Are you going to put a Christmas tree this year?

coasterqueen wrote: Now that DD is 13 months old and EVERYWHERE, lol, I wonder about putting up a Christmas tree this year. DH says that he doesn't want to put one up just so she can tear it down. We are looking into options to make sure one stays up, lol.

Just curious how many others have considered their wee ones tearing the tree down and what you think you might do.

kit_kats_mom replied: We've thought about it. I think that this year we will just "use" grandmas tree for the photo ops. She's in town so we can go over there anytime we want. I don't see the point in tempting her with all of those fun ornaments and lights when she doesn't really understand "no touch" yet. I will miss our tree but I won't miss the frusteration that I will feel on the 2nd or 3rd time she knocks it over

MomofTay&Sam replied: I always had a tree with my first son, he was ummm 5 months and than 17 months and never bothered the tree. I am not sure about this son though, he is very head strong. I will have a tree but maybe put it in a place he can't get to it.

paradisemommy replied: we'll have a tree..we bought like a 6 1/2 or 7 foot artificial one last year and then bought a whole bunch of plastic ornaments that look just like glass...so when he decides to take them off and throw them - they'll still be ok..

barelysanewith5 replied: [COLOR=green] YES !! We have a thirteen month old as well and four older sisters....We say the same clear stern verbal sentence every time we don't want Keegan to touch something...." NOT for Keegan" while shaking our head "no". We go to where she is and get to her eye level....we repeat it as many times as it takes and gently move her hands away from the item of desire. It takes a few times of doing this to get the point across but she understands us when we say it and the repeat items don't even require us to go to where she is anymore.... Don't get me wrong...she can throw a fit with the best of them, but we are learning to speak each others language and dad and I feel a Christmas tree will take some work but is definately a possibility this year.
GOOD LUCK

Kirstenmumof3 replied: I've been through this stage 2 times before. My children loved to touch the ornaments on the tree. So we removed all glass balls from the tree and started putting up a lot more plastic and fabric ornaments and if we did have breakable ornaments we put them at the top were they couldn't reach them. Claudia is so different from the other 2 I don't think we will have any problem with her and the tree.

ediep replied: I was thinking about this too, I'm sure that Dh will want to put up the tree. I'll be the one chasing Jason away from it all day!!

paradisemommy replied: welcome barelysanewith5 you sure sound like you have a handful.. i look forward to getting to know you better and learning from all your expertise

i'm tammy (32) married to dh keoki (26) and we have only 1 ds taven (14 months)...

MommyToAshley replied: We don't allow Ashley in the living room (which is on the second level) unless we are in there because there is no way to block of the stairs (the railing ends before the stairs do). So we block it off before the stairs. Therefore, we will put the tree in the living room.

I have a lot of really nice ornaments that I have collected over the years, and I usually do my tree in a burgandy and gold theme. But, this year I think I will buy some cheap fabric or plastic ornaments that I can hang without using hooks so that Ashley can look and touch under supervision. I usually put tons of white lights, but this year I will put the multi-colored lights just for her. It might not look as pretty, but I bet it will be beautiful to her and that is what matters.

coasterqueen replied:
We've always used white lights and I love white lights. When Kylie was born last year I decided that she should get to look at colored lights. I had them on the tree when I was a kid, so she should get the same. So we went out and bought an artificial tree with colored lights last year. I didn't like the look of it, but I guess I'll get used to it.

Maddie&EthansMom replied:

That is usually what ours is...with the white lights, too. However, we are thinking of changing it to off white and gold with white lights this year. I think they enjoy the lights no matter what color they are, really.

Maddie never bothered the tree and she is a VERY meddlesome little girl and always has been. I just made sure no glass bulbs were near the bottom and there was nothing on the tree that she could fit in her mouth (when she was younger)

aspenblue1 replied: We are putting up a tree this year. I will probably not put the breakable ornaments on the tree this year.