Christmas tree......

[lucyD]

SO.... Christmas trees....where do you put yours & I take it you have to RA it? I have a 8 month old (almost crawling) a 13 month (almost walking) & my own son (23 months) & into EVERYTHING!!!!! Any tips?

[bunyip]

Last year we decided not to have one at all. Instead we made one on the wall by sticking on paper shapes. The lo's had great fun making decorations to keep adding to it. In January, the decorations went home with the children, and the 'tree' came off the wall and went into the recycling. No needles on the floor, and no attic space occupied by a dust-gathering artificial tree either. Happiness all round.

[QualityCare]

We have always had a real tree decorated the weekend before Christmas day , it has never been a problem with minded children or my own crawlers are just moved away if they get too close the same as with anything l don't want them to touch, it has never been pulled over or destroyed no-one has ever been hurt by pine needles, l have a risk assessment which Mrs O was very impressed by.

[rickysmiths]

For years, since I lived in a flat and mine were small I have had a half Christmas tree that hangs on the wall so it is no problem with the little ones.

Like this one: Restricted Space Wall Mounted Artificial Christmas Tree

As a family we have a real tree but it isn't usually put up until a few days before Christmas I leave it at least until they have broken up from school so this year it will go up on the Sat before Christmas when I will have finished Childminding for the holidays.

[Carol]

I have a large 6' artificial tree but I put our spare fire guard in front of it and attached one end of the guard to the real fire guard. Sounds strange but works really well.

Carol

[Twinkles]

When my own children were small I used to buy a smaller tree , put it on a table ( coffee table or similar ) and put up a playpen round it.

Now we have a large tree and have it in the lounge. Only supervised visits from the small ones.

[hectors house]

I will put up the artifical one in the lounge the weekend before Xmas - won't be working again until the Friday after and then fewer children - Since childminding I have always bought a real tree and decorated with lights put out on the deck so children can see it (without touching thought the patio doors and can see while eating at the table.

The week after Xmas before tree comes down I tend to block access to it by putting coffee table in front of it - hasn't ever been a problem, haven't got a written risk assessment - I just access the risk each day according to the combination of children I have on that day. I worry more about them bumping themselves on the coffee table which is in different place to normal.

[Bess]

I have a wall mounted tree with wood effect decorations and lots of lights. Cannot wait to get the decorations up.

[PixiePetal]

I have a tall artificial one in the sitting room (quiet room for mindees/sleeping room) so no access without me and will RA daily depending on children. I don't block it off with anything so as long as nothing is an immediate danger (glass baubles at top, plastic lower down) I watch and teach not to touch. I am sure most have a tree at home, youngest mindee is 18m and very inquisitive so we will see

In our old house I had a lounge/diner and tree was in there with no problem year after year.

[AliceK]

I have a large one (artificial) which goes up in my lounge. Children are only allowed in there if and when, especially the older children as they cannot behave in there so they are rarely allowed in there anymore. I have 2 x 1yr olds who at present behave in there. They will be taught not to touch the tree the same as my own children were taught.
BunyIp, I love the idea of a tree on the wall for the LO's to decorate, I might pinch that idea for the playroom.

xxxx

[caz3007]

I have two lounges, one is only used for sleeping in a travel cot and thats the one we use in the evening, so thats where our tree goes. The other lounge is decorated with lots of sparkle all out of reach of the LO's

[mushpea]

we always put one in the lounge, my two decorate it so its not like one of these posh all matching ones lol we also make a handpring christmas tree wiht the mindees,,, they make lots of green hand prints then i cut them out and stick them together so they make what looks like a big christmas tree then any decorations they make hang on the tree unitll they finish for christmas then they take them home.

[cathtee]

I have a 6' artificial tree which goes in front of the patio door, I just steer lo's away from it if they go to touch, not had any problems
in previous years




50 days to go

[vals]

I have been minding for 17 years, I always have a large artificial tree in the living room. I tape any leads down so no trip hazards, and thats it. I have had a couple of small decorations knocked off the lower branches, but nothing else has happened. I treat the tree much like the TV etc - the children know they shouldn't touch it, but the odd time one of them does I tell them no and move them away.

[little chickee]

I have a 6ft artifical tree that goes up in the living room which is my main cm room. No RA

It always goes up on 10th December. I lost a baby at 18 weeks pregnant on 10th December 11 years ago and since then our tree has always gone up on the anniversary. Its my way of making what is still a difficult day for me a little bit easier.

I get great joy from watching my boys all excited and they decorate the tree themselves with all the xmas things they have made over the years.
Looks a complete dogs dinner but we love it that way!

[beachgirl29]

paper tree on the wall or we had a mini tree up high until my daughter was old enough for a real one full size on the floor. but we keep the living room child free most of the time.

[Pipsqueak]

Real tree as large as you like... kids help decorate, we use it as a learning experience - the smells, measuring, why the needles drop/are sharp blah blah..., we have always had a real one (unless we are going away).
after that its not a touchy thing - will often put up a small artifical one in playroom - depends on my working schedule

[miffy]

We have a 6ft artificial tree, it stands in the corner of the lounge. Often a few baubles get rearranged but luckily I've never had anyone pull it over or try to climb it yet. Might not be so lucky this year with three very young ones.

Miffy xx