Tis the season! (Intro)

pinitbaby · November 2013

Hey ladies! I'm usually a lurker, I'm from the Oct.12 board

my LO is 13 months old and her name is Ella.

So I'm not sure how all of you feel about it but have you put thought into your Xmas tree yet?? Where it's going to go, is it going in a different room than usual because of LO? Let me in on your thoughts about this stuff!
I've been cleaning and sorting for days now and my older kids are begging to put our tree up. I want to but I'm hesitant now that Ella is walking and into everything!

ktpaladino · November 2013

I usually put my tree up super early on my birthday, Nov 16th, but this year I'm going to wait until just before Thanksgiving. I know it's going to be a disaster with DS pulling ornaments off, wanting to play with them as toys. It's going in the same spot as usual though... We don't have too many other options for placing it elsewhere.

schafer17 · November 2013

I've been trying to figure this out too! We recently moved into a small house and I don't have too many options to put it anywhere but the living room. I considered not putting it up, but I love Christmas too much not to. I'm just going to have to watch DS constantly or put him in the PnP when I'm not around. This could be a good learning experience for the word "NO". Some people have said that their LO's leave the tree alone, but I can't see my little monkey doing that!

maryxc1 · November 2013

I posted this same question on my BMB this morning. Everybody there said to just redirect and teach "no". I may try that but if not think I will move the coffee table or sofa in front if it. I know that will look a little silly but it is cheaper than buying a playard to put up around it.

oliversmommy32912 · November 2013

This year we will wait until mid December to put it up. Last year we put it up sometime between Halloween and Thanksgiving and the whole redirection thing got really old long before Christmas. It was just too much temptation for little hands.

Starbear06 · November 2013

The only different this year is I'm putting soft or felt ornaments on the bottom part of the tree. And I'm going to be watching him like a hawk when he's in the living room.

magentawarped · November 2013

My husband won't let me put the tree up until December, so I haven't put much thought into it yet. Last year, DD was turning 1 and we just used one of those baby play yard gates around the tree to keep her out. She liked to look at everything, but couldn't touch. It had the bonus of keeping the dog out as well.

jnnfrrose6 · November 2013

Nicb13 said:

LalaMama81 said:

We always put it up thanksgiving weekend. A real tree. The only thing we do because of kids is put non-breakable ornaments on the bottom third and hooks. Some people tether the top with fishing line. They are allowed to touch it and redecorate at the bottom, it's never been a big deal. I love having a big tree right in the family room and will never gate it or get a smaller one in a table or anything. It's bit near my as a big a deal as people make it out to be.

All of this. Real tree, no breakables on the bottom. I'm not going to change the way we do things, we will just keep an eye on DS like we do with everything else. I really never thought twice about any of this!

Same here. We are in a new home and the tree will have to go where we keep DS's toys in the living room, so that may be an issue, but I figure he'll just play with the toys where ever we move them to and if he wants to help "re-decorate" the bottom of the tree, go for it. I will probably refrain from little bit of tinsel this year, as I can't imagine it only being on the top 2/3 of the tree.

allardr · November 2013

Well do all as normal (our place is small anyway so no other place to put it). We always buy it early December. I think the key is to think ahead what you'll do when LO grabs an ornament so you know your plan on responding (for both parents). You don't want one lacks and one firm.

I will be doing a felt Tree for LO to decorate...I hope to redirect to that tree if/when she grabs at ornaments.

Here's our "Plan": as soon as tree gets put up I will with her show her ornaments & feel the tree etc. That way she does have supervised exploring time. I'll also put only soft/unbreakable ornaments on the bottom. I think too I'll direct her to bring me to the tree if she wants to touch/feel so she knows she CAN but only with me or DH with her.

vrj0522 · November 2013

We have a 3 ft tree and it'll go on a table that is too high for LO to get to. We're not into big trees and don't feel like we really need one for another year or two.

DawnLilly · November 2013

My hometown is the "Christmas Tree Capital" so its at least a 6' real tree for us each year. Last year DS was just crawling at Christmas 6 months. He never messed with the tree. The bulbs aren't glass so the worst he may do is try to climb it. He will not try to climb a real tree more than once I promise you.

LyndseylovesHugh · November 2013

We have a 4ft fake tree from when we used to live in a small condo, so we will put that up on a table where she can not reach it. We have a very open floor plan so we can't put it in another room and there is really no where to put it where it will be out of the way. The open area of our house (living room, dining room, kitchen) is totally baby proofed and her area that nothing is really off limits so she is not used to being redirected when we are in that room so I think that if I all of a sudden started telling her she could not touch this one thing it would make her want to touch it more :-)

salbabe79 · November 2013

last year we put a play yard around it and plan to do the same this year

wimb01 · November 2013

I'm dreading this exact thing. I'm not worried about the ornaments though...what I'm worried about is her pulling the lights and trying to bite them or eating the needles. The plan is to just redirect her

pinitbaby · November 2013

Thanks for replying everyone! It's nice to hear what others are doing. Ella is my 4th child but I am also now a single mom as of last year so opinions are great to hear

We put our tree up last night, LO didn't see it til this morning though. She smiled at it and was curious and fiddled with a few of the 'safer' ornaments along the bottom but it didn't take long before she was playing with her usual toys. I caught myself using the word "gentle" when she was touching the tree so I agree this is a great time to introduce it.
I guarantee I won't be putting any gifts under the tree until Christmas Eve though because this child LOVES ripping paper!

myjohnsonboys · November 2013

I agree with re-directing and saying "no". I have three boys and the Christmas tree is no different than anything else in the house that is off limits. With my now 3 year old telling him it was hot worked well. I'll try with Liam and see if that works out.

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