1 year old with 2 toddlers.

tsc3

Mon, Jul 10 2017, 11:10 am

My 1 year old recently started crawling so I'm having some newly discovered 'issues' BH.
How do people keep their floors remotely clean enough for a crawling baby when there are KH 2 more toddlers running around. Baby puts everything in their mouth!!
And another question - how to keep baby entertained and away from toddlers so toddlers aren't bothered by baby and so baby doesn't eat whatever activity they're up to, it always ends up on the floor somehow... crayons, markers, stickers, playdough... etc etc
Any advice/tips?
TIA.

amother

Red

Mon, Jul 10 2017, 1:03 pm

Get a baby gate or two, to keep separate areas for your toddlers and baby. You coul use the gate for either one or both.

amother

Brown

Mon, Jul 10 2017, 1:11 pm

What are you toddlers doing to the floor to make it dirty?

All the toys that would be choking hazards (different issue) for baby would also be for toddlers..

tsc3

Mon, Jul 10 2017, 2:12 pm

We live in a small apartment. Gates are not really an option since the space is limited already.
Is it just my toddlers who drop food, pieces of tissues, dirt, lint etc?
I don't remember having this issue when oldest dc was crawling. Or middle dc because older sibling was still very young too. So I don't think it's me or my dh throwing these things on the floor.

nameless

Mon, Jul 10 2017, 2:44 pm

I've recently been having this issue as well. But my big ones have gotten really into taking care of the baby, it makes them feel big. So, I explained to them that little toys and certain types of food/crumbs are dangerous for the baby to put in her mouth. Even though the floor is covered in stuff from all their activities for the day if something looks dangerous they have turned it into a game almost that they pick it up and ask me if the baby can have it. If I say no they get really excited that they saved her.

tsc3

Mon, Jul 10 2017, 3:36 pm

nameless wrote:

Thank you! I was feeling a bit incompetent before you wrote this.
I also gave a whole speech to my toddlers when the baby started crawling and that helps some. I also sweep many times a day but the real problem is the tiny specs of dirt that the baby feels on their hands while crawling...

amother

Brown

Mon, Jul 10 2017, 3:45 pm

Got it - keeping floors clear. I was imagining your concern was with dirt.

Messy activities we do in the kitchen (including eating). Baby stays off the ground.

amother

Azure

Mon, Jul 10 2017, 3:45 pm

tsc3 wrote:

When I lived in a small apartment, my one baby/toddler made a MESS!!!! Only when we moved to a house with a playroom closed off from the kitchen (doors) did things improve. This is not to make you despair, just to show you that you're not incompetent- it goes with the territory.

mommyhood

Mon, Jul 10 2017, 4:07 pm

bsy wrote:

Specks of dirt never hurt anyone....

This, tiny specs of dirt are not an issue. Even without toddlers the floors will always have some dirt on them that will wind up in the baby's mouth. If your baby is healthy this shouldn't harm them
If the toddlers food is safe for the toddler and cut up it's probably safe for the baby if it falls on the floor. Crayons and tissues are more of an issue. Even in a small apartment I would try to put a baby gate somewhere. Let the kids play in the kitchen and the baby can play in the living room. It doesn't need to be all day but it's hard for kids to play knowing the baby could come destroy things at any time.

amother

Ginger

Mon, Jul 10 2017, 4:12 pm

My twins were barely 2 when my DS was born, so they were nearly 3 when he started moving around.

I gave them empty toilet paper rolls and told them that anything that could fit through was a choking hazard. So we made a game of it and they loved identifying choking hazards and moving them away from the baby.