ClaudiaCosette Posted November 21, 2020 Share Posted November 21, 2020 This happened a little while ago, but I'm still thinking about it! We were visiting an elderly relative who never had her own children. She does have some funny ideas about raising kids but this was the most recent thing. the house is full of trinkets, knickknacks, lots of breakable things, so not very kid-friendly unless we send the kids to play outside. DD2, my more mobile 2 year old twin, was playing on the floor, and there was a very low table right at her height next to where she was. On the table were a couple of small glass vases. As DD2 approached the table, I moved the vases to the back of the table where she couldn't reach them. Relative saw me doing this and said "Don't move them. You just tell her not to touch them." I just ignored her and moved them anyway, because I knew they'd stand no chance against a toddler. I remember similar things happening when my DS was little and trying to climb up my bookshelf - relative says "just say no" instead of letting me pull him off the bookshelf. Or am I wrong? Can you really get a toddler not to break your glass vases or climb bookshelves just by telling them no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riotproof Posted November 21, 2020 Share Posted November 21, 2020 No. You cannot. You absolutely did the right thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverstreak Posted November 21, 2020 Share Posted November 21, 2020 Yeah, I'm with you, as a toddler DS was into everything and I like to prevent accidents happening when I can. It's important to set boundaries with toddlers, but it can take a long time for the message to get through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amdirel Posted November 21, 2020 Share Posted November 21, 2020 Well, you could certainly try. Some toddlers will stop and listen.But would you really be willing to risk your nice vases, to test and see if you've got a listening toddler or a non listening toddler? I don't think so!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anonymouse Posted November 21, 2020 Share Posted November 21, 2020 My mother in law seems to think you can... she also thinks you can just tell your baby to sleep, or to eat. So either I’m an abject failure on all fronts or some people are just overly opinionated... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Literally Nobody Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 Eh id have let her knock the vases over.. then the relative would have moved them next time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaudiaCosette Posted November 22, 2020 Author Share Posted November 22, 2020 Eh id have let her knock the vases over.. then the relative would have moved them next time. Tempting ... but I know I'd be the one cleaning up the mess! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Princess Peach Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 With my eldest you could have, my second...pigs flying would be more probable that getting him to not touch something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazyone4532 Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 Hahaha aaah this annoys me so much. My toddler only listens when he wants. I do tell him no but I also mostly need to physically remove him. I implore those who say toddlers just need better boundaries to try on my one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LemonMyrtle Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 I’m with you. Move the vase. DH used to be a different extreme. At his parents place, he would tell them “if it’s left within the kids reach, it’s fair game. I’ve warned you, so I can’t be held accountable now” which I think is also a bit rude, lol, but not much was left within their reach when we visited anyway, cause they are a family of clumsy boys, so most of their good stuff was broken years ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not So Retro Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 I’m with you. Move the vase. DH used to be a different extreme. At his parents place, he would tell them “if it’s left within the kids reach, it’s fair game. I’ve warned you, so I can’t be held accountable now” which I think is also a bit rude, lol, but not much was left within their reach when we visited anyway, cause they are a family of clumsy boys, so most of their good stuff was broken years ago We stayed with then-MIL and her husband when boy number one was 10 months old. He was just starting to pull himself up to stand and they had a low coffee table. When we arrived there was a TV remote on it, which I moved to a higher position where he couldn't reach it. They had a tiled floor and it would have smashed when it hit the ground. We went out for a walk later and when we returned the remote was back down on the table . That was my cue that if they didn't care if it got broken neither did I.It wasn't a great visit because they are pretty awful people. Next time we went up my Mum came with us and we stayed elsewhere and had a much nicer time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie28 Posted December 5, 2020 Share Posted December 5, 2020 I’m with you, but you can get some kids to not touch that sort of thing by telling them no. It worked with my first and mostly with my second, but I don’t think it’s going to work with my third. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie28 Posted December 5, 2020 Share Posted December 5, 2020 I’m with you. Move the vase. DH used to be a different extreme. At his parents place, he would tell them “if it’s left within the kids reach, it’s fair game. I’ve warned you, so I can’t be held accountable now” which I think is also a bit rude, lol, but not much was left within their reach when we visited anyway, cause they are a family of clumsy boys, so most of their good stuff was broken years ago Yeah something in between is probably the way to go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PocketMacrophobia Posted December 5, 2020 Share Posted December 5, 2020 Ooh, now both of my kids wouldn't touch something breakable at two. No idea why, had nothing to do with me, just luck. Very aware of delicate things including babies and animals. Drawers of stuff would be emptied in months though.DD breaks more at five than she did at two because she actually can lift things etc but sometimes things slip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsLaurie Posted December 5, 2020 Share Posted December 5, 2020 I think it definitely depends on the kid. Both of mine have (so far, touch wood) been pretty good about not touching things that aren’t theirs. And we definitely have some breakables/precious things at heights they’ve had easy access to.But my friend’s little boy was just a tiny hurricane of accidental and quasi-accidental breakage. I say quasi-accidental as he was never malicious but often just liked to try and see how something went together. I learned quickly to have catch ups at the park when he was in the mix! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sancti-claws Posted December 5, 2020 Share Posted December 5, 2020 I think it is a double-pronged approach - you tell them what you are doing and why - but you move them anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Living Type Posted December 5, 2020 Share Posted December 5, 2020 Probably polite to ask first before moving or at least say something along the lines of “ I’m just going to move these out of the way so they don’t break”. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernegirl Posted December 5, 2020 Share Posted December 5, 2020 My great aunt, never married, had heaps of children visitors because she was a tutor. All her ornaments and china were in locked display cabinets. But she was also from the generation where kids were seen and not heard, and expected to sit quietly while the adults around them socialised. Which seems nuts today.I think you know your child best, and you did the right thing moving the vase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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