Ds2 is about to start crawling - any tips?

[vivie]

Ds1 is 2.7 and a quiet, orderly child, the type that gets very upset if there's a piece missing from the jigsaw. He likes to do things like putting all the animals in their stalls in the farm and pretending to get them all their lunch (awww). Ds2 is nearly 8 months and is about to start crawling. So far he's not been able to get at and mess up ds1's play (mostly) but things are about to change! I know I'm not the first to have to deal with this so if anyone's got any coping strategies I'd love to hear them - thankyou!

[suzywong]

is there anything in your house like a bit of kitchen counter or a the top of a bookshelf (you would have to screw it in to the wall) that ds1 could use as his special play area while standing on a small stool

otherwise you will have to do what hte rest of us do; grow another pair of eyes in the back of your head, another pair of arms spend the days on tenterhooks

[dot1]

We've been in exactly the same situation! Ds1 is 3 1/2, is very quiet, loves peace and quiet and order and is very protective of his precious train toys! Ds2 is just over 1 and into everything...

To help, Ds1's got his own shelf which he can reach but ds2 can't (we realise this will only be the case for about another year or so!) and he keeps his 'special' toys there - play people, trains, anything with bits that might get broken.

We've also got into the habit of ds1 getting all his train stuff out when ds2 has his nap - we're lucky in that ds2 will have a nap in the morning for about an hour - 2 hours, so ds1 has that time to play with his things and with us and has a great time. He's getting really good at putting everything away when either ds2's just woken up or if we say we think ds2's about to wake up. Because he's got that protected time to himself he's happy to put everything away as he knows he'll be able to play with those things again the next day at the same time.

Hope that makes sense! So maybe a protected shelf where ds2 can't reach for the moment, and protected play time for ds1 on his own.

I have to say the rest of the day is a constant battle between them and sharing isn't a concept they've got the hang of yet...!

[Angeliz]

vivie, my dd2 is only 4 months but i've been thinking about this too as dd1 is 4 and into beads and shells and many peanut sized objects!!

Today i went to Argos and they have this little plastic shelf unit with 2 big boxes and 8 smaller ones

have a look at <a class="break-all" href="http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=3151&productId=124073&clickfrom=image\this}" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=3151&productId=124073&clickfrom=image\this}

My AIM is to put all the tiny bits in boxes and have dd2 put little stuff away . I think i may be setting my standards a bit high but i am hoping

(and it's on special offer and fits behind the settee.
I just think it will be easier to have a box at atime rather than a floor full of beads!

[Angeliz]

try again

[Gobbledigook]

I'm with Suzy - just got to keep your eyes open! I actually find it quite amusing when ds3 plucks the train track apart and starts to eat it! Evil mother that I am!

Or give the little one something else to keep his attention. I have a cupboard for him full of plastic stuff he can pull out and put back. He also loves the colander, whisk, wooden spoon etc. Keeps him entertained in another room if train track is out.

[vivie]

Thanks everyone. I reckon it stays hard to manage until the baby is big enough to do some of the same things as the bigger child, like making pictures or cooking or something. But then there'll be something else to worry about.... The storage shelves look great. We haven't quite got to the stage of having millions of tiny toys but it won't be long!

[bunny2]

vive, I worry too. Ds, 5, hasmillions of toy components - wheels, balls, tiny things that a baby could choke on. Dd is 7 months old so might well be mobile soon. I am going to get a travel cot/play pen for her so when I am busy I can know she is safe. Ds hated his play pen and I sold it but I think it will be a necessity for dd.