"Put it up out of reach"

[GoingQuietlyInsane]

My 3yo toddler is into everything and it's driving me up the wall!

I have to check my bag 5 times before we leave the flat as she has form for taking stuff out - my keys, my wallet etc. She gets into my makeup and ruins it, gets it on the furniture. finds pens and draws on walls, pulls clothing out of cupboards and drawers, breaks things in the kitchen.

We rent so I can't make too many amendments to the place. We do have two high shelves but they are literally the only place I can put things that she can't get to! She climbs onto the kitchen counters, uses chairs to reach onto the dining table - nowhere is safe any more

Even the bathroom cabinet is accessible to her by standing on the loo.

AIBU to wonder where all these "up out of the reach of toddlers" places are? Does anyone else struggle with this?

[grannyinapram]

@ineedamoreadultieradult

She is 3 years old she is old enough to be told not to touch certain things and not to take things out of your bag. Obviously proper dangerous stuff such as medicines should be out of reach or in a locked container if this isnt possible but as gor just taking things out of your bag just tell her not to and if she does apply whatever discipline you use. She isnt an 18 month old toddler she is a pre schooler and old enough to follow instructions.

What a load of tosh, it depends on the child. My eldest was a climber too, I feel for you OP.
I very much doubt the op doesn't tell her kid to stop but 3 is still very young and climbing to reach forbidden items is just what kids do. Even older kids than 3. I would climb to nick 10p for a sweet when I was 8 or so, I knew I wasn't allowed but children push boundaries and don't always do as their told.

honestly some of the posters on here.
'have you tried telling the child to stop?'

Short of removing the child's legs, I am afraid that climbers will just climb. My eldest is 8 now and he still climbs to get stuff from the top of the bookcase and out of the kitchen cupboards. I haven't tried removing his legs yet though

[CSIblonde]

I'd get a lock for the bedroom door. As long as you return the property to its original state when you leave,you can put up shelves etc in most normal rental contracts. ( I worked in Lettings).Also, childproof doors on any cupboards: those white plastic child locks that mean the door only opens a half inch are cheap. Also, if she ignores a no there needs to be a consequence,like a 3min time out(a minute for every year old,in the same, preselected spot each time, returned to it if she leaves before 3mins). You need to binge watch SuperNanny on YouTube or she's going to walk along over you for ever more.

[IfTheSockFits]

@GoingQuietlyInsane

"You don't need to "punish". Consequences are enough. Saying "no" in a cross tone usually goes a long way. When were you thinking of introducing rules, at 10? A three year old can understand simple rules like that."

paxillin Oh I definitely say no! She honestly doesn't care! She just carries on as if I hadn't said a thing. I sometimes end up talking louder and louder as it's like talking to a brick wall, then I shout, which I don't want to do.

I clearly need to work on this though, as my approach isn't working

What do you mean 'she just carries on'?

You need to get physical. Either remove the item from her, or remove her from the item/furniture etc.

It's no good asking her to get down from the table, or whatever. Once you have told her and she's ignored you, then go and pick her up and move her somewhere else.

If she does it again, then you do the same. Again and again. You have to be consistent and do it every time.

You are the boss in this situation.

[BlackRibboner]

just hope you don't leave your dc in my path, you might regret it, I'm so clumsy and say the oddest things

We're talking about young children. All of whom can be annoying and some of whom are inadequately supervised. And your answer is to swear at them and "accidentally" hurt them? Hopefully I've had a sense of humour bypass and just missed the joke, because that's really horrible.