Once I realized that my daughter could scale the stairs, I started to take conscious precautions to prevent her from more stairs climbing. I know that she will inevitably tumble down the stairs at some point in her young life, but I would like to prevent that event(s) from happening as much as possible; thus the barricades. I know that gates can be handy and a better solution but wooden posts are constructed in such a way that attaching a gate to it is if not impossible horribly difficult and expensive. Instead, I found ways to “block” the staircase. First used furniture like ottomans and laundry baskets weighted with toys. This worked really well for a while but my daughter is extremely determined. If she ever saw an opportunity to go stairs climbing, she would speed crawl towards the staircase seeking some adventure. The more I blocked the stairs the more determined she became to climb the stairs. This situation was compounded by an overly obliging older brother who was caught on several occasions moving the barrier so that she could get to climbing. He acted as her cheerleading coaxing her up the stairs and she would climb and giggle with excitement. As cute as this scene is, I did not like the idea that my son is helping his baby sister climb the stairs even if “she really wants to” do so (that was his excuse when I asked him why he was helping his sister climb the stairs). Beyond the help of an ever affable big brother, she would find ways to squeeze, crawl over, or crawl through my barricades, and I would find her happily climbing the stairs on her own dragging whatever toys or “found” objects with her. I am a little astounded at her persistence!
(To be continued…)