Author Topic: A toddler and a Christmas tree--help! (Read 3749 times)

ks6 · « **on:** November 02, 2006, 21:06:30 pm »

This may be a silly question, but how does one display a Christmas tree with a toddler around? How did you do it? Any ideas--only a few weeks until we put one up.

* Paula * · « **Reply #1 on:** November 02, 2006, 21:19:31 pm »

Kim,

I have been thinking the same thing, and now we have a puppy to deal with too

Would love to hear everyone's views. Been thinking about putting it on top of a table, but it is still in reach $:-\$

Tonya · « **Reply #2 on:** November 02, 2006, 21:21:13 pm »

Someone on here gave the most AWESOME tip, sorry I can't give them props cause I can't remember who!!

Put the Christmas tree up, and if there is any way to "block" it into a corner or something with a baby gate, or whatever, do it.
But if the tree has to be out, then we used the awesome tip the last 2 years, and it worked like a charm! Now, I don't know why, cause it doesn't work for other things in the house!

Awesome tip: Don't try to keep your toddler from touching the tree...it's too much temptation! Of COURSE they'll want to touch it...it's all bright, and shiny and pretty!!

Teach them to touch with just one finger at a time!! That way, chances that they'll break anything or hurt themselves are soooo much slimmer! They get what they "need" by touching, and you're not constantly saying "no!".

* Paula * · « **Reply #3 on:** November 02, 2006, 21:26:50 pm »

Hmmm, what about if they want to touch it all the time?

My DS has to touch everything and anything. Even when we ignore him he still goes over to touch things $:-\$

Tonya · « **Reply #4 on:** November 02, 2006, 21:43:56 pm »

But that's actually the whole point! Trust me, my son is the most spirited child I have ever met...and this technique does NOT work for normal items...don't know if it's just cause it's only out for a short period of time or what.

But he can touch it whenever he wants, as many times as he wants, as long as he is only touching with one finger!

Also, be realistic about what you hang on your tree, of course. The moto we have at our house is that there is NOTHING that is put out in reach that would break my heart if it got broken. Kids will be kids, and you'd be setting yourself up for heartbreak if you put personal and special items on the tree or on display where they can break.

* Paula * · « **Reply #5 on:** November 02, 2006, 21:47:09 pm »

Tonya,

Definitely sounds like it is worth a try.

Thanks
Paula x

Caroline-Charlies Mummy · « **Reply #6 on:** November 02, 2006, 21:51:07 pm »

I'd say let him touch as much as he likes. Just take the precautions that it's well-anchored so he can't pull it down, and all the breakable ornaments are out of reach. Why can't he get involved in something so special? One tip I got was to let him help put it up - he might (I stress "might"

) get all the touching excitement out of his system whilst putting it up (and so lessening the need to have to keep re-hanging stuff).

Quote from: Tonya on November 02, 2006, 21:21:13 pm

Of COURSE they'll want to touch it...it's all bright, and shiny and pretty!!

That's why I can't help myself - if there's one in the room, I have to go over and touch it. Mmmmmmmm, shinies.....................

ks6 · « **Reply #7 on:** November 03, 2006, 02:39:09 am »

I like the one-finger idea. I think Dave might go for the "be nice" approach--he knows which flowers in the garden he has to "be nice" with--why not the Christmas tree? Thanks Tonya, it just might work.

The scary thing for me is all those darn ornament hooks--they always get lost on the floor. I guess the ones within toddler reach will have to be hung with ribbon. Can't wait to tie all those!

Tonya · « **Reply #8 on:** November 03, 2006, 13:43:43 pm »

Yep, we use the ribbon for all the ornaments he can touch too

woopster · « **Reply #9 on:** November 03, 2006, 13:49:30 pm »

Harry NEVER EVER went near the tree, just doesn't seem fussed by it at all. We never had to move him away. He loves to help hang the decorations but that's as far as it goes. Somehow I think this year will be different...

Tonya · « **Reply #10 on:** November 03, 2006, 13:57:40 pm »

Yeah, as in you're gonna have too many babies at once to be pulling away??

