My daughter, the mountain goat

[susanthemom]

Alright, I think I'm calm enough now. Ok, I have three boys 7, 5, and 3. All very active, only one with ADHD, all snips and snails and puppy dog tails. Then there's my daughter, 18 mths, beautiful, feminine, picture of all things girly. Except that she began walking at 9 mths, running to keep up with the boys at about 11 mths, and has begun *really* climbing at 18 mths. And she's turned out to be a MOUNTAIN GOAT!!!!

In the past week, she's been to the hospital for three stitches in her brow; chased off the kitchen counter; gotten to my purse (placed above her arm reaching level) atleast three times, scattering it's contents within seconds; and tonight, I had to rescue her from my bathroom sink where she was in the process of running only hot water! Just took her little plastic baby stroller, shoved it against the bathroom cabinet, and climbed right up like it was nothing.

I never let my kids out of ear shot and I do a visual check of locations atleast every 5-10 min. and still she's like lightning. After 7 yrs. of having one who never stops moving and has been like a mentor his two younger brothers, I've never experienced a climber like this. Dainty and sweet, yet stealth and not afraid of heights. It's terrifying. Please, someone tell me this phase passes. I don't think I can take many more of these shocks to my system.

[Honeysmom]

Susan, I caught my 2 1/2 y/o on top of the fridge today. She pushed over the computer chair, raised it up, and then took the step stool, which was on the counter b/c she was on the counters earlier, and climbed on the fridge!

Sassy little girl is what she is. I was throwing in a load of laundry while she did this. I could hear her yelling "elp me! elp me!" She ratted herself out b/c she was too scared to get down! ;D

[susanthemom]

hahahaha.....that reminds me that I need to bungee cord the chair legs to the table legs again. I completely forgot that table/chair config. when my now 3 yr.old was this age to keep him from grabbing stuff on the counter.

I so hoped that a having a girl would inject this household with a good dose of estrogen, but she's got me on the move yet again. I was expecting Holly Hobbie, but I think I'm gonna get a Powerpuff girl, with these big brothers. ;D

[LitlBaa]

Sounds like my daughter, also known as Hurricane Kate. She took her first step one day short of eight months, and hasn't slowed down or watched where she was going for the last 12 years. Things are lost, broken, stepped on, scattered, climbed, tipped over, tripped on...shall I go on?

I'm still waiting for this phase to pass.

[Linda]

Paul wasn't to bad about things like that...but my son Scott was when he was small...he had to be taken to the ER so many times for stitches that I made my husband take him because it was getting to the point i was afraid the hospital would think we were abusing him

One time when he was about 2 i looked out the window and he was on top of the neighbors roof!! I had to go outside and coax him down because by that time he knew he was in trouble

No you are not alone,some kids are just little daredevils.

[vickilyn32]

Both my Kids are daredevils. DS-13 has had a broken leg, broken finger, stiches 3 times, and I cant cant how many sprains. Lots of them are from sports, but I still feel bad everytime I take him to the doc. Luckily we have only had 2 docs his whole life so they know us very well. I had the same thoughts about being called