Any solutions for this? Baby gate related.

[CARNAT22]

We've always had baby gates up since we moved but have never used them... James has had the run of the house - including stairs.

Bee has been on the move for a few weeks now but it's time to start using the baby gates as she is getting fast (and seems hell bent on scaling the stairs!!). James hates having the baby gates shut though? He gets really upset and asks constantly for the gate to be left open or for me to let him in / out of living room.... He just cannot settle with the gate shut.

It's not so bad upstairs as the gate is in the landing so he can get into the bedrooms but downstairs the living room has its own gate.

Unfortunately we had to get a specialist gate to fit our door and it's hard for me to open (so James can't open it himself)

Any other suggestions?

 

[kumber]

Could you make it a thing with him that he's a big brother so he needs to protect his little sister by keeping the gates shut? I have no idea if it would work but didn't want to read and run and it was the only thing I can thing of.

 

[Orion]

Could you remove the living room one and put one at the bottom of the stairs instead?

 

[littlemonkey]

How are the kids with doors? Could you try keeping the living room door closed all the time rather than the gate itself?

Like orion said, could you perhaps move the stair gate from the living room and put one in the kitchen door and one at the bottom of the stairs?

How about trying to convince him it's a way of keeping something out rather than keeping him in? I told my eldest a trex lives in our utility by the back door, so we have to keep the door from the kitchen to it closed so it doesn't get in the house and eat our food. It sounds ridiculous, but seems to have worked. He likes dinosaurs, but obviously doesn't like the idea of one pinching his dinner!

 

[CARNAT22]

Closing the door probably won't work as we have door knobs and James can't turn them yet (so same problem - he'll still be shut in or out). Our stairs have those old wooden spindles with a slightly thicker post at the top and bottom so there isn't enough support for a gate - otherwise that is where I'd have put them to begin with.

Thanks though ladies. The 'big brother helping his little sister' is wearing a bit thin in this house, he seems to think he is being punished. He keeps telling me to put her in her highchair or jumperoo - only places she can be strapped in - bless him.

X

 

[kumber]

My grandparents screwed a bit of wood onto their stair post, is that something you could do?

 

[Pumpkin9]

My grandparents screwed a bit of wood onto their stair post, is that something you could do?

Our friends did this too- looks abit unsightly but it gave enough space to be able to attached a stair gate properly

 

[CARNAT22]

I'll have a measure up tomorrow and see what we can do.... I hate shutting James in when he has had free run of the place and he throws enough hissy fits per day without adding this to his list lol.

X

 

[littlemonkey]

Play pen for baby perhaps then? One of those ones you can adjust the shape of and use as a room divider?

 

[Goat]

I was going to suggest what Littlemonkey has. Both mine have been so hyperactive, with my first I bought one of those Babydan playpens that can be used as a room divider and it's been so good. Highly recommend.x

 

[russellmuscle]

I was gonna suggest play pen, we used our travel cot for a while but he out grew that. I liked the look of the ones you could move and extend with the foam jigsaw mats under.

Orrrr lower the door knobs and latch

Sorry not much help.

Xxxx