anyone recommend a secure stair gate for clever little boy??? please?!

[thebluefoxategreensocks]

Just wondering if anyone can recommend a good, secure safety gate for using at the top of our stairs? We've got one of these www.lindam.co.uk/store/metal.html which has served us well for the past 2 years (my 2.5yo daughter only in the past 6 months has worked out how to get it open). However, her 15mo brother (who cannot yet get down the stairs safely) has now worked out that he can just push the catch and the gate is open. He giggles and thinks he's really clever! But it's dangerous.... so please, can anyone tell me what they've used to keep a clever little one from getting down the stairs?

Thanks in advance! x

Oh blimey. We have this problem too. ds1 just lets himself out of his room and gets in with me, so now I have him in my bed every night. Would love to hear of any solutions.

We've got one of these, which does tax our 15 month old. You have to release a catch on one side, then pull and manouver the other end out of the bracket to roller it back. We got it because it was the only one that would fit our stairs, but are very happy with it, especially the way it tucks right out of the way when not in use.

What aboutthis?

You could use it as a second catch.

Take the stairgate off, having had a couple of very dangerous incidents with my first two boys, including my ds2 falling all the way down the stairs at about 15 months i didn't use them at all for the last two. You can teach him, today (actcally in about 10 minutes) how to do down safely - on his tummy, feet first, even 8 month old babies learn this very quickly. Then the vast majority of the worry is removed as you know he can get down safely by himself.

We too, have the Lindam roller one at the top of the stairs and it is really good - it took a while for my DDs of 12 and 10 to work out how to open it so think it will be a while before DS (21mths) manages it.

We also have a second gate on DSs room, as our stairs are particularly steep.

I second the roller blind ones, they are really tricky. I had some that were mutch cheaper - babydan adjustable ones, you have to push a button down with your thumb then lift the whole gate up and out of it's catches so you need strength too - foxed most adults tbh, £20 each.

I have open plan stairs and hard floors so stairgates stayed on quite a while!

we have clippasafe auto-close which are good as you have to lift them up to open it, even my sistr has trouble doing it! also shut behide you which is great if there are older kids about who foget.

Thanks for all the replies & tips! I was looking at the roller ones recently, tho they're rather pricey for a stair gate, and I wasn't sure how well it would fit our opening, with position of the handrail and other wall.

Anyone used one of these? www.lindam.co.uk/store/plus.html They look rather secure and decent price, tho I was never sure how great pressure fitted ones were for top of stairs, though maybe that's what everyone uses anyway! The reason we liked the one we got was because it could be fixed to the wall.

As for teaching my little boy how to get down safely - I'm sure it can be done. But he's the most daring thing you've ever seen and tries to do such dangerous feats, that I'm sure he'd not be interested in going down the proper/safe way - he'd probably invent some exciting way to get down, like jumping a few steps at a time! LOL :O He seems to have fun being dangerous and making me worry! Guess that's what boys are for, huh?! My daughter was (and is) always soooo careful!

We have a great one called the Sentinel - just will look for it. Came SH from a nursery.

Here

I don't know why it gets such a poor review, we have found it excellent. We did attach the wall fittings very securely, not using the tiddly supplied fixings.

To open it, you have to simultaneously squeeze the buttons on either side of the latch (which is quite large), twist the collar then lift the gate. It think it's physically impossible for a child sized hand (touch wood...4yo and counting)

We also had the roller one, worked really well. Should perhaps add, though, that it stumped every single visitor who came to the house!

What about the Lindam dog one (from argos) - tis taller than a kiddy one so he couldn't reach the catch, or scale it?

£30 so not much more expensive than normal ones in Mothercare

I have the second lindam one you linked to. It has a button to press & you have to simultaneously pull up the hand grip - It is stiff to open & I can't see a young child being able to do it so may ne a good choice.

The roller one is a bit more expensive but is great. Most adults can't figure out how to unlock it let alone a toddler!

ok not the one you linked to (now I've had a closer look but this one

Yes imagine.. that looks more the business.

IIRC we had that Lindam Easyfit Plus and DS2 had mastered opening it by about the age of 3. It's pretty easy to open the latch.

Thanks again for all the replies. I think for now I will try isaidno's idea. I didn't think it would work with our gate, but my husband thinks he can attach some sort of metal hoop to the wood we have the gate attached to, and then we can hook the cupboard lock around it! So, we'll see how it works!