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Original poster

A what age is it reasonable to allow DCs to walk up/down stairs unattended?

60 replies

SpawnChorus · 18/02/2007 16:42

I usually accompany DD (2) up and down the stairs, and she is pretty sure-footed, especially on the way up. Not so confident about her coming down, but I think that's partly cos I am always there in front of her, and I think that gives her a (false?) sense of added security, so she's not so careful.

Anyway, I'm just curious to know when I can let her tackle the stairs without my go-go-gadget arms in the immediate vicinity.

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lostinfrance · 18/02/2007 19:19

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Dottydot · 18/02/2007 19:19

We've never had stairgates with ds2 - moved house when he was born and didn't get round to fitting them...

Aloha · 18/02/2007 19:22

I hardly ever used the stairgates with dd, but can't bear to let dh take them of as it means NO MORE BABIES! Sob!

Skyler · 18/02/2007 19:34

I am just begining to let dd2 do it and she is 20mths. She crawls up and sits on her bottom to come down. I was more realaxed but in Jan she tried to step down them and her legs are far too short so she toppled over at the top step and tumbled head over heels the whole way down. I was at the top too and screamed for DH. First time I have screamed like that in my life. Pure fear, I thought she would be dead. Suffice to say she didn't have a mark on her and stopped crying long before I did .
You know your child's abilities though so do what you are comfortable with. They won't remember it with embarrassment, though you might lol.

motherinferior · 18/02/2007 19:36

We never had stairgates. DD1 took forever to learn to walk, and is of a Cautious Disposition which meant she kept well away from the top of the stairs till she felt up to trying to go down unaided.

DD2 is rather different but hey, she's a second child.

It's a good thing I never had more children, really

lizziemun · 18/02/2007 19:46

It depends dd now 3yrs, but from about 18mths goes up and down by herself (comes down on her bottom) when at home with me.

Now if daddy's home she makes him go up and down with her.. I have told him that she got him on a piece of string.

Skyler · 18/02/2007 19:48

Forgot to say we lived in a bungalow when dd1 was small so no problems. I highly recommend bungalows if you have small children.

Skyler · 18/02/2007 19:48
Grin
misc · 18/02/2007 20:00

this thread has made me feel a bit better as just last w/e I thought ds had mastered the stairs so wasn't holding his wrist just his hand, anyway he let go and tumbled right to the bottom, scariest thing ever and i thought the worst but 10 mins later right as rain (although i still demanded >< ray at hosp!) since then I have been feeling so guilty and such a bad mum so glad to hear others have had the same accident!

misc · 18/02/2007 20:02

That sounded awful!! I didn't mean i'm glad your kids have accidents! sorry

staceym11 · 18/02/2007 20:11

my dd is 2 and a couple of months and my dh panicks about her walking up/down the stairs outside our flat (not concrete, but not quite indoor stairs iykwim) whereas with a new baby i can't afford to help her up/down (mainly as the baby is breaking my arm the heavy lump) so i go and put him in the buggy at the bottom and wait for her to come down and when we go up i usually go into the flat telling her that the door is open when she gts to the top. she is fine every time, some days she doesn't feel as confident (when shes tired/ill) and she sits on the bottom step and tells me she'll wait until iv got ds in safely! i then go and retrieve her from the bottom step! lol

FioFio · 18/02/2007 20:13

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colditz · 18/02/2007 20:17

At whatever age your next child is born

melpomene · 18/02/2007 20:23

DD2 is 21 months and can walk up and downstairs by herself (holding onto the banister on the way down). If I am with her she likes to hold my hand on the way down, but she can manage safely by herslf too.

The more freedom they have (within reason), the quicker they learn.

RedTartanLass · 18/02/2007 20:31

lol colditz

paulaplumpbottom · 18/02/2007 20:44

I think its one of those things that happen gradually. My DD is three and she would go up and down on her own but someone is always present. They are steep and wooden. One day I imagine I'll just stop worrying about it. I think its just one of those things that you know when the time is right.

Bozza · 18/02/2007 20:50

DD si 2.8 and has been walking up and down for ages. We have not had stair gates for months but kept the top one for longer than the bottom one. But she does it all totally independently.

liquidclocks · 18/02/2007 20:50

DS1 was doing it at 10-11 months - went up on all fours and slid down on his tummy. He fell once, at 16 months, from the 3rd step when DH made a loud noise and he turned to look - so our fault not his.

Only reason we have a gate is to keep him in his room when I need to have shower

ukcloggie · 18/02/2007 21:04

DD is now 2.2 and is very good at walking up and down since a few months, but looking back I deffo had PFB syndrome and should have left her to get on with it a bit earlier, she really wanted to as well!!

kels666 · 18/02/2007 21:08

17 mths for my DD. She is extremely agile though.

pucca · 18/02/2007 21:12

I think it also depends on the stairs

My dd is 3, but i still don't let her go up/down alone, our stairs are horrendous terrace house stairs (even i have to hold to bannister).

Stairs at relatives houses she is fine with though has been for a good while.

PizPizPiz · 18/02/2007 21:13

My dd started going up and down by herself when she was 2.4

UniSarah · 18/02/2007 21:38

when they can do it by themsleves. We are currently working hard to stair proof our baby (11m/o) as we can't baby proof the stairs. friends in similar houses have had stair proof kids by about 13/14 months.

hes very good at going up and has worked out how to take a toy with him by moving it one step at a time. hes to short to come down on his bum, so we are going for feet first on front, the reverse of how he goes up. hes good at down once he gets going but not so good at starting down yet. more practise needed before i start leaving room doors open again.

FrannyandZooey · 18/02/2007 21:51

I think I followed ds around for ages doing this as well. It doesn't do them any harm to have you walk behind them, IMO - I mean it isn't like you are stopping them from developing the skill, you are just being there to make sure. I also have a thing about stairs and know a child who suffered severe injuries after falling down stairs aged 2, so I am lairy about it.

fennel · 19/02/2007 09:25

Incidentally, they don't really seem to hurt themselves when they do fall down. My neice, now 4, falls down stairs quite regularly, she's fearless and also clumsy, and it hasn't bothered her. my 5yo fell down our really steep high stairs recently, ones I think are quite dangerous, and didn't even have a bruise. My 2yo falls downstairs occasionally too.

Children do seem to bounce.