[color=Teal]I knew it was only a matter of time, but as of the last week or so, both the boys can climb over the safety fence we have up between the loungeroom and the kitchen. For nearly 2 years I've know that the boys are fairly safe in the loungeroom (which is a big area for them to play in), but now they can climb over the fence into the kitchen, or even walk along the breakfast bench!!

Why oh why don't they make those fences higher?!?! Now I can't even go to the toilet for 1 minute as they're up and over and into everything!!

Does anyone have any ideas (other than electric fencing or barbed wire!! ;p ). If I could think of a way of safely added another foot to the fence I would, but I can't seem to be able to come up with anything.

PLEASE HELP!! o:

I have no suggestions unfortunately for you other than to say I sympathise!!
we couldn't even use gates in our house because it was open plan & we couldn't get anything long enough to stretch between the doorways so basically I had to teach the boys what was dangerous & what to stay away from etc. I think I sufficiently scared them off climbing the benches by telling them what would happen & reacting immediatley and using a very authorative voice (not yelling ! ;p) that they did stay away from them. & then we just child proofed absolutely everything we could -the house was rather bare for quite some time LOL!
We have to do that all over again now that the babies are crawling & pulling themselves up on everything.

does the fun ever end hehehe

Jane
Jackson&Riley 16/11/01 Ella&Liam 26/08/04

[color=Teal]Thanks so much for your reply Jane.

DH and I have been talking about this, and as difficult as it will be initially, we will probably just have to put safety latches on drawers and cupboards, and have a bare house for a while too! The whole disciplining thing with the boys isn't easy, but it has to be done. So far I haven't had much luck stopping them from climbing up on to the bench, but I'll just have to keep trying. Afterall, they have to learn sooner or later. It's going to be a trying time for a while, but I know it'll pay off in the end.

In the meantime I'm just going to have to try to stay calm and hope my patience holds out! ;p

Vanessa

We had this exact problem and it nearly drove us insane especially once they both started climbing!!
DP was just reminding me that we actually attached VJ sheets to the gates just to give us a little more time to babyproof the things that they kept showing us they could reach..

But we finally felt comfortable enough and had everything bare and empty to just let them please themselves (w/in reason lol)and were able to just sit back.
Howvere we then moved downstairs where everything is open plan, chairs got tucked under tables and any toy that was stable enough for them to stand on was taken away.

The girls are 27mths now & life is much easier because they ubderstand the concept of the naughty corner and what happerns when they climb. My worst problem was that they'd climb up onto the stove and play turn everything on including the oven switch but fortuntatly never got burnt.

I know exactly how you feel, it's exhausting having to have eyes everywhere when they are awake. It's just another stage and will be over before you know it.

Luckily for us the girls aren't climbers (except on to the couch to jump!! - which we seem to have controlled with time out). But they are into everything and we've also taken the option of removing or barricading anything which is breakable or dangerous. And the doors to everywhere else (bathroom, all bedrooms except theirs) are closed all the time. That way I know that they are (fairly) safe anywhere they can get to - although I always keep an eye on them, of course - they are ingenious at finding ways to get into mischief. As for the climbing, I don't have any suggestions, sorry - maybe a climbing frame for the backyard?!!

Maree

Eleanor 1/8/03
Harriet 1/8/03

WOW, Our boys are sooo similar. We too have not been able to keep them off the kitchen bench. We just got a film back and thought they had broken the camera, no Noah just worked out how to use it and took over half the film of all different angles of the kitchen anf family room LOL!

We have moved all the chairs and lounges away, but they now use the dress up boxes as stools, and in real desperation they have brought in a large football and stood on it to get up!

The other day i also caught Noah climbing up the diamond grill of the security screens. He was so high that his feet were at the same level as the handle. Maybe he is spiderman!

Can't offer any other suggestions though. I even spoke to kidsafe and they couldn't suggest anything else. My guys can also break open and door locks that we put on the other kids bedroom doors.

You are not alone, although it doesn't give you much comfort when you just want to pee in peace!

Letitia 34
Dan 34
Georgia 6
Hamish 4
Xander 21mths
Noah 21mths
(plus angels Jesse, Dale and Matilda)

[color=Teal]Thank you so much for your replies. It's so nice to know that I'm not alone!

I guess we're just in for a time of adjustment, and hopefully it won't last for too long. I used to feel as though I coped quite well with the boys, but now I'm feeling exhausted and at my wits end by the end of the day. I can't wait for DH to get home from work so that I can walk away for a few minutes, which isn't fair on him as he's usually exhausted himself! Although, he's been very good.

The boys are finally having a nap, so I think I'll spend the next hour or so removing everything from the kitchen benches. I have no idea where I'll put it all, but it has to be done. And, DH will have to childproof all the cupboards and drawers.

I did buy a safety rail for the stove from Ikea on the weekend. They're only $25, and it's brilliant! It won't stop them from being able to turn on the knobs, but it will stop them from being able to reach any pots or pans on the stove (not that I'd ever leave them unattended).

So, until the grow out of this "stage" I'll just have to try to be patient! Good luck to everyone else too! ;p

Vanessa

[color=Teal]Thank you so much for your replies. It's so nice to know that I'm not alone!

I guess we're just in for a time of adjustment, and hopefully it won't last for too long. I used to feel as though I coped quite well with the boys, but now I'm feeling exhausted and at my wits end by the end of the day. I can't wait for DH to get home from work so that I can walk away for a few minutes, which isn't fair on him as he's usually exhausted himself! Although, he's been very good.

The boys are finally having a nap, so I think I'll spend the next hour or so removing everything from the kitchen benches. I have no idea where I'll put it all, but it has to be done. And, DH will have to childproof all the cupboards and drawers.

I did buy a safety rail for the stove from Ikea on the weekend. They're only $25, and it's brilliant! It won't stop them from being able to turn on the knobs, but it will stop them from being able to reach any pots or pans on the stove (not that I'd ever leave them unattended).

So, until the grow out of this "stage" I'll just have to try to be patient! Good luck to everyone else too! ;p

Vanessa