[Celine]

I have a problem w/ Sophia. She climbs up on our couch and runs back and forth on it (w/ a big smile on her face of course) and leans over the armrest- accidents bound to happen. How do I get her to stop it? Is it too early to discipline (do they understand at this age if you say NO and put them in a time out)?

The couch is in our baby-safe are that is gated off. I used to be able to cook and clean the house w/ Sophia being in the baby-safe area. But now I am constantly worried about her. I don't want her hurting herself falling off the couch.

Right now I took the couch cushions off the couch so she can climb really easy on the couch but she can't lean over the armrest any more. Not my ideal solution. Any suggestions? Anybody have the same problem?

[KMH]

When Claire does things like that (she wants to pull my piano books off of the bookcase, and she knows better), the first time I tell her no and offer her something else to play with. If she does it again, I remind her that those books are for Mama, and then I set her on her time-out spot. I tell her that she can get up when she's ready to play with her toys...I don't make her stay there because I don't think that would work at this age. She definitely "gets" it. Sometimes she cries, but usually she sits for a minute before getting up and finding a toy or something else to do. Today she went over to her spot, sat down, and said "no no no," so I think it definitely sinks in that if she does something naughty she'll have to go sit in her spot by herself.

Every kid is different, so what works for Claire might not work for Sophia and vice versa. Good luck...I think this is only the beginning for us

[mommydiva]

Rosie does the same thing. And she seems to do it the most when I am nursing Joshua. I try to get her to sit and tell her to sit on her butt. But have pretty much left it alone. I do say sit on your butt or your getting down and we have a 50/50 shot of her sitting.

[laisydaisymama]

I just remove and distract at this age, unfortunately, if she gets hurt, then she'll figure out that's not a great idea.

odds are, if you have carpeted floor and a normal height couch, if she falls off, it's not going to feel good but she won't be INJURED.

[Trish36]

Isabelle did the exact same thing around that age, I think she was a bit older...maybe 2. She leaned over the arm rest and fell right over and chipped her tooth. She never did that again! Smart girl! But that also depends on the child (cause I know that my DS would have done it again) and of course you don't want them to get hurt just to teach them a lesson. I think removing the pillows is a good thing. Maybe you can put them on the ends so that if she does happen to fall she'll have a soft landing. It's a tough one because it's not like you can just remove the couch and even if you distract her she will just go back to it next time. You can definately try time out, but it may not work at this age yet.
Miranda hasn't figured out hot to climb onto things yet, she has short legs. But she does stand on one of her ride on toys with wheels and I cringe every time I see that because I can just see her landing (hopefully) on her bum.
Most of the time a very stern NO works with Miranda. She's not happy and she'll show it, but if I do it enough times she does stay away from things.

[rachel_anne]

Holden does that too. I have all his toys at the one end of the couch and his plastic piano activity table is right next to the side of the couch, he used to love to lean over and play with the toys from the arm rest until he fell face first into the piano. Needless to say he doesn't do that anymore, he still runs the couch but he knows how to get on and off it properly so I don't worry anymore.

[amhk]

I have a similar problem with Kinley, as of yesterday. She climbed up on a stool then onto the bar-height kitchen table. I am trying to keep the stools under the table now, but big sister moves them and I am not super woman, so I am worried I won't catch it everytime. It would be a long fall onto tile floor I can't get rid of our kitchen table and I can't keep the kitchen gated all the time- it's right in the middle and we walk through it all the time.

[KatieHeitman]

Josh does that too. He stands on his chair and climbs on to the ottoman and then pretty much jumps and leans forward in hopes to land at least halfway on the couch so he can pull himself up. Then he runs back and forth smiling and laughing. He also jumps on the couch and then leans over the armrest to watch the fish. We used to tell him no and to sit on your butt, but he only would if he wanted to. I just let him do it now. He's fallen off a few times, but never hurt himself. If I feel he's getting way to rambunctious then I just take him off the couch and tell him no.

[inyourhonor]

Ditto Ginni. I don't have carpeted floors but Bishop doesn't screw around on the couch because he can't get up on it yet.

[Celine]

We have hardwood floor and only a thin area rug in front of the couch. That would be a hard fall for her if she did fall off the couch.

Trish, the chipped tooth story kind of scared me and it gave me a wake up call. I feel like I am hesitating to discipline Sophia, but I know I need to do it. I told Sophia "No" and took her down from the couch. Put the cushions back on the couch and she has not gone back on there. "Knock on wood." Ideally, I don't want her to run on the couch anyways- that's for sitting. I think it's time for her to learn. Thanks for everybodys' input. As a first time mom I am always worried I am doing something wrong.

I think (not sure if it's true) she is testing the limits? Like: "let's see what mom will do if I do this..."

[krislati]

Tommy does the same thing! He can't get up on the couch by himself, so he drags anything he can for an extra boost. He has fallen off several times, I try to get him down before he falls, sometimes I just am not fast enough. I agree with the others, I take him off and distract him. It usually works after the second time.

[Rochelle7]

Heidi is completely insane when it comes to climbing. Ever since she was around 10 m/o she would climb onto the kitchen table, into the window seal, into the dresser drawers.. never ending. However, I've noticed during the past month or so she has been better and I think it's bc we've repetitively removed her from the unsafe place and told her not to do that and been very consistent. She constantly had a bruise on the forehead a few months ago bc we have pergo floors. But, not anymore

She's learning, finally. I think the time-out thing would be something to try out, like what Melissa does with Claire.

[BSandDsMommy]

Both of mine are seriously like monkeys lol they were climbing before crawling on all fours lol I can't keep them off anything, they climb the couch, chairs, get on the kitchen table, pull toys over to stand to climb even further lol I've tried telling them no, timeouts, moving them, and spanking (last resort) I come to the conclusion nothing will work, so I just continue to move them when they do it and say no lol never works though lol

[birdblue]

Sam is a monkey also! He climbs on everything and can quickly climb out of his crib or pack and play now. It's so nerve-racking. Sadly...i have no advice.