Comments on: Easier, please?

By: Allison

Allison — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:32:42 +0000

We have a gated playroom that the boys – now 2 – are quickly learning how to escape, but the best thing was crib tents.

They started climbing out at 18 months. I feel a little bad, because they look like bird cages, but we had one of the boys take a fall when they were first climbing out, and I never want to hear that sickening ‘thump’ again.

The thing I would most like? Another me, for sure.
.-= Allison´s last blog ..What Shows Up =-.

By: Kristin from Intrepid Murmurings

Kristin from Intrepid Murmurings — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:31:45 +0000

I think practice, practice, practice is my biggest advice on the stairs. I taught my girls to go down “feet first, on your tummy” (same as on the slide) so they kind of slide down backwards, and that has always felt really safe. Going up is harder though. We have carpet on our stairs and that feels a lot safer than our old house with steeper, non-carpeted stairs. My girls are starting to insist on trying to walk up/down too (21 months) and I am thinking about getting those lower kid handrails. I think it would help a lot, and would be useful for many years.

As for my invention….early on, detachable breasts! I realize bottles and pacifiers are an attempt at this, but my girls were big comfort nursers and not fans of the imitations.

Now, I could really use little force fields to encase each toddler at times so that they could not bite/hit/tackle each other or steal toys.

A self-cleaning bathroom would also be swell. Jetson-style!
.-= Kristin from Intrepid Murmurings´s last blog ..Toddler Activity Bags: Playmat fun! =-.

By: Rusted Sun

Rusted Sun — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:11:38 +0000

Up until a couple of months ago we lived in a house with a long stair case ending in tile. We invested in a good baby gate and drilled them into going down the stairs on their bellies. Now they are pros (21 months. I never have to worry about them falling down the stairs and even in other situations, like getting off the tramp or climbing into the swimming pool they always crawl in on their bellies, which give me a couple of extra seconds in reaction time. We really miss our stairs, they were great for burning off energy.

If I could invent one thing for twins…it would be a car that actually fits three carseats across and a stroller in the truck.
.-= Rusted Sun´s last blog ..national children’s day =-.

By: Grace

Grace — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:48:11 +0000

20 minutes before I read your post I just tried letting my 12 month-old b/g twins climb the stairs themselves. This was the first time they did it with just me supervising. What I learned was that they were eager for their independence but my girl is so much faster than my son. I tried to get her to slow down but she just went faster. I finally had to just pick my son up and just follow her up.

By: diane

diane — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:04:18 +0000

And I realize we do have available the super play yard (gate) enclosure that you can adjust and shape to your preference to create an enclosed play space, but any crafty toddler from age 1 or older can pull down the sides, at least that was my experience.

By: diane

diane — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:01:09 +0000

We live in a 3 level townhouse and it is a miracle no one has fallen because my boys are not careful on the stairs. They are excellent at going up and down, but they jostle each other for position if going at the same time (age now is 29 mos.). The stairs are killing me. Laundry is all the way down, bedrooms are all the way up, kitchen on middle level.
An invention that I think would sell like blockbusters is a crib that makes the “crib tent” unnecessary. So many moms of multiples must deal with multiples sharing a room and getting out of their cribs WAAY too young in age. There should be a wonderful, adjustable, comfortable, functional, SAFE crib with SUPER high sides for safety and containment (that doesn’t actually look like a “jail”). Somehow this could be manufactured and would be a lifesaving miracle product.
They should also manufacture and sell playpens like in the old days, that really were BIG enough to play in, sturdy, spacious, adjustable and hard to get out of. All they make nowadays are the small, flimsy “pack n play” which is no substitute.

By: Merri Ann

Merri Ann — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:21:27 +0000

I love that episode of Seinfeld too.

We’ve always had stairs with our 3 … and since they could crawl we worked on stair safety … all the work paid off … we have been without gates since about 2 years old.

The thing I would want with multiples is four arms … … that way I could carry two babies and still have two arms to do other stuff …

Just think … with one baby you get one extra arm, 2 babies – 2 extra arms, 3 babies – 3 extra arms. You ladies with quads … you get the extra arms and a special title …

It might stop people from asking if the kids are twins … they would just see all your extra arms … )
.-= Merri Ann´s last blog ..Our Beautiful Spring Day Adventure =-.

By: Nicole

Nicole — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:19:07 +0000

Hmmm, I may need to invest in that handrail. We have three levels (well, 4 but the kids are only allowed on three of them) and the stairs are an issue. Both go up – or CAN go up. I have to trick them to actually do it. Of course, if I don’t want them to go up, they speed to the top. One can go down and the other technically knows how but refuses. Sigh. I plan most of my day around what level of the house we will be on. It’s weird to live this way (I think!) but ranches are hard to come by in New England. Most all houses that are big enough for us are two stories or more.

Maybe an elevator would help? Or a baby dumbwaiter?
.-= Nicole´s last blog ..Early Intervention, Round 2 =-.

By: Quadmama

Quadmama — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:13:17 +0000

The stairs were the my nemesis for so long. The minute no one wanted to be carried, I freaked out. I actually found (and bought) a great hand rail at Babies R Us. It attaches to your existing rail and hangs at toddler height. It definitely eliminated a lot of spills. I forget what it's called. .-= Quadmama´s last blog ..Icky, Sticky Bubble Gum =-.

By: Sadia

Sadia — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:35:14 +0000

My husband insisted we buy a one-storey house, and I know understand why. I could use an automated laundry-folder-and-putter-away. Ah, that would be bliss. .-= Sadia´s last blog ..Alice in Wonderland at the Scottish Rite Children's Theater =-.