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Have any of your DC been climbers?

24 replies

BrexitBingoGenerator · 15/05/2019 22:01

Just interested really. My dd is 3 and climbs everything; banisters, trees, slides, ladders, cupboards, fences - anything where she can achieve height. She knows when she is safe and is so sure footed and careful. However, I have become so used to scouting out areas for potential danger or hazard or escape anywhere new that we go.

I love her and wouldn’t change her fearlessness and sense of adventure for the world, but crikey- it’s hard work sometimes!

OP posts:
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GoldenPlatitudes · 15/05/2019 22:09

My DD was - when she was 12 months old she used to climb up Her older brothers slide and go down it. She climbed on EVERYTHING. Used to freak me out, couldn't really do anything but hover just in case......

She is now 13 and an amazing gymnast and dancer 😁

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NoodieRoodie · 15/05/2019 22:09

I've got 3, each one worst than the last (and started earlier)! I now just accept that this is what they do and that they're fairly capable. It makes friends laugh but cover their eyes at the same time Grin

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Taswama · 15/05/2019 22:11

DS has a birthday do at the climbing wall coming up. They often have kids clubs from age 5 or so.

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Applesbananaspears · 15/05/2019 22:28

My youngest was out of his cot, over the high dog gate and on the kitchen worktops in the middle of the night before he was 2

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RaptorWhiskers · 15/05/2019 22:33

I loved climbing as a child. Was never allowed to do it, my mum was ridiculously over protective. When she was downstairs watching tv I used to sit with my legs dangling out of the upstairs window. Loved going out with my dad because he let me climb stuff! DS 1yo is showing every sign of being a climber - he likes to climb the stairs, the back of the sofa, etc. I bought him a tiny climbing frame but I stay within catching distance when he climbs it!

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Oliversmumsarmy · 15/05/2019 22:40

Ds was a climber and a leaper

Walked at 9 months and I couldn’t take my eyes off him otherwise he would climb the curtains onto the window sill and leap off.

We still don’t have curtains in our house.

Ds climbed onto something in a “exhibition” type place. The place was completely empty (thank God). But stupid me for looking at the explanation card instead of at Ds for a few seconds. I told him to get down and as he jumped the thing gave way

Who says running away never solved anything.Grin

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Cyw2018 · 15/05/2019 22:41

DD is 15 months, she had been climbing the ladder up to our crogloft since 11 months and confidently able to climb up and down it since 13 months. She climbs from the footstool, up the radiator and onto the windowsill (to join the dog who has his bed there).

DH and I are both Rock climbers as are many of our friends, so she will be encouraged to climb anyway, but even so it is hard work. Need eyes in the back of my head!

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Cyw2018 · 15/05/2019 22:42

DD is 15 months, she had been climbing the ladder up to our crogloft since 11 months and confidently able to climb up and down it since 13 months. She climbs from the footstool, up the radiator and onto the windowsill (to join the dog who has his bed there).

DH and I are both Rock climbers as are many of our friends, so she will be encouraged to climb anyway, but even so it is hard work. Need eyes in the back of my head!

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AChickenCalledKorma · 15/05/2019 22:45

Yep - we took the cot sides off before she was 3 because they just encouraged her to climb over them.

She's 16 now and a decent climbing wall is on her wish list for university choices. On the bright side, she is very skillful and careful and hasn't yet had anything resembling a serious fall.

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Witchend · 15/05/2019 22:58

Ds was a climber. I gave up on him sleeping in a cot at 9 months when he just climbed out of any-wearing a sleeping bag too. Shock He slept on a mattress on the floor until he was 15 months when he went into a bed.
He's now11yo and not particularly a climber, and much more careful about where he goes.

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TheWashingFairyatemyhamster · 15/05/2019 23:14

I thought I had a climber in DS1...until DS3 came along. Now DS1 just looks like an amateur. DS3 can climb anything - walls, trees, our front door. There was s period of time when he’d climb the walls in our upstairs hallway and wait silently for me to walk underneath (usually with an armful of washing, and my eyes glued to the floor to avoid stepping on fecking Lego), then drop to the ground just in front or just behind me. Grrr.

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IncyWincyGrownUp · 16/05/2019 00:20

My youngest could climb before he could walk. Like lots of small people anything that looks even remotely interesting is a challenge to be conquered and then jumped off. He loves climbing wall places, and I’ve found somewhere local that does boulder style climbing so we’re going to give that a go too. He may as well do it properly and safely!:o

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DramaAlpaca · 16/05/2019 00:24

DS2 was another who could climb before he could walk, and he was walking at 10 months. I had to have eyes in the back of my head with him. His older brother was nothing like that, but DS2... he was hard work as a toddler.

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Girlwhowearsglasses · 16/05/2019 00:26

All three. DS1 has ADHD and is now 13. Up until a year or so ago he couldn’t walk along a road with a low wall or railings without climbing them. Lots of other issues too but it drives me barmy when all three do it

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Isadora2007 · 16/05/2019 00:26

Yes. Another one whose climber turned into a gymnast- get to baby gym classes now! 😂

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DCIRozHuntley · 16/05/2019 00:37

My DD is 7 and still shins up lampposts and cannot resist a big tree. It's tiring and I have to be firm when it's inappropriate or unsafe but my her siblings don't seem to bother copying.

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BrexitBingoGenerator · 16/05/2019 09:24

I love all these stories! Big respect to all of us mums with eyes constantly peeled and hearts in our mouths!

Dd does go to gym club and it’s her favourite hour of the week apart from ballet, which she also loves. Gym is her time basically to go nuts and do what she has to do, and ballet has been really good because it’s so calm and disciplined and she enjoys feeling in control of herself.

I wonder where this climbing instinct comes from? Is it some primeval throwback to when we lived in trees? 😄

She was an early crawler and a shite sleeper- she just constantly wanted to be moving as a baby. She was ridiculously wriggly before she was born too!

OP posts:
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WickedGoodDoge · 16/05/2019 09:50

Yep, and now she’s about to turn 14 and now does a weekly climbing club. Just wait until she’s old enough to drag you up some Via Ferrata somewhere Grin

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WickedGoodDoge · 16/05/2019 09:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WickedGoodDoge · 16/05/2019 09:56

Oops, and I forgot to edit it. Have reported it!

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sar302 · 16/05/2019 09:59

Yep - 17 month old climber here. I walked into the living room the other day, to find he'd climbed up on to the sofa, on to the arm of the sofa, and was proceeding to climb up the (thankfully secure) bookcase next to it.

He also climbed on to the chest at the end of our bed, onto our bed, crawled up the bed, took a glass of water off the bedside table and emptied it all over the bed 🙄

I have no idea what to do about it going forward - other than make sure all furniture is as secure as possible, spend plenty of time at the toddler gym, and expect plenty of "bump" slips from nursery!

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cantfindname · 16/05/2019 10:16

My little climber is now a certified climbing instructor and climbing wall manager. He never did grow out of it Grin

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WickedGoodDoge · 16/05/2019 11:48

OK, let’s try this again. Grin OP, this is what you have to look forward to! ===>

Have any of your DC been climbers?
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Strugglingtodomybest · 16/05/2019 11:50

Both mine loved climbing. Luckily we'd fixed the bookshelves to the walls...

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