Christmas trees and toddlers!

[adamadamum]

I got a tiny fibre optic tree to use on a high shelf out of the kids way as I know what they're like, but my lovely Homestart volunteer yesterday turned up with a small real tree plus decorations for it. Already it is minus all it's decorations because it was too big to keep out of the kid's way, and this afternoon I put it in the garden as I can't stand the stress of trying to keep them off it! Am I the only one? They were pulling the lights off it before I made that decision, could have got it 'round their necks, plus she only lent us the lights anyway!

twohoots may well have NOT been "geeting at me" but that post shows very little understanding, tolerence or care. She may well have said I HOPE SHE'S NOT A SPAZ. Did she not read any posts apart from the first? Not that that excuses this kind of attitude. I don't think I am wrong to believe, due to all kinds of things, there has been a large increase in the amount of children with SPECIAL NEEDS surviving into adult-hood over the last few decades. Like it or not, people have to get used to it, and not make stupid, flippant remarks like 2hoots did. She could have a premature baby where it was touch and go, and fight to keep the child alive, only to find in a year or two, the child was not NORMAL. Or simply give birth to a seemingly NORMAL child to find in time she has an extremely rare defect, as in MY CASE. Sorry, you may guess I am a little miffed with someone, not you!

Sorry you are having a tough time.

I've abandonned a big tree this year in favour of a small fibre optic one on the highest shelf in the lounge and even that has somehow made it down onto the floor in a big heap twice . DS1 is 2 1/2 and DS2 is 8 months and into everything. DS2 would wreck a Christmas tree and then eat the needles if he could get to it and DS1 would probably resist but I'd have to keep telling him again and again and it would drive me mad.

I've seen some people re-arrange their furniture so that the Christmas tree was behind the sofa in a corner where it is more forgotten about. I guess it depends on the size of the tree. Do you think you could do that? Or move it to a room they go in less?

adamadamum, I'm very aware that at any moment any of my dcs could have SN through illness or accident.

Every child is perfect for who they are meant to be.

They go in every room! And i have finally arranged the furniture to a way I (almost) like, but even if I moved it, the tree is only about 2 1/2 ft in hight so wouldn't be seen behind anything! the only almost ok place was where we put it originally, on the window ledge (it is almost window seat width but too high for that), the kids can nevertheless climb up onto it with ease. I may keep it but just with some homemade paper decorations if I can manage the time to do them, or I might even leave it bare, knowing anything that goes on there will be trashed very quickly...

Nearlythree thanks. xx

JollyOldSaintNikkielas ~Thanks for idea , it may help in the future , but this is just a tiny tree - 2-2 1/2 foot max(I am not going out into the back garden now to measure it!!) a squat little thing that isn't really very attractive, though a nice thought of course, I am not sure it is really worth the bother of doing anything with considering how quickly they destroy things...

adamadumum - when dd2 was 1 and toddling about we didn't put any decs on the bottom third of the tree where she might yank them off, ditto with lights - looked a bit odd but seemed to work
this year she is almost 2 and there are still v few decs within her reach, those that are are homemade ones or wooden/plastic ones that won't break!
hope you have a lovely christmas