What to do re: Christmas tree and a toddler

[Noopypappy]

DS will be 16 months at christmas. We normally have a load of glass baubles on our tree and also some plastic ones which i normally put towards the middle as 'fillers'. Should I go to 100% plastic baubles this year, or put plastic ones near the bottom and still have glass ones at the top? What do you do (or what did you do) with a toddler this age?

[Iggly]

I'd use plastic ones. Even if the glass ones are out of reach, you might drop one or three and not get all the shards off the floor.

[DamselInDisarray]

Based on last year's experience with DS2, I'd go with plastic ones and resign myself to having none within toddler reach. He really enjoyed removing them and throwing them around the house.

[Meglet]

I didn't bother with a tree until last year when DS was 4 and DD was 2 as they tend to pull things apart. I used plastic or fabric decoration / baubles.

[Fuzzywood]

Definitely shatter proof baubles, did this with DD. As the mini human wrecking ball DS, nearly 10 months old is now on the scene, I think the whole tree will have to be cordoned off, thinking of using the playpen. Otherwise the tree will not stand a chance

[roundabout1]

When dd1 was a toddler we painted a christmas tree, 3 green triangle shapes stuck on top of each other (overlapping) & then stuck on paintings of baubles etc . We still put the presents underneath. Now we have dd2 who will be 18mths at christmas & I don;t know what to do, am thinking may do the same again but think dd1 may be disappointed although will be probably more disappointed by the tree being wrecked all the time. May buy a little one we can put ona shelf, unfortunately our house is tiny so can't think any way round it. Oh & definetly no glass baubles, I replaced all ours with plastic or fabric as dd even when she was 4 couldn;t keep away from it & have numerous incidents with smashed baubles & they go eveywhere.

[fifitrixibell]

oh dear - I never even thought about changing anything - we always have a real tree with all the baubles we've always had, including glass ones. Fortunately we've never had any problems and DD1 is 8. I always come off MN feeling like a negligent parent

[pigleychez]

We DD1 who is 3 and DD2 who is 18mths.

Our tree gets put in the corner of the lounge with both sofas butted up against it. It does ruin the effect of our enormous tree but it saves the fear of it getting pulled over.

My lovely glass ornaments havent seen the light for a few years and probably wont for a good few years yet. In fact ive replaced them with little dingly bells so that I can hear if any little fingers are tampering with the tree!
DD1 wasnt too bad but I have a sneaky feeling that DD2 is going to be trying to climb it this year!!
Being in the corner also means you can hide the presents under the tree without little eyes seeing or tying to open them :)

[IwishIwasmoreorganised]

We've always put our tree in a good stand, and then the glass/breakable decorations go at the top.

Our ds's are now 6 and 3 and we've never had a tree fall over. They have fiddled with low down decorations, but even our simple planning has coped with that!

fifi I often feel like a negligent parent after reading threads on here too!

[ByThePowerOfGreyskull]

perhaps going against the grain here.

we have had or normal decorations on the tree each year with child friendly additions.
thankfully the trees that we choose seem to be a spikey enough deterent and each time one of the littlies have lunged towards the tree there have been tears about the tree spiking them and no chance for them to have broken any ornaments before the tree getting there first. iykwim.

IMO your little one is old enough for you to be telling them that they don't play with the tree.

aware that sounds untactfull have had too much wine cant think of a gentle way of wording it.

[ByThePowerOfGreyskull]

x posts..

[fifitrixibell]

my kids are always much more interested in the tree chocolates than the baubles .

[UniS]

Plastic one and assorted glitter covered toddler made tat.

[EndoplasmicReticulum]

One Christmas when toddler was nearly 2 I did put the tree in the playpen.

Toddlers lost interest fairly quickly though. Kittens were worse for bauble messing.

[PomBearAtTheGatesOfDoom]

Plastic baubles, no lights (or a very long cord) so when/if the whole thing goes over it's still safe, and prepare to say "Noooooo" a lot for 6 weeks or so

[jasper]

tree in playpen

[DioneTheDiabolist]

Put the glass ones high up and teach your DC how to be around a Christmas tree.

[startail]

DD1 fiddled with everything so plastic baubles except at the very top.
Favourite ones in a glass bowl right out of reach.
I've known several people who also have a set of cheap decorations for kittens! (DF beautiful old lights didn't come out to meet her beautiful tearaway kitten)

[Noopypappy]

Thanks all, food for thought there!

[2kidsintow]

First I used all the lovely stuff, but put the unused fireguard around the corner the tree was in....and all the wrapped presents behind the guard under the tree so they could be admired but not touched.

Next few years was good stuff at the top, plastic but pretty at the bottom.

Now DDs 10 and 7 and they have all their own decs on their own tree and I am back to all the lovely stuff all on the tree downstairs (with the exception of the lowest branches as the cat has a tendency to bat them off and play with them.