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With a toddler like this one?

28 replies

TortoiseInAShell · 06/12/2014 13:53

He's 18 months old, a happy, healthy, blue-eyed, blonde-haired boy. BUT! He is a distraction derby to a whole new level.

He can open the toilet lock from the outside, open the toilet lid, and LOVES posting everything he can find into the toilet.

Now he's discovered he can pull out the kitchen chairs and climb onto the table, but doesn't stop there! No, he has to dance on the table standing up, or sway backwards on the chair tipping it onto it's back legs precariously balanced. As soon as I get him down and push the chair under the table, he's dashed to the other side and is already halfway up, giggling triumphantly as he goes. My fear is that he will soon master pulling chairs around the kitchen to get up onto work surfaces and empty all my plate cupboards or play with knives.

He can open the oven door to use it as a shelf to climb up and touch the gas rings. He can turn on the grill knob and open the door into the grill, all at his eye height. I can't leave him for 5 seconds to answer the door or nip to the loo. If I take him to the toilet with me he tries to post little things down the toilet behind me while I am sat on it, or in the 3 seconds it takes me to exit and shut the lid.

I seem to spend my whole time running round the house undoing his 'handiwork' and can't get anything else done, it can't wait because it's always urgent, for example him on the table resulting in my hair turning grey, not to mention my first coffee of the day often being mid-morning!

So my question is, would you somehow try to child proof the house (but not sure how without using handcuffs!) or begin to try and discipline him by speaking sharply and removing him to the naughty step, in the hope he can be trained to stop engaging in these behaviours? Currently I spend as much time out of the home as I can, but its not always possible to do this for health reasons as well as cost.

So good people of Mumsnet, what would YOU do?

OP posts:
CMOTDibbler · 06/12/2014 13:55

I'd put a stairgate on the kitchen so he can't get in there, and also on the bathroom if your doorways are deep enough to do that and close the door (ours are).

SolomanDaisy · 06/12/2014 13:58

I have one who has been through similar phases. You have to child proof. If you think your child is going to be able to access knives, obviously you add a safety device. Get one for the oven too. Put a bolt higher than he can reach on the toilet door. Some people are lucky and get away with not doing this stuff, but if you have children like ours you have to. Once there are fewer hazards you can concentrate on telling them no for the hazards you can't remove.

snice · 06/12/2014 14:02

Put a small bolt high up on the bathroom door-lots of people have to do this, you're not the only one with a climber! I had to keep my dining chairs on the table for a while as otherwise I would turn round to find DD standing on it.

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GothicRainbow · 06/12/2014 14:02

We have a catch on the lid of the toilet that holds it down (DS then can't lift the lid)

We have a stair gate on the kitchen and also locks for the oven door and a hob shield.

We don't have a kitchen table but I would look at strapping the chairs in to the table to stop him pulling them out.

TortoiseInAShell · 06/12/2014 14:05

What safety device is there for knife block? It is too high to fit into any cupboards and he can break into the child-proof locks on lower cupboards, which isn't too much of an issue because I've put soft stuff there like breakfast cereal and Tupperware. I would have nowhere to put coffee maker or even microwave if not on kitchen work top (both of which are too large to fit into a cupboard but unfortunately possible to shove off the edge and smash Shock

If I use a stair gate to the kitchen door he will be alone a fair bit while I prepare dinner and wash up etc. it's worth a try though because the other option isn't doable. Definitely I will have to resort to high locks on my lovely original antique wooden doors - sob!

OP posts:
snice · 06/12/2014 14:06

Oh and buy a dog gate for the kitchen-taller so they cant climb over and stick him behind it when you want to go to loo etc. Leave one drawer without a lock so he can open it and have some toys in there for these times or just some stacking cups, pan lids to bang together

TortoiseInAShell · 06/12/2014 14:06

Which oven shield did you use? I had a quick look on amazon and wasn't sure if they're universal?

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WhenSheWasBadSheWasHorrid · 06/12/2014 14:06

Stair gate on kitchen but I would also get cupboard locks for the kitchen cupboards.

Try and have at least half the house child proofed and the rest inaccessible.

tumbletumble · 06/12/2014 14:07

I wouldn't use the naughty step for this kind of behaviour. He's just exploring. I understand where you're coming from though, as I had a very active DS1 who would climb anything. He's now a well behaved 9yo - still active and sporty though!

TortoiseInAShell · 06/12/2014 14:07

Yes we already have a few 'allowed access' cupboard and drawers but he soon gets bored with those!

OP posts:
snice · 06/12/2014 14:09

If he can break into the cupboard locks then you need better locks. Also get rid of the knife block for now and turn off the electricity supply to the cooker when you're not using it.

SolomanDaisy · 06/12/2014 14:10

Switch to different locks for the cupboard doors, or add two on each door. We took the knives out of the knife block and locked them away. It sounds like you might need to go with a gate for the kitchen door though.

TortoiseInAShell · 06/12/2014 14:10

I agree that he's just exploring and his courage is quite commendable! I only considered the notion because of the seriousness of the consequences if he manages to injure himself with his little adventures! However I can see it needs to be Fort Knox in a whole new way. Didn't have any of this with DC1!

OP posts:
TortoiseInAShell · 06/12/2014 14:12

Good tip for cooker electrics - why didn't I think of that?! - however half of it is gas, so perhaps I need to track down some gas knob shields too.

OP posts:
GothicRainbow · 06/12/2014 14:12

We got the baby dan one from Amazon but I think they do a clevermama one too - it works great as DS liked to kiss his reflection in the glass of the oven door Shock

We also got the oven door locks and the baby dan metal hob guard which again has been brilliant as DS is now tall enough to reach the kitchen sides and we have a gas hob.

pizdets · 06/12/2014 14:12

Oh he sounds like trouble! I worry 14 month DS is on the same trajectory... he posts all my clean washing down the loo if I hang it out in the spare room and discovered how to open jars the other day, covering himself and the kitchen in pasta sauce. He'll climb anything and tear whatever he can to pieces, it is nerve shredding! I try to remember that he no longer tries to swallow stones and snails as standard and doesn't chew on wires any more either...hopefully it will get better eventually, even if he gets worse first. I don't really leave mine unattended so all our meals are batch cooked at the weekend or quick pizza/pasta jobs which can be done after bedtime. No advice but lots of sympathy!!

TortoiseInAShell · 06/12/2014 14:13

Where did you lock knives to? Presumably you still needed to cut bread or potatoes and veggies etc?

OP posts:
snice · 06/12/2014 14:13

I sympathise! Both mine were like this though whereas my friend never even bought a single cupboard lock as her child would never have dreamt of exploring like this

TortoiseInAShell · 06/12/2014 14:15

Pizdets - it's a comfort to know that I'm not alone! He was a gravel and snail eater too, it's amazing they survive sometimes isn't it?

OP posts:
snice · 06/12/2014 14:15

Knives into a drawer with lock. Without electric he couldn't light the gas rings although I suppose he could gas you all!

TortoiseInAShell · 06/12/2014 14:15

It's amazing you had your second snice! I think if he had been my first is have stopped right there!

OP posts:
TortoiseInAShell · 06/12/2014 14:17

Not much comfort regarding the gas knob!

Was the lock baby proof lock or key lock? He seems to manage to crack baby locks Hmm little Houdini!

OP posts:
snice · 06/12/2014 14:17

Only a few years to go and then t hey barely move from in front of the Xbox

tabulahrasa · 06/12/2014 14:18

A fun pod?

It's supposed to be chest height, so that they're um, trapped, lol

TortoiseInAShell · 06/12/2014 14:19

Wow that Funpod had a high star rating!

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