Christmas tree + toddler, what to do?

[froken]

Ds turns one in December so I assume he will be just walking around Christmas.

Usually we get a big tree, we will be staying at my parent's house for the Christmas/newyear week and they will defiantly have a big tree.

Both trees will be real.

Any tips. On stopping ds pulling the tree over /eating the needles.

Would the needles be poisons?

Does a 1 year old understand that they can't pull the tree over?

We can just not get a tree at home but at my parent's house it is more of an issue.

[50shadesofknackered]

I've used artificial trees while the dc's have been little, to avoid any injuries caused by needles. It's obviously not the same as a real tree but you can get some lovely ones. Dc2 will b nearly 3 this Christmas so next year we may get a real one. As for pulling it over, I think all u can do is watch them and tell them no whenever they try to touch.

[Jojay]

I've got 4 kids under 7. Every year I've worried about this and every year they're been fine. Sweep up regularly if required. They won't chew on the needles for long

[Tommetipsy]

We stuck with real trees even when the dd's were toddlers and they were fine. DD2 was quite hypnotised by the lights! Usually she was a see and destroy type toddler...

[kiwidreamer]

agree, we thought the worst would happen with destructababy but it was really fine, first year of walking at Xmas 18mths we put fake tree in a travel cot but he was fine really and then DD we never bothered and she was fine too.

[NumberTwoDue]

We tied our real tree to a radiator so DD couldn't pull it down on herself and I made loads of felt decorations to go at the bottom where she could theoretically pull them off (was 13 months at the time and just started walking). In reality, she didn't touch it. Loved looking at it, said "tree!" whenever she saw it but didn't want to get too close.

We'll be doing the same this year as she is more trouble a bit more spirited than last year...

[vix206]

When DS was 1 at Xmas I put the babydan playpen around the tree

Not hugely festive but it worked a treat and I did wrap tinsel around it to try and pretty it up!!

[PreciousPuddleduck]

Ooh, I'm watching this, DD will be 18 mo at Chrimbo eeeek

[ceeveebee]

We had a real tree last year and had 13 mo twins, and after a few sharp 'no's' they stayed away. Wondering how it will be this year now they are going through the terrible twos though?

[froken]

Thanks for all tge good ideas! Hopefully he will get bored with the tree as quickly as he gets bored with his toys in which case he should ignore it after 10 minutes ;)

[Katieweasel]

Do you know it never occurred to me to be worried about the tree when my DS was little. We always had a real one and never had any problems. No I take that back. We did have problems but that was with the cat!

[fishybits]

1 year old DD, 2 yr old friend, 1 year old twins for a few days + a real tree last year = no problems at all.

[ZenGardener]

I've heard they don't play with real trees as much as they are jaggy.

I had a cheap artificial tree with a mixture of felt and plastic decorations. My kids loved playing with it when they were toddlers. The tree was decorated and undecorated umpteen times but I didn't mind. It eventually got bent in half!

[PoppyAmex]

I agree Zen.

DD is very much a fearless little hurricane but didn't like the feel of the pointy pine needles.

[kiwik]

Yep, pointy needles have put all my DSs off from tampering with the tree. Being a slattern definitely had advantages when they were small!
DS3 is going to be 2 just after Christmas, and hopefully he won't be into the tree this year. Last year he was crawling and ignored it completely, so I'm crossing fingers that this year, even though he is now more curious he'll do the same.

[Kinect]

We had a fibre optic fake tree.

Looked twinkly without anything to fall off / pull off

DD was obsessed with trees when we were out & about & pulling the decorations off.

[LittleAbruzzenBear]

I don't know, DS2 will be 17 months and he doesn't leave anything alone.....I may have to go down the fibre optic route as I don't want my pretty baubles terrorised.

[Lilicat1013]

My son has never bothered with the Christmas tree (he is three and a half now). Last year he did carefully removed the decorations one by one when ever he got the chance and transfer them to his bed because he loved them and he likes to put everything he loves in his bed.

I get the feeling my youngest son is going to be a whole different style of child and we might get more problems with him. He will be nearly one at Christmas and I think it will be chaos. I am hoping to go for the 'don't touch' approach at the moment but I will see how long that lasts.