Babies and Stairs

 

Do you have a new baby? I have a suggestion from a experienced mom, now grandma tip for you that really works. Babies and stairs are a dangerous thing. But if you teach a almost but not quite crawling baby how to go down stairs safely you will have one less worry.  Gates are great, keeping doors shut if you have them good. But what if the gate or door is not secure?  They you get boom, scream and tears.

As your baby gets close to the up on all fours, the "I am moving stage", take the babe to the stairwell, put baby on tummy, feet facing steps.  Mom or dad then sits a couple steps down, gently pull baby's feet down one step, let the little person know to stay and not turn to sit.  Continue on down until you get to the bottom.  Start again.  Then you can let them go up the stairs with you coming  up behind them. I bet you are saying to yourself, I will never forget to shut the gate or door, I am a diligent mom..  Ah but someone else may forget or not check.

We have 13 steps to our lower level, steps that end on a linoleum (old)  covered cement floor hard and unforgiving.  While caring for my first grandchild I used this method to keep her safe, good thing too grandpa didn't always remember to shut the door at the top of the stairs.  When I would go downstairs I took her with me, walking ahead of her as she came down, just in case.

One evening I went looking for Merissa, couldn't find her, she was close to a year old, I called down the stairs, "is Merissa down there with you?" Yes was the answer. OK safe sound and it was the first time she did it on her own.  The next time I was ready, she was crawling down the hall and through the kitchen, I grabbed the camera, I had it running when she got to the top of the steps. With a big smile she backed down one step, looked at me and lifted her toes up, and slide half way down, stopped laughed and lifted her toes again and slide (carpeted stairs) the rest of the way.  Now if only I could get this video on the computer from the old super 8 camera you could see this.  It was a little scary to see her sliding not just backing down the steps. But basically that is what I had been doing when I taught her how to do it, only it was one step at a time not 6 at a time, that was her idea.    The ending to this, she never got hurt going down the stairs of our home.. 

Then there was the day she shut the door while she was on the stairs, I came in to see little fingers wiggling under the door, I looked through the window, told her to move down, and watched while she backed down far enough for me to open the door.  The door opens into the stairwell.   I had a exterior door installed with a large window so I could see the stairs before opening the door that way you didn't open the door on someone's face.  Comes in handy for pets too. 

 Saroya Poirier