Christmas Tree with a Toddler?

shediva1 · November 2012

DH and I keep asking ourselves what we are going to do with a Christmas tree and maybe a walking toddler by then? Do we not decorate it within his reach? Second time moms, any advice? I know, I know it's a FWP.

Chunstad · November 2012

That is a GREAT question. Maybe buy an octogan thingie?

pearblossom · November 2012

With DD, we pushed the couch and the loveseat into an L in the corner of the living room and put the tree in between. Not ideal, but it did the trick and seemed to be the least hideous option. We have a tiny house and didn't want to add anything like a gate. We can barely fit the tree.

shediva1 · November 2012

Pear I have a sectional, so can't do that, dang it. I have a tiny house too space is very limited in the living room.

Chunstad the octagon gate would work.

Woodsie I didn't even think about the presents, a mini tree might be the way to go for us...

nicki731 · November 2012

I was wondering this same thing! I just asked MH about it the other day. I dont see how it would work without a gate, but I don't really want to buy a gate either. He just thinks it will be fine... I think we should consider a small tree somewhere G can't get it. I want to hear more responses from BTDT moms! :

Brie2006 · November 2012

We are going to put up the octagon gate. Ugly but what else can you do?

cantalopes24 · November 2012

I just put the nonbreakable ornaments at the bottom and tie the tree to keep it from tipping.

Brie2006 · November 2012

cantalopes24:
I just put the nonbreakable ornaments at the bottom and tie the tree to keep it from tipping.

What do you tie it to? I'll try anything to avoid the octagon!

Gipper0809 · November 2012

DD never bothered the tree. It was the weirdest thing. She'd stand there and look at it but never really even try to touch it.

I KNOW I can't get that lucky this time. I'm thinking we might just use a gate--not exactly attractive but I can't not have a tree!

thetheisens · November 2012

We are buying a 5 ft tree and putting it on a platform, instead of using our 7 ft tree. My decorations are all silver and blue, and I have been wanting to change it up and this gives me the perfect excuse. I'm going to make sure to buy unbreakable ornaments and only put ones at the bottom that would be NBD if he got a hold of them (no metal hook, small pieces). Luckily, when my older was little the first year he was too young to get at the tree, but then the next he was old enough to take directions and be told not to touch it. My mom still has some clothe ornaments she made when we were little that she used when we were too little to leave the tree alone.

mrs.lizzieb · November 2012

We've always had a Christmas tree since DS was born. The first year, he was 10mo old and the 2nd year, 22mo old. We just made sure to keep breakable ornaments up top where he couldn't reach and the tree skirt securely fastened so he wouldn't get into the water. We never put anything up to block him from it and never had any issues.

Edit: I don't think we put the presents under the tree until the night before. I think he would have torn them apart.

Scramblersmom · November 2012

W got a smaller tree last year and put it up on the sofa table. We live in a small house, so with the dogs and a bunch of DS's stuff downstairs last year we really did not have much room for the tree too. It was nice to have it up on the table as it was out of our way. This year we will do the same so it is out of DS's reach too.

cantalopes24 · November 2012

Brie2006:
cantalopes24:
I just put the nonbreakable ornaments at the bottom and tie the tree to keep it from tipping.
What do you tie it to? I'll try anything to avoid the octagon!

Depends on what you have to tie it. You can put a small hook in the wall. We have a talk skinny fake tree so even the dog could knock it over.

Ms.Jade · November 2012

We're doing a smaller tree on a table in the corner this year.

lkm2006 · November 2012

I just plan on putting ornaments I don't mind him getting on the bottom. I live Christmas way too much o not have a tree or get a dinky tree he couldn't reach.

I'm more worried about presents under the tree than the actual tree.

June0609 · November 2012

We always get the 7' tree. This year we're planning on just putting all the breakable ornaments where E can't reach them and try to teach him to not pull and just wish for the best.

101Mims · November 2012

We have a plastic tree which is ideal as it?s not very heavy and I think we are just going to hang it upside down from the ceiling.

Tai is into everything and so strong that it?s the only option we have come up with.

Prezzies will go amongst the branches like normal.

pennysuedog · November 2012

We just put frahile choking hazard ornaments on the top of the tree. I have more problems with the dog than with the kids.

jwls84 · November 2012

We have a cat, who absolutely LOVES the Christmas tree, so we haven't had breakable decorations since our first year in the house. I think B will be all over the tree, but oh well, our decorations are crappy and Christmas is about him! I'll let him have fun, within reason anyway. If he starts trying to take the tree down or climb up, thenI'll put a gate around it.

Chunstad · November 2012

lisajay09:
Ms.Jade:
We're doing a smaller tree on a table in the corner this year.nbsp;nbsp;
My kids would pull that thing down in 3 seconds!....after drinking the glasses of bourbon? that are set on the table there! My house won't look like that until they're 10 and 11. I have Destructo and Chaos living here!

bahahahahaha!

*So good to see Brie's name here again

Sunburn19 · November 2012

I'm thinkin' we may get a smaller one this year that we can put up on a table. Not as fun, but I think it'll do the trick.

...wait, he's starting to be able to reach up pretty high. Guess it would have to be a tall table. Ha!

We should do some xmas shopping again this year! Make it a tradition :0)

Ms.Jade · November 2012

Chunstad:
lisajay09:
Ms.Jade:
We're doing a smaller tree on a table in the corner this year.nbsp;nbsp;
My kids would pull that thing down in 3 seconds!....after drinking the glasses of bourbon? that are set on the table there! My house won't look like that until they're 10 and 11. I have Destructo and Chaos living here!

bahahahahaha!

*So good to see Brie's name here again

OMG you're probably right. I was thinking we'd put it in the corner where the couches meet so she can't get back there. Wish me luck!

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