Tuesday, May 8, 2012

the climber



We have a little climber on our hands. I've never had a climber before. Violet will pull up a chair, climb on it and then climb onto the table. She will then stand up and try to dance. All in the instant that you turn around to do something else. Meals and folded washing are no longer sacred. We pop her onto the floor, and up she goes again. That is, after a roll around the floor style tantrum. We've taken to turning the dining chairs upside-down.





We sometimes find her sitting (or standing) on the keyboard. It's quite a climb up there. Risky for her (and the computer). If I suddenly go offline you will know why.





Drawers and cupboards are far more interesting than any toy basket. I find scenes such as these all day. Because I've often allowed her to pull out breakables, she is surprisingly careful with them.


If the front door is left open she will go right out. And not look back. We've learnt to be pretty vigilant around here.





Little, though she still is, she has this sense of adventure and a dare devil twinkle in her eye. She certainly keeps everyone amused.

I feel I've been thrown a bit of a curve ball with this one. Kind of like learning how to parent all over again.



Have you ever had a climber? Have you had one child who was completely different to the others?

26 comments:

  1. I feel for you Tania...my twins both seem to be climbers and yet my now teen wasn't so it took me a little by suprise!I am amazed at what they find to climb...yesterday one had climbed to the top of the recliner chair and was happily perched up there rocking back and forth....oh my goodness i moved quickly!!
    Unfortunately our dining room chairs now reside in the spare room only to be brought out at dinner time...it was the only way i could stay sane. Providing some other little climbing challenges like cardboard boxes, piles of cushions etc help a little to provide similar challenges without the risk!!
    You might find my post about what to do with a monkey helps you not to feel like the only one lol!
    Good luck...i love those cheeky pics...you can almost hear what she is thinking can't you!!!!

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  2. All three of mine were climbers. Even though they scale to dangerous heights, they don't often fall. I wish I could offer some great advice to stop Violet climbing, but I can't. It's best to help teach them how to get down safely by themselves. You will get used to it too.

    This is Adele, prob at the same age as Violet. http://littlebettydesigns.blogspot.com.au/2011/07/third-child-challenges.html

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  3. Hi:)I have eight children their ages are twenty-eight,twenty-four,twenty-two,nineteen,nine,five,three and two years,lol,my first five children were pretty placid beings,the two oldest boys being a little radical when little.BUT now in my forties and having the last three close together they have been the most radical of all my children,lol.No stone is left unturned,its crazy!!We have stairs and one day recently I pulled the safety gate off because my two year old girl (well she started climbling a lot earlier),kept doing anything and everything to get up those stairs,so in the end I taught her to come down on her bum,which she did for a few weeks,now she just runs up and down all the time!!:)
    Exhausting,lol:)
    Carleene

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  4. Hi Tania, My eldest was/is a climber at three he climbed onto my mothers Shed! Up a bush and onto the top of the shed!!!! He still loves to climb and they seem to have no fear when they are so young, you would think that it would seem further to fall since they are so small. :)

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  5. Not really any dedicated climbers here, if you don't count climbing up my legs in order to be held all day long, but can I just say how gorgeous your girl is? Those eyes! xx

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  6. Oh i had 4 climbers & twins are worst (or should i say, more exciting, likely to grey your hair) as they not only encourage each other they also offer a boost up. Mine never fell - out of bunks, trees, balconies, so i thought, well they know their strengths & balance, i'll close one eye & listen. Love Posie

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  7. Hi there,
    Violet sure is having fun!
    I thought I'd let you know that I've awarded you a versatile blogger award, the details are over on my blog at creativeworld.
    Kate :)

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  8. I hear what you are saying. We took ages to decide on buying some breakfast stools for our kitchen which are now stored in the spare room...they have proven too dangerous for my 18 month old who also loves to climb. I wish I knew this before we bought the chairs!

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  9. Hi Tania,
    My granddaughter is a climber and has always been, There is no place too high for her. Lol it is scary at times. I feel for you.
    Hugs,
    Elizabeth

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  10. The baby of my family is a climber too Tania. His bedroom window opens onto the carport roof, so you can guess where he would disappear to. Heartstopping. Also we learnt very early to fasten bookcases to the walls very securely!

    He is the only one of mine to every have had broken bones and he would still climb with plaster casts and all, albeit one-handed. I always joke that he has taken years off my life, but I have to say I really admire his fearlessness. I wish I could have some of it. He is often an example to my older children in his courage, but he is also the naughtiest!

    That is the great joy of children, I suppose, that they are all so very different.

    Michelle.

