when to remove gates?

[Julianne1984]

Just wondering when generally to remove safety gates? I searched online and found the answer 2-2.5yrs or when they're tall enough to climb over it... that seems pretty soon, when did you remove your safety gates?

Ps. As search function is disabled I have no idea where this should post! So feel free to move me Admin! Xx

[linfran]

We only used gates when my son was at my parents house as we didn't have stairs.  We got rid of the gates when he worked out how to open them at age 3.  So much for "child proof"!

[shivi]

Oscar figured out how to open and shut them just as Emma got mobile....so around 3 yrs 3 mths or so....so they stayed.

He had one on his door until quite recently, as he was a night wanderer since he moved to the big boy bed around 2 yrs old....
He climbed out of his cot and playpen when not in a sleeping sack at 1 yr 8 mths but never tried to climb the gate to his door....

S x

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

If not for having Spencer, I could have gotten rid of our gates when Masyn was 2.5 as she figured out how to climb them. We kept them up for Spencer, who will climb up them, but doesn't go over like her sister.  She has finally mastered the stairs though, so I would think in the next 6 months or so they will be put away!

[anna*]

I think we took them off at about 2 years old, once Stan was pretty adept at walking up and down stairs and stable enough in his walking and running that I felt he wasn't just going to randomly fall!

[shivi]

plus we probably kept ours on the bottom of our stairs for visitors with creepers/crawlers and toddlers and due to the fact that they are kind of "built in" to the bannisters....will probably have them another two years or so before we even consider taking it down....

[RachelC]

Never had them at the bottom of the steps, but we still have one at the top.  We only lock it at night for fear that a little one will get out of bed during the night and take a wrong turn 

[JudyLee]

Question to add if that's okay?
How do you stop them from leaving their room then?
DD 28mths has dropped her nap and trying to get to stay quiet for quiet time is very hard.
So how would you convince her to stay in her room for the hour?

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

I, being the devious mom that I am, put those child proof doorknob covers on the inside of Masyn's door. No worries about her roaming the house at night until she figures out how it works!

[JudyLee]

Oh you are clever! Problem is, I don't think I can open those silly things!!!!

[anna*]

Question to add if that's okay?
How do you stop them from leaving their room then?

I say we removed the babygates at 2 years - but only from the stairs, NOT from his bedroom door!