"Harry, don't touch the tree"...."Sam, be nice!"...."Lydia, that does NOT go in your mouth!"

woopster · « **Reply #11 on:** November 03, 2006, 14:03:37 pm »

Tonya, are you in my house?!?!?

carolyn · « **Reply #12 on:** November 03, 2006, 14:26:17 pm »

Quote from: Tonya on November 02, 2006, 21:21:13 pm

Someone on here gave the most AWESOME tip, sorry I can't give them props cause I can't remember who!!

Put the Christmas tree up, and if there is any way to "block" it into a corner or something with a baby gate, or whatever, do it.
But if the tree has to be out, then we used the awesome tip the last 2 years, and it worked like a charm! Now, I don't know why, cause it doesn't work for other things in the house!

That might have been me. I can't remember. But that is exactly what we did the first 2 years. I used one of the baby play yards that you can configure (Superyard, I think). I put the tree against a wall or in a corner and put the play yard around it. It let John be close enough to look at it but not close enough to pull it over. It was also an easy way to protect the tree when he was around, and then take the play yard away so we could enjoy it when he was in bed or had company.

The past 2 years I have given him his own ornaments to put on the tree and touch. they have been simple unbreakable things. He gets to put them where he can reach them. And he can touch them when ever he wants. They are tied with a different color ribbon than the rest of the ornaments. That helps us all remember which ones are his. He would rearrange them several times a day. But he felt a sense of independance and belonging to the holiday. It didn't become a month of things he couldn't touch.

I also decided to get a Playmobil Nativity instead of a real nice one. Same reason...john can handle it and play with it, and we can tell the story. And I don't have to worry that it will get broken. He has his own Advent calendar too. One that hangs on teh door and he adds a fekt ornament to a felt tree each day.

I think this year I might put a small tree in the playroom and let him decorate it with paperchains and handmade ornaments. My mother used to do that. We would put all the things we made at school and girl scouts on it. I thought it was something for us kids, but now I realize it was just to keep her Christmas tree looking pretty without all the kid junk on it.

I really love the Christmas season and want John to feel like he is a part of it....more than just Santa (which we talk about but dont emphasize). But I try to keep his involvement relative to his developmental stage and maturity level. There is so much about Christmas, but he doesn't have to experience it all in one year. He can grow into new experiences each year. I think this year we wil add a tree lighting ceremony or a Christmas parade to our activities for him.

Tonya · « **Reply #13 on:** November 03, 2006, 14:39:14 pm »

Quote (selected)

Tonya, are you in my house?!?!?

I can ONLY imagine what it's like!!!!

TDR'smom · « **Reply #14 on:** November 03, 2006, 19:38:05 pm »

Dh and I have also been stressing out about our Christmas tree this year (DS will be 19 months then). Thanks to all the advice. I think we will definitely try the "1 finger" and "Gentle" approach.

Hopefully that will work, especially since the "Gentle' approach is not working with DS hitting me. (But that is another thread) $:-\$ $:-\$

* Paula * · « **Reply #15 on:** November 03, 2006, 21:48:10 pm »

I hear you on that one Judy - DS does not understand gentle when it comes to hitting me either,but we are also going to give the one finger approach to touching the christmas tree.

Bryony's mum · « **Reply #16 on:** November 03, 2006, 22:11:07 pm »

With dd, we always had the tree (it's an artificial one, about 5ft tall) up on a small table or something, 'barricaded' into a corner by the furniture, so it was basically out of reach. Since she wasn't much of a climber, we didn't have any problems with that.

Ds, however, is something of an adventurer, so last year we had to come up with another option. Ds was 14 months old and, having moved house, we didn't have any corners to put the tree in. Instead we had it in plain view and positioned in front of a radiator. My main concern was that ds would pull the tree over on himself, so I tied two pieces of string to the trunk part of the tree and tied the end of each string to opposite ends of the radiator. It probably sounds a bit weird, but it worked as the tree was anchored securely. After that, of course, it was a matter of only putting unbreakable, child-safe ornaments on the tree, and then reminding him not to remove the ornaments, and helping him to put them straight back on if they 'accidentally' fell off. We didn't have any probs at all.

