Christmas tree and little ones??

[suze]

So I was thinking, my lil one gets into EVERYTHING. I'm wondering how you guys usually do first and second christmas' and their christmas trees?? I'm afraid she'll just go crazy and constantly mess with it, so I'm trying to think of some other good ideas.

[nesser1981]

With DD we just tried to put the ornaments up high enough where she couldn't reach them.

DS we had a big plastic gate we used and just put it around the tree.

[KimberlyMorris]

We bought a fireplace screen something like this one.



Our tree is always in the corner of the den so we just sat this in front of the tree and Aiden would stand at it to look but he never to get past it. I realize we probably just got lucky but it worked quite well. Good luck!

[nikkiARNGwife]

No ornaments at little one level...nothing glass or keepsake and a rotating ornament emergency hospital on my kitchen counter for the ones they manage to get their hands on anyway lol

[nikkiARNGwife]

Oh and the year Avery was 2 he managed to pull the entire tree down... Twice. That year I ended up just taking all the ornaments off except for a few that couldn't break.

[suze]

Originally Posted by nikkiARNGwife

Oh and the year Avery was 2 he managed to pull the entire tree down... Twice. That year I ended up just taking all the ornaments off except for a few that couldn't break.

see I was picturing her doing that... or trying to eat the tree. lol

I just love christmas, and I love all the little things.

Should I just get a small tree?? One I can put up somewhere. makes me sad tho.

I could try the block off thing, but I think she may just knock it over.

[maryinaz]

We never had any problems with any of our 4 boys. We did put breakable ornaments up high, but that's about it.

Good luck! Personally, I would not alter what I do, just would watch more carefully or use a gate or something like suggested above.

[farrijc]

[QUOTE=maryinaz;899966]We never had any problems with any of our 4 boys. We did put breakable ornaments up high, but that's about it.

Ditto for my 3. But, we do not put the tree in the family room. It goes in the dining room because I like it in front of the window so I can see it from the drive. I'm sure that helped because it's not a major traffic area in the house. I keep promising myself that one year I will buy a second tree to put in the living room. Last year I went to Garden Ridge after xmas, it was too late... unless I wanted a hot pink or purple tree

[MandaT]

We actually just put it up like normal, except, only used pretty non-breakable bulb ornaments. Most of the figurine/keepsake ornaments we have can be repaired. The kids really love sitting under the tree, so we just keep a closer eye one them. Our tree is right pretty much mid-living room/toy play area.

Last year was quite interesting, 3 year old, a 22 month old & a mobile/walking 9 month old. Everything made it. The baby thought the bulbs were balls (duh!), but he is ALL boy and thinks everything should be a car/truck or ball.

[nun69]

we have always put up a tree adn had more trouble with the cats than the kids

[mariewilcox]

we have always put up a tree adn had more trouble with the cats than the kids

This was us too! I don't remember ever having problems with either of my kids, and they were both VERY active when they were 1 and 2.

[MamaBee]

The first year I didn't have much problems with J - but I used non breakable ornaments and tucked it into a corner, blocked by a chair... the second year, I used a small 4 ft tree and put it on a table - it wasn't too depressing - I decked out the bottom of the tree with a fancy skirt... however now the last two years, J loves to "redecorate" the tree... and every day all the bottom ornaments are all gathered on one side of the tree... he hasn't knocked anything down... yet...

[Leontine78]

This year I doubt whether I put down a nice tree. First, we have three cats who love to be "on top of things". Last year we had two cats who were both quite gentle but the tree came down at least once. This year we have two new kittens (one cat died) who are really playful. Second, we are not home the week before Christmas. We are in Paris....

I love a nice Christmas tree and decoration my home, but I would hate it if lots of things are broke after Christmas too.

[Stacey42]

We did a small tree for a few years. Small trees are nice & since they are small you can do a couple of them. We did 2 3ft ones on a long 3ft bookshelf in the living room. I covered the bookshelf with some holiday pattern fabric stapled to the outside of the bookshelf.

Not so much because of the kids but because I like small trees personally. We had small, replantable live ones for several years before we had kids but then stopped being able to find them so we went with a small artificial tree.

We only finally got a 6ft tree last year & the boys were 7 & 8 then. There is just not a lot of room in our house for a tree.

[isaacsmom]

I may think differently after Christmas this year (my little guy is 18 months), but we haven't had trouble with our boys messing with the tree in the past. I think it is kind of one of those things where you have to "teach" them to leave the tree alone. If you always put it out of reach, or don't let them experience it, then they'll never learn. But that being said, I still put only non-breakable ornaments at the bottom and just know that my little guy is probably going to pull some of them off! lol Good luck!!!

[pewtertm]

Originally Posted by nun69

we have always put up a tree and had more trouble with the cats than the kids

That was us too...we have 3 cats who all like to sleep UNDERNEATH the tree. Rachel pulled ornaments off once or twice, was told not to do so, and that did the trick. The cats...well...I need to keep a squirt bottle filled with water around. LOL

[misfitinmn]

We have never done anything different other than putting soft/non-breakable ornaments on the bottom and watching him like a hawk...and our eldest was a very busy little boy! He still knows he is not to touch anything, though now that he's 3 the real trouble is not the tree but the presents under it (we put them under right away, not wait until Christmas).

[sczos911]

We've always done a tree and yes, a few ornaments got broken - but I've had more issues with the kitties than the kids. I also put bells all around the bottom of the tree and up to little kid level - I could always tell when someone was messing with the tree.

I do like the fireplace gate - that is a good idea! And pretty, too.

[taracotta7]

I am so glad you posted this. I am struggling with the idea of putting up the tree or not. Landon, we never had a problem with. The 1st and 2nd Christmas, we just did non breakable stuff but there really was so need to worry about it. He just looked and never touched. (he was an angel as a baby.........it changed when he turned 3! LOL)

With Peanut, our foster son, it is a totally different story. I am CERTAIN that he will tear it up and pull it down. He is just a mischief seeking, rough and tumble kind of boy. It would be a mess every day all day.

I want a tree though! The thought of no tree makes me a little sad but the thought of the insanity already makes my eye twitch.

Decisions, decisions.

[breakingbrie]

I think we got lucky... We put ours up like normal and never had problems - but like others said, we did put breakables up higher just in case. I think we had bigger problems at 3 and 4 yrs... lol they couldn't leave it alone and ornaments were rearranged daily

[SweetMelissa]

Last year we put the tree in a corner and then used a gate to keep the kids off of the tree. This year the tree is out in the open. We put kid safe ornaments at the bottom of the tree for Lilly to look at/play with. I also put the garland on the tree loose at the bottom this way she could touch/hold it. I put it tight higher up so she couldn't reach and knock the tree over. My husband also takes a strap and we anchor the tree to the wall. Its not really pretty to see on the tree but it gives us piece of mind.

We plan on letting our older kids put up 1 ornament each from December 1st to the 24th. We did this last year this way while the tree was "new" to the kids if they knocked it over the tree wouldn't be covered with ornaments. By the time the 24th came the coolness & newness of the tree wore off and they wouldn't interested in it anymore expect when it came to the gifts under it.

[Scrapper007]

We had a naked tree on the bottom when each of the girls were toddlers.

[Lindsay]

Ahh, the memories! The first year we had just velvet bows decorating the tree. If Park pulled them off, they were easy to fix. By the following Christmas, Devlin was there, so we had a half & half...bottom was naked and the top decorated. We never had any issues with them trying to pull themselves up on it or anything like that!

[suze]

I think I'm going to give it a go!! shes a crazy 1 year old, but if all else fails I can take it down and get a small one