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  11. My second son is just the same. I'm a nervous wreck at home. Seriously. It really does feel like being a first-time mum all over again. Hard not to wish these days over sometimes.

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  12. Lot's of climbers here, you just have to keep an eye on them when they start swinging off the fans and curtains!

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  13. What an adventurous little spirit you have on your hands. No climbers here yet, but it is still early days with Cohen. He still has to master walking.
    My boys are so different to each other. Isaac is go go go and such a charmer, where as Cohen is happy to sit quietly and watch the world go by.

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  14. Ahh, such a frustrating stage, Nothing is safe anymore!
    Last week my 2 1/2 year old managed to break one of my favourite bowls that I sit on the kitchen bench. I've since removed the stool, you can only take so much of it!
    On the up side I think it's a real show of independence and wanting to be more like the rest of the family!
    She's probably had enough of watching the big kids from the floor, now it's time to get up to their level!! Enjoy Tania, she is such a sweety.

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  15. Oh yes I can totally relate to the different than all the rest, well I only have two children but I was completely spoilt with my first son who was by my side for the first three years of his life, very easy going. And then son number two arrived and he is my little sparkle in his eye adventure boy, I feel like I have not sat down for 2.5 years! He has so much spirit and some days it exhausts me but in other ways I admire him so much. My little boy sounds very much like your Violet, he is a keep walking (running) and don't look back kind of a guy. Best wishes to you and your adventure girl.

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  16. Tania, Little Violet is just gorgeous. I have four kids and none were climbers except our baby who is 13mths, just started to walk & I have a feeling she is going to be our climber. She loves the stairs and coffee tables she prefers to climb onto and be centre of attention. All mine have very different personalities - I love that. I also love kids with a bit of cheeky spunk.

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  17. Cohen was just always into everything! Our house looked minimilaist in the end because we had to clear every surface. Nothing on the table top, coffee table or bedside tables. Everything had childproof locks on it. I had to put a gate on the bathroom and the sewing room as he would just pull EVERYTHING out of every cupboard or drawer then wander off to find another cupboard or drawer. We have a step cabinet too, brought pre-children and really not a good idea once they start climbing! Cohen climbed up and down it one day in front of another child, who then climbed up it and fell off.
    Thankfully they do grow out of it... xx

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  18. oh dear, i had a giggle at this post, only to walk out to the loungeroom to find my one-year-old had climbed upon the little chair, then table, then lounge table. So now I think I can say yes, I have had, and do have, climbers. three for three here. best just to teach them how to get down safely, rather than try to stop them, I've found.

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  19. My eldest was just the same and then I had 2 more who were nothing like that

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  20. I recall leaving chairs where they could not be stood upon..and climbed...and I relate to the cupboards, I have always let my children into the cupboards as the reason for opening them is to see what is inside..so if you continually close them or lock them then the curiosity remains...all of my children have been gentle with breakables because I showed them how to hold things...your little one is the third, they see and hear EVERYTHING around them and their little minds are trying fast to catch up......its like you have to plan the day, with one activity after another...it can be exhausting but fun all rolled into one....good luck with the climbing...eek....

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  21. Hilarious! In the nicest possible way of course! x

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  22. Yes, I´ve had a climber, and a cupboard searcher, and an adventurous soul who is also a dare devil, my 3 sons really kept me fit when they were this age. And I could not stand those people saying, "Oh, my kid BEHAVES, he doesn´t do things like this..." Ah those days, never a dull moment....
    Greetings
    Kristin

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  23. so far, all of mine have been LAAAZZZY! like, sit on their bums for about 5 months and then decide to maybe crawl a bit and then around 18 months maybe start walking! haha.
    i think the tide's about to turn though...(surely?)
    x

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  24. I have only one... but he is a climber, cupboard opener and searcher, adventurer.... I could go on. Sometimes dangerous, always surprising and mostly delightful (the tantrums are not good) but so loved.
    I couldn't imagine a day without him.

    I love how he is interested in everything....it makes me me look at things afresh. As the others have said, "Never a dull moment."

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  25. Our two are exactly like that! At the moment they are constantly climbing...up onto the windowsill, the table, the chairs (I also am turning mine upside down!). The trouble is they don't yet understand that they need to be careful, so there are several falls....always when I'm getting lunch or dinner ready :o)

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  26. I've had all of mine be climbers, with Circe we just lived with the chairs on the table for a few months. Everything from matches to the laptop to the mouse we keep all became things she wanted to touch hold and play with. It was enough that I was each day looking forward to her naps, just so as I could relax. I feel for you as these kids are the ones that are also happy to walk and not look back. I'll give you the heads up on the scissors and the cutting of hair now.

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