This year, of course, at just over two years, ds is even more of an adventurer, so we shall have to see how it goes, but hopefully the same strategy will work.

blondie10 · « **Reply #17 on:** November 04, 2006, 10:13:56 am »

With a 3 year old we look after, we give him his own mini tree to decorate with safe ornaments and chocolate money. He knows that the big tree isn't his and if he leaves it alone he can have a chocolate a day. doesn't stop him touching the big tree completely for the first few days but the one finger technique works a treat for those few days. He takes great delight in showing visitors the big tree, then dragging them to see his little one! And of course, the chocolates disappear very quickly!!

Jaime · « **Reply #18 on:** November 04, 2006, 13:26:09 pm »

i couldn't resist posting, mainly so i could attach this picture & brag a little on dh. we put our tree on a table. they can't reach it.

woopster · « **Reply #19 on:** November 04, 2006, 13:28:14 pm »

Jaime, that's last years tree right? Tell me you haven't got this year's up already?

Jaime · « **Reply #20 on:** November 04, 2006, 13:32:07 pm »

LOL - yes that is last year's tree!! dh won't start building the table for this year's for a couple more weeks. he's adding 1 more train to it (luke's train as last year was his 1st christmas), so it's got to be a bit bigger. i think there's a mountain involved.

TDR'smom · « **Reply #21 on:** November 04, 2006, 19:08:09 pm »

Jaime!!

That tree and table are absolutely GORGEOUS!!! Good for DH!!!

Judy

* Paula * · « **Reply #22 on:** November 04, 2006, 20:48:15 pm »

Jaime,

The tree is absolutely beautiful.

15milner · « **Reply #23 on:** November 05, 2006, 11:36:52 am »

The first year when Matthew turned 1 we had a dinky little tree up high.
Last year (age 2) we had a standard size real tree in the corner, so he couldn't go round it and it was protected on 2 sides.

With regards to the decorations, I followed some advice from on here and gave Matthew some of his own decorations - little unbreakable baubles. He could put them on and take them off but he knew that they were HIS. The rest were mummy and daddy's. Worked like a charm, didn't touch any of the other decorations, or the lights just his one.

i think this year, I may take him out to go and buy one with him to put on the tree that is truly his - not just one he his told is his, but he will have ownership of it too.

alex

Bryony's mum · « **Reply #24 on:** November 05, 2006, 19:08:07 pm »

Alex - that reminds me about the lights, which was my other worry. Ds didn't do much to them last year, but I did buy these little gren plastic clips that clipped the wire on really securely (and were a nightmare to get off again!), just to be on the safe side.

ks6 · « **Reply #25 on:** November 05, 2006, 19:24:17 pm »

Our answer to the light problem--a pre-lit tree. I don't think those ever come off.

(See how happy I am in 2 years when the bulbs all go out.

)

maggieruth · « **Reply #26 on:** November 06, 2006, 14:54:44 pm »

i feel sooo stupid! the whole tree thing never occured to me as last year ds was a non mobile 7 month old... this year he will be an incredibly adventurous 19 month old!

this website saves my backside SOOO often!

Critter · « **Reply #27 on:** November 06, 2006, 19:03:10 pm »

Kim, we've had the same pre-lit tree for 5 years and all the lights are still working :-)

I asked my girlfriend the other day what they did last Christmas when her daughter was this age. She said that most of the fragile ornaments stayed in a box, but some went at the top of the tree. She bought soft, plushy ornaments to put down at the bottom for her dd to touch and play with.

We're probably going to put lots of bows on our pre-lit 7' tree this year. A few ornaments, but mostly bows. That way, Luke can pull them off as much as he wants and it won't matter. I don't think anyone is going to have a critical eye when they know you have SuperDave there :-). I wasn't going to put one up at all, but the more I think about it, I just HAVE to. It's the first Christmas where Luke will kinda "get it."

