Toddlers not used to staircase/safety issue/WH

[DumboPrincess]

Ok, I have a strange question, maybe someone has an easy solution. We live in a 1 story house and so do all our relatives, so my kids (4) and (21 mo) are not used to staircases. I'm worried when we go to Windsor Hills in Nov. (3 bed TH) that if they get up at night looking for us (down the hall) that they may fall on the stairs not being used to a new place. I also worry about my "adventurer" (ie, the 21 month old! haha) leaving the room. They will be 4 yrs 9 mos and 2yrs 4 mos at the time of our trip. Some options I've thought of include using the pack in play for the little one, although I'm sure she'll want to sleep in the double bed with her sissy. Or bringing (which means buying and packing in the car--we'll be driving) a safety gate. Which we wouldn't use at home. Or one of those safety doorknob locks and close the door to their room. What do you think? Advice? Experience?

The owner does not have a safety gate-- I asked.

 

[isla bonita]

For peace of mind I would pack a gate.

 

[seidelhd]

Just buy a safety gate when you get to Orlando. You can find them at Wal-Mart, Babies R Us, Target, etc. It will probably cost about $15, a good investment for who you are protecting.

If you don't want to pack it in the car when you drive home, consider leaving it at the townhouse. I'm sure the owner won't mind your kind "donation," especially if you let him know beforehand.

Heck, if you ask about it beforehand, he may even provide one for you to use, as it won't be the last time his townhouse is rented by families with small children.

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

The TH we stayed in had gates - ask the owner first

 

[kcanning]

If I were you, I would start scouting yard sales for a baby gate and then you'll have one to take with you. Good luck!

 

[mikymouse]

The opening is very wide on the top of the stairs, I would check with the owner to the exact measurement then you could buy a gate in Orlando.

Or you could block the hallway going to the stairway with the pack-n-play (if the owners have one) during the evening between that and a few suitcases you could side track a sleepy little one into your room versus down the stairs.

 

[RoadTripFanatic]

Do not put a safety gate at the top of the stairs. These were not meant to be used there unless you can screw them into the wall. A small child could push hard enough if they started to climb and the gate could collapse. It wouldn't be a good thing.
What I did is put the safety gate on the door to the child's room. This way if they do climb it and it falls you will hear that noise and they won't make it to the stairs.

 

[mrswh]

I agree that putting gates on the doorways to the bedrooms is the way to go. There are companies in Orlando that rent baby gear - I would ask your owner/management company (whomever you are renting from) if they can give you the name of a company. You could also just Google it and I am sure you will come up with some options.

We have a 2 and 3 year old, and though they are accomplished with climbing up and down stairs, I still don't want them doing it in the middle of the night. For that reason (as well as the pool danger of a TH), we decided to rent a 3 bedroom condo instead. Just a thought!

 

[DumboPrincess]

So, it looks like www.abbf.com has a gate for rent for $16. Is that TOTAL, or per night? Any experience? If that is the case, then I would probably also rent the double jogging stroller, too.

 

[mrswh]

So, it looks like www.abbf.com has a gate for rent for $16. Is that TOTAL, or per night? Any experience? If that is the case, then I would probably also rent the double jogging stroller, too.

I would guess that $16 is the total for all nights, since the price is higher for 4-7 nights than it is for 1-3. (Normally you'd think the more nights, the less it would be per night - on the bulk discount theory.)

I think i will bookmark that site for our next trip!

 

[MousekaMaddi]

put the gate in the childs doorway, not at the stairway JMHO