DD and climbing onto furniture, she's already cut her lip once...

[ConOfScience]

DD is 13 months and has just started climbing onto the furniture, ie sofa.

She sits on her knees and bounces up and down looking rather pleased with herself, but DP has just called to say that she fell off the couch and cut her lip

Our living/dining/kitchen area is all open plan (in a kind of L shape) and DP said he was in the kitchen area for a minute then heard the thud and cries. She was at her toy box one minute and the next she was on the floor by the couch crying...

Anyway, I am aware that accidents happen but, other than being by her side every minute of every day, is there anything we can do to prevent this happening again?

Or do we just accept that she's going to fall off sometimes, until she learns?

I have suggested to DP that every time he has to go to the loo, or make lunch, or hang up washing he puts dd in the playpen - she hates it and screams to get out, but if it keeps her away from harm then it's the lesser of two evils...

Just looking for reassurance really and perhaps an idea of what you do with your very active toddlers?

Am I being precious?

If I spot my dd1 doing something where she could hurt herself I just tell her to be careful but don't stop her ( unless v dangerous of course). As you say you can't watch them at all times and they do learn. No one likes to see their little hurt though so the playpen might be handy on some occasions when you might be a few mins if it gives you peace of mind

lovely - that one response has given the required amount of reassurance.

Thanks nevercan :)

It's hard, isn't it? Is she able to get down from the sofa safely (ie backwards)? If not, can you maybe try teaching her? I don't know how he learnt it (possibly at nursery) but my DS (16 months) is pretty good at tackling anything high by coming down safely backwards. Doesn't stop him climbing in the first place though!

When DD started doing this I sat on the sofa with her and then instead of picking her up I turned her around and showed her how to come down backwards safely. She got the hint after a while and is now very good and descending.

She has been able to get down backwards for a while, (sometimes the landing isn't to graceful, when climbing over the arm of the chair) but it's when she gets too excited and doesn't realise she's on the edge, or perhaps loses her balance that she falls.

She's going to hurt herself, it is what it is but I will keep telling her to be careful and try to tell her that being near the edge is more dangerous, at least until she realises that not taking care will result in a bump to the head.

Thanks everyone :)

Get her to Tumble Tots or some such similar venture - it won't stop her climbing at all but will give her LOTS of practice at doing it safely.

I agree with the teaching her to do things as much as possible, then use the stairgate to stop her being able to access anything genuinely scary, keep the stepladder locked in the shed (DS made it to the top of ours before we noticed...) and apply kisses and cuddles for bumps and knocks.

Toddlers would never learn to walk if they were deterred by falling over and hurting themselves - while at the same time they learn how to do it with less bumps by getting the bumps.

This level of anxiety will continue until late teendom now - sorry

Oh - I never ever told DS 'be careful' which I think is a rather vague concept and just causes discouragement and anxiety, but only ever gave constructive advice on HOW to be careful - e.g 'find somewhere safe for your foot before you let go' on the climbing frame.

Blu - great advice re: be careful.

I'll use that, thanks :)

That is good advice, thanks Blu.

My DS is just learning to walk (he can take a few steps but prefers crawling). However he has decided that walking on the sofa is the best place to practice - it looks so precarious, and much harder than walking on the floor, surely!

We took away anything too dangerous (mainly the coffee table which DS climbed onto and bookshelves he could pull onto himself), but DS still hurts himself even now at 2. With me watching!

We have taught him how to climb down. We also have put padding in places (eg his bed headboard and plug sockets that stick out), but can't proof everything. I did keep a much closer eye on him at 13 months than I do now at 2 (rarely left the room - he came with me when younger but now it's fine). Mainly because he's discover danger I'd not even realised existed!!!!