We will also have a smaller tree in the front of our house by the window on a table. I will probably put some of my pretty breakable ornaments on it.

MDHmommy · « **Reply #28 on:** November 30, 2006, 20:30:17 pm »

This is cracking me up because DH and I had the very same conv. about a week ago. We decided that we will get a short tree, and put it on top of this very sturdy table that we have. This way, it's up high so that we can see it (the table will place the bottom of tree at hip level on an adult) but DS can't reach it!
I hate to have to run around trying to keep DS from touching things, he just gets frustrated and I don't think he's old enough to manage himself yet...next year we'll try to teach him "gentle" and not to touch the tree!

Lªuren · « **Reply #29 on:** November 30, 2006, 20:36:00 pm »

Quote from: MDHmommy on November 30, 2006, 20:30:17 pm

This is cracking me up because DH and I had the very same conv.

We had it tonight, but it's been on my mind for a while.......

Calum LOVES playing with light sockets, so I fear that the bulbs will get blown, wires pulled dowm (closely followed by tree) or baubles thrown about the livingroom.

He seem to understand no touch before and now he just laughs and goes out of his way to touch the very thing we didn't want him to.

I was in a shop with him the other day and he ran to the xmas tree on display and started pulling the baubles off as fast as I could put them back on.

rebecaq · « **Reply #30 on:** November 30, 2006, 21:03:08 pm »

We also are putting soft ornaments on the bottom and hte breakables on top.

The presents......that's another dilemma

- Beca

ks6 · « **Reply #31 on:** November 30, 2006, 22:00:27 pm »

Update--the tree has been up for a week, and the toddler is being a good boy

ry,cait&alex · « **Reply #32 on:** November 30, 2006, 22:04:07 pm »

Sorry, Kim....I just saw this thread. You might be surprised by your little guy. Cait didnt' care about the tree after the first night. I make a big show of turning the lights on every morning......she could care less. But when she was wanting to touch the tree, I just told her to be "easy", same thing I tell her with the neighborhood cats. Lucky for the trees, they don't have eyes. Not so lucky for the cats.

As for presents....I have about 10 wrapped and they are sitting on the floor in the office. Again...she could care less. I may put them under the tree and see if they attract her attention. But I will admit, I do have a baby "surround" gate waiting in the wings so that if one day she does decide she wants to play Lumberjack Cait, I have a solution lined up.

oh...just saw your updated post!! Good Job!!!!

Critter · « **Reply #33 on:** December 01, 2006, 03:07:35 am »

Tree is up but no presents yet. I need to get some wrapping paper. I put most of the ornaments minus the glass balls. Can you just see it? "Buh-BAWL!" (CRASH!)

carolyn · « **Reply #34 on:** December 01, 2006, 03:58:13 am »

I wait until a few days before Christmas to put presents out.

It's not even December yet. Have you finished your shopping??

ry,cait&alex · « **Reply #35 on:** December 01, 2006, 04:31:27 am »

I HAVE!!! I HAVE!!!!!! okay...well, maybe 2 or 3 more presents, but for the most part, I HAVE!!!!!!

ahem.....um sorry. Will try to keep my pride of being DONE to myself!!!

ks6 · « **Reply #36 on:** December 02, 2006, 01:38:48 am »

"Duh! Ah-duh!" says Dave. No, not really done, all done. But pretty close.

aj · « **Reply #37 on:** December 02, 2006, 19:39:33 pm »

Hi there!

I didn't get a chance to read through all of the posts, so sorry if someone has already given this advice.

We got dd her very own little Christmas tree (it was $20) with unbreakable ornaments for her to decorate it with. We told her that the little tree is her very own special tree and she can play with it and touch those decorations as much as she wants, but the big tree is off limits (but what we do is put the unbreakable ornaments at the bottom of the big tree and try to keep the breakable items up higher so dd can't reach them, just in case).

Hope that helps!

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Author Topic: A toddler and a Christmas tree--help! (Read 3749 times)