Did you know the Christmas Tree was a target?

We put the tree up yesterday in stages. When it had lights on Max just stared at it. When he woke up from his nap and saw it decorated (with nonbreakable & non-sentimental ornaments this year) he decided it should be a target. He spend the rest of the day hanging over the play yard (thankfully DH decided to put it inside the play yard in the the living room) and hurl every toy/book possible at it. It was so frustrating because NO wasn't working or even time out, which we are just starting to use. By bedtime I was frazzled :grr: . I was really hoping for :smilie_xmas_116: , but I got 100% little boy who was out to take down that tree.

Any suggestions? My mom just said he will get bored with it, but I know Max. Once he gets something in his mind he sticks with it. I will be :wacko: by Christmas.

 

How about taking the superyard down for a day and let him see and touch the tree? My boys are almost 23 months and I plan on putting the tree up tonight. I've been "training" them every time we go out to stores and let them touch the trees. Right now they like to play with the needles and see how things feel.



I have found that when I try to block things off with the superyard, it more of an attraction to them.

 

I would just allow natural consequences to occur. First, make sure the tree is secure (tie it to the wall or something if you need to). Continue to remind him that the tree is for looking and please don't throw things at it. Then tell him that anything that ends up inside the superyard has to stay there until you are ready to clean it up. I'd give it at least two days so he can see thing accumulate and see that he didn't get them back. Because the ornaments are nonbreakable and not ones you are concerned about, I'd leave those on the ground too if they get knocked off. No attention from you about it other than a "please don't throw things at the tree" and gently moving him away will hopefully make him bored with the game. If not, at least you've eliminated a battle and stressor for yourself. The key is to stay calm and indifferent about it. Good luck and try to enjoy your tree!

 

The first few days of having the tree up is always stressful. It might help to clear a little space and let him put some of the ornaments on. One other idea is to go get a little tree and some extra plastic ornaments and let the kids play with that one.

 

for the last 2 years we didn't put anything on the tree - just the lights..1st year we put the superyard around it, last year we didn't....they really didn't seem to care about it much...

 

My boys were tree terrorists too. We built a barricade around the tree when they were 15 months and it was a constant and exhausting battle to keep them away. They did not get tired of the game. The next year (27 months), we put up a tree with all non-breakable ornaments and tethered it. Not only did we let them have access, we had them help decorate thinking that touching it would take away the mystery. Ha! They messed with the tree often and knocked things off daily (I had them put back what they knocked down) but the part that really bothered me was that they kept messing with the cord for the lights. The light strings are relatively easy to unplug and plug in and the lights going off and on acts as a reward. Neither got zapped which is good but also bad because they didn't believe me that they could get hurt. Not the fun experience I'd hoped for. Last year (39 months) was the first year they mostly left the tree alone.

Bottom line is that he will eventually get there but probably not this year. I'd leave the superyard up to keep him away from the electrical cord and to keep him from possibly tipping the whole thing over onto himself. I have plenty of friends with kids who never messed with the tree but you're completely right that if your child's temperment is to mess with it relentlessly, that's not going to change in a couple of weeks' time.

 

I'm worried too about this! I think its a great idea to do the superyard and yet to ignore them if they throw things at it... and to leave the thrown items on the ground... I love listening to kid psychology!

another twin mom friend said that when her twins were little they had a small artificial tree that the girls were allowed to touch... and they decorated it with bows. she said that the girls put the bows on and off a lot that year. and now I think its their tree that they decorate with other ornaments now that they are older.

I guess I gotta figure out what I'll do soon.

 

When I first read your post, I laughed so hard. I could just see that little guy hurling things at it!! My girls first big Christmas I let them around the tree (we had nothing to keep them away from it). Sarah ate an ornament (ate it like an apple), and then decided to climb the tree...yep the inside of it. How in the world it didn't fall down I just don't know. I felt like a broken record for the entire season, I was so glad to take that thing down that year. I think just staying consistent and having patience will benefit the most. Honestly, you're probably going to have to stay after him the entire time, so I would definitely keep the yard up and just get your mindset on having to repeat, repeat, repeat. Have a good Christmas...this is what memories are made of!!

 

That's why we're not getting a tree this year. I know my kids, they would be exactly the same way, and wouldn't get tired of it either.

 

I can say day two of the tree has not gone badly yet here. We have no superyard around it (yet) and right now my DS likes to point to the lights and my DD is spooked by the fact she can see her reflection in the ornaments. My Christmas wish is for them to leave it alone but I think as they get more comfortable with it, the superyard will be going around it.