rock climbing wall at our Gymnastics and Dance studio in the little kids gym room downstairs. As I understand this is a pretty regular activity for gym's to havenow days. They incorporate it into the smaller kids classes to build upper body strength and it is lots of fun.
I googled indoor rock climbing in arlington texas and here is the link to the results:
http://www.google.com/search?q=indoor+rock+climbing+in+ar...
First, climbing is not only normal but essential for your toddler. Second, you can do things to make your home more safe, such as fastening furniture to wall as suggested by Gamma G. Keep all chairs pushed under table or if she can pull them out place them far from the table. Put your TV on top of a high object, such as the fireplace mantel, a tall book shelf that is fastened to the wall, a chest of drawers. Keep everything away from the fish tank that she can climb on to get on top. My daughter had to keep her step stool on top of the refrigerator for awhile.
Then arrange safe areas in which she can climb. When she starts to cllimb anywhere that is unsafe move her to the safe area. My daughter stopped her kids from climbing up on the counters in the kitchen by consistently stopping them and taking them into the living room where they could climb on the sofa, food stool, a low cabinet. The sofa was backed against a wall so that they could climb up onto the back of it.
Also remember, when you start to panic about injury from a fall, that their bones are still pliable and are very unlikely to break. They can injure their brain if they fall from a height onto a hard surface but brain injury actually rarely happens. If you provide places for climbing that are on a carpeted surface it is unlikely that your toddler will be seriously injured. A busted lip is par for the age.
Let her climb the wall at the zoo with you standing right behind her. Find places that she can climb and she will be more apt to obey when you stop her from climbing in other places.
I agree with the below advice: to enable your lo to climb safely somewhere. I would also humbly add, that you could show her how to climb safely up and down so she knows how to get down OK....
Take care.
Much as I hate to say it, mine is 4 1/2 and still obsessed with the climbing and jumping off of things. His favorite at the moment is the top of the refrigerator. The only suggestion I have to add to the other excellent advice is if she's a jumper, teach her how to jump correctly - make sure theres nothing in the way, bend the knees, balance, etc. Good luck with your little monkey!
sounds like my 22 month old got to love kids and the sad part is they are fearless and feel no pain when they fall they whine and do it again. You got me let me know if anything works
