To not want to remove stair gate for 5 and 3 year old?

[isitmyanxiety]

Are my husband and I being unreasonable for not wanting to remove the stair gate at the top of the stairs with a 5 and 3 year old?

Their bedrooms open onto a landing and directly in front of 5 yr door is the top of the stairs, and beside that door is 3 yr olds door. They have to walk past the top of the stairs to get to our room.

It's only the nighttime I'm worried about. If they are half asleep and somehow fall down the stairs.

The stair gate is a real pain and we both want it gone but neither of us can make the decision. We're both too paranoid.

Is this normal to feel this way? Do people just remove them? I think the majority of people I know get rid of them earlier than us.

It feels like we are being over cautious and weird but also what if they fall down the stairs in the night. Why are these decisions so hard!

With regards to the top of the stairs one unless it's screwed into the wall properly it's more dangerous to have one.

The pressure ones can be pushed over and the child goes down the stairs on top of the stair gate. I've treated the injuries from many of them!

Exact same set up as you describe with rooms: ours are 5 and 8 and we still have one at the top of the stairs! We have a sleepwalker and I like the idea that no one can wander the house at night when we're all up there and the gate is closed.