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Do you have a Glass Coffee Table -- Bad for Children?

DK in NJDK in NJ
in Toddlers: 24 Months+

I have to buy a new coffee table and I am considering an oval glass table with smooth edges.  I thought glass would be better than wood -- no coasters needed, less scratches and nicks -- but then the salesperson was telling me that the glass could break/shatter/crack/etc. from child's play.

I don't know about that --- I thought glass was pretty sturdy!

 What are your thoughts and experiences?

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Re: Do you have a Glass Coffee Table -- Bad for Children?

  • FSUSammyFSUSammy

    We have 2 glass coffee tables and side tables for both our family room and formal living room. Do I wish we would have gotten something else, YUP! We don't use the coffee table in our family room at all anymore. I moved it out of the way and it has DS's toys on top of it but for the most part its not used as a coffee table anymore because I didn't want him hurting himself. Now that its off to the side he rarely goes to it. And if he is near it he's usually pulling up on it for a minute.

    The glass we have is VERY thick so I don't see how it'll shatter easily. I would think a teenager would have to body slam it really  hard to get it to crack at all. As for coaster, you still need coasters on glass unless you want to clean off the glass every time you pick something up. 

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  • TheMalleysTheMalleys

    We completely removed our coffe table from the living room when I was pregs. It opens up the room more and allows DD to have more play space anyway.

    Glass is going to be difficult with a toddler. First of all you are going to have grubby finger prints on the glass all of the time from your DC. Secondly, most glass tables are tempered glass. Which means it brakes into teeny peices so there aren't large jagged edges if it does break. Some places will advertise that the glass is tempered and it actually is not. So even if it break into teeny peices, your toddler can still get hurt. I would opt for something a little bit sturdier or get a large ottoman or something instead.

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  • 121005bride121005bride
    We got rid of ours.. DS likes to bang things on the table and has even climbed up.  The weight of a toddler (25-35lbs) jumping off of glass could make it break and who knows what injury could result.  My DH's brother fell through one when he was younger.  His brother and his friend were wrestling and he lost his balance and fell into it.. it broke.  I'd take my chances with solid wood instead.
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  • JulieandBenJulieandBen member
    I would think glass would always look dirty from all the little fingers.

    We have a leather ottoman with a tray on top for holding coffee, etc and we love it. Jack loves it too. His favorite thing is to climb on it and jump off. We're working on this. Toddlers. Gotta love em:)
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  • howleyshellhowleyshell member

    We got rid of ours when Dylan started pulling up.

     It wasn't steady and he could have easily pulled it off the pedestal base and onto himself.

    Not to mention now that he runs thru the house like a wild child.

    Glass + toddlers = trip to the emergency room eventually (in my mind at least)

    Our IF journey: 1 m/c, 1 IVF with only 3 eggs retrieved yielding Dylan and a lost twin, 1 shocker unmedicated BFP resulting in Jace, 3 more unmedicated pregnancies ending in more losses.
    Total score: 6 pregnancies, 5 losses, 2 amazing blessings that I'm thankful for every single day.
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  • CraigsGirlCraigsGirl
    My advice is no coffee table at all! Our coffee table is in the basement for now and we use a big leather ottoman. We were visiting a friend when M was 10mo old and she hit her head on their wood coffee table sending us to the ER for stitches on her pretty little forehead.
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  • Dougsgirl4everDougsgirl4ever member
    I work for a glass company I got rid of mine when I had DD.  I would never recommend it for someone with kids.  If you do happen to get it make sure you get tempered glass so if it breaks it will shatter into little pieces (kind of like you side windows of your car) so you are not at risk of having big pieces that could cut your child very seriously.
    image
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  • ridesbuttonsridesbuttons member

    We have a large, round glass coffee table.  It is filthy every day with finger prints.  It doesn't have any sharp edges but I do worry about the chance of it breaking as my DS has started to climb on everything (he is 16mos).

     

    If I had a choice, I'd go with a large leather (or faux leather) ottoman.

    promised myself I'd retire when I turned gold, and yet here I am
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  • hopefulmomhopefulmom member
    We have glass topped tables in our livingroom...not familyroom so the kiddoes don't play on them.  They DO scratch though.  Found that out the hard way.  We don't have a coffee table at all anymore in the familyroom.  It gives the kids more room to play without it.
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  • tiff16tiff16 member
    We moved our glass coffee table to our bedroom but it has some sharp corners.  The 2 side tables are in our living room and haven't been too much of a problem.
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  • mauceddiemauceddie

    We got rid of ours. Glass is so hard compared to wood. I was terrified of falls. I really was not worried about it breaking though.

     

    We actually never replaced our coffee table and don't miss it one bit.

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