Toddler won't stop climbing on shelves

[Lafoosa]

How do I get my 2 year old to stop climbing shelves? It's driving me insane. No matter how many times I say no she doesn't care and does it anyway, as soon as I get her down she does it again. All day everyday I'm telling her off for climbing the shelves and it's getting ridiculous. I can't just let her do it because she she'd really hurt herself if she fell and she keeps breaking everything on the shelf.
I can't afford to get a different shelf that is unclimbable either, we only just got these shelves.
I have no idea how to get her to stop, telling her off and saying no doesn't work, going outside doesn't work because she'll just go straight back to the shelf when she comes inside, playing with toys doesn't help because she just takes her toys to the shelf and tries climbing it again. TV doesn't work because she doesn't care about watching it. I'm so stressed out with every single day being the same day in day out, she never listens to me.

What consequences are you giving her?

Naughty step worked wonders when DS was 2. He then started understand that there were consequences to his actions. Are you doing anything other than telling her off?

I was going to ask the same as soup, what are the consequences and, if you are honest with yourself, are you following through with them consistently?

Do you have a playpen that you could l fence the shelves off with as a last resort?

Once my DD was about 2 and a half I started using the thinking step, same idea as the naughty step but I stay with her. It’s not exactly 100% effective but she doesn’t like being taken away from her toys/the room so it works in that way after several repetitions.

I've known a couple of climbing kids like this. Everyone lived to tell the tales but I think their poor parents nerves were broken .

I currently don't have consequences in place as I haven't been sure what kind to go for. She can't talk yet and I don't think she'd actually stay there if I used a naughty step.

Can you just remove the shelves for the time being? I know my 2 year old wouldn't be reasoned with about that, and it's perhaps just the path of least resistance.

I had a climber. They are characters. I didn't have a stairgate, thaat would have been a challenge too far.

Ok i don't really have any experience of this as a ftm and mine is 4m...

But you can get these climbing frame things for kids.

www.etsy.com/uk/listing/733047613/foldable-pikler-triangle-climbing-ladder?ref=pla_similar_listings_top_ad-1&plkey=8a85d2244d3feb1c27c2c9a6eee435636e0116cd%3A733047613&pro=1&frs=1

I just found that via Google might be able to find one second hand or cheaper. Maybe redirect her to something like this if you could set it up in living room? She gets to climb, bit not your shelves and gets some good exercise and motor skills too.

Take them down or use a fireguard attached to the wall either side of it. Fireguards are really handy things.

My climber climbed onto the top of the fireguard though, he thought it was handy!

Hmmm. sounds like she's getting into the habit and treating almost like a game. remember small kids cant distinguish between positive and negative attention.

If you're not comfortable disciplining her, i would give zero emotional reaction; do not respond beyond taking her by the hand/body and removing her. you could say something very neutral like "no thank you" or "we dont climb shelves" etc.

Then i would give lots of animated praise and engagement with another activity, maybe a game or song to reward her and entice away from the behaviour you dont want.

Good luck and let us know how you get on!

You need to give some thought to discipline. Children need it and you need to work out now what you're comfortable with. And you need a scale of escalation. This kind of dilemma keeps on coming from here on in.

I was also going to suggest a pikler triangle.