We recently bought a staircase bunk bed (if you look on a certain popular "book" shopping site, it's the only one there, so you can get an idea of what it looks like.) I am so excited!! It'll be here Tuesday.
My problem is my 20 month old...she pretty much has free range in the house right now, except for the kitchen. I don't want to take that away from her...especially not her own room (she shares with her six year old sister.)
So, I want to come up with a way to block the staircase entrance...some sort of gate, or really, anything that can be easily put on and off that SHE can't open or get off, but that the six year old can. Any ideas are welcome! Thanks!
I guess I should add that she can open doors, and there's no lock on the bedroom door. :) She's a tricky one! And it's funny...yes, she can open a door with a child safety knob cover on it. She can do a lot of things my older one couldn't. Thanks for all the helpful suggestions!! I know teaching her to be safe would be the best option...but this is our problem when it comes to this child, really. If I turn my back on her for three seconds...well, I've found her on top of the piano, up in the bay window, etc...she's just so fast and really headstrong. :)
Why don't you just make this a teaching moment instead of a gate? The problem with gates is it teaches a kid if I can get to it then it is safe because they are never actually taught what is or is not safe. So say the six year old forgets to lock the gate, which six year olds do from time to time. Then whatever danger you see that bed providing she is not protected from because she just doesn't know better.
I think at 20 months it's best to learn how to climb up and down it safely (just looked at the picture on amazon, very cool!)
I think putting a gate or other obstacle like a large toy may be MORE dangerous actually because she may try to move it or climb on that.
Our 2 year old (a recent 2) likes to climb up her brother's bunkbed. We took away the ladder and she will actually scale up the side of the bed...like a rock climber! We tried putting a baby gate at the door of his room, but she scales up that too (will that work for you?). The only way to stop her is to lock his door...but mostly I just distract her with something else that is more fun. She was obsessed with his bunkbed for a little bit and now she is on to other things. She's a climber and has been since she was 17 months old! Personally, if it were me I would just let her go up the bunkbed stairs over and over (with supervision) and let her get it out of her system. And when I could not watch her I would shut the door to that room and distract her with something else.
She's 20 months old...teach her to be safe.
I always taught my kids to be safe on the stairs when they started to crawl. I'd turn them around and teach them to go down backward. I never allowed playing on the stairs, or they were removed immediately. By 1 year old, I never really had to worry about them anymore on the stairs.
My SIL in would come over and ask for a gate at the bottom of the stairs for her 3 year old! I told her we don't have one....never have.
Teach them to be safe and able in every environment.
PS We've always had wine bottles in the bottom of a bar and our kids have never played with them, because it's not safe and it's not ok. Our friends are shocked that they listen, but we are consistent. They know the rules.
oooh good question. My girlfriend, Rosemary, who had the house fire, bought her daughter one as a replacement....it's a narrow passage way...I would talk to Petsmart and see if they have a narrow fitting pet gate...
if not...then I would have her learn the hard way. I know, mean, but sometimes the best lessons learned are those learned the hard way.
Enjoy the new bed!! I know that Grace LOVES hers!!
Can she open doors that have child-resistant door knob covers on them?
What about placing a large toy (like a plastic play kitchen - something she won't be able to climb on) against the staircase to block the entry? It would be easy for your 6-year-old to move out of the way, but it would be too heavy for your little one. If you do that from day one she might not even realize she can go up there.
I was worried about the same thing with my son and his brothers' bunk beds. What worked was letting him climb up and down over and over until it became not exciting anymore. It only took a few days for it to wear off.
They do have gates that are made of fabric that slides back and forth with tension-- I imagine that those can be fitted to a very small space, but you may have to screw hardware into the staircase.
I think you can teach her how to be safe on it, or to not go up it. I don't know if there are any gates that would fit. Those stairs actually look reasonably safe cause she's got things to hold on to. Make a big fuss about HER part of the bed.
WOW! I looked it up - that is really cool!! I agree that a small gate might be the only way to go and I also agree she may have to learn the hard way to stay off. But I wouldn't want her falling all the way from the top; just maybe a tumble off a step or two would teach her.
I would take one of her stuffed animals and show her how "hurt" he can get if he falls from anywhere on the steps and especially the top! My little girl couldn't stand when anything happened to her favorite stuffed animal. We had to put a bandaid on one once because he got "hurt."
Good luck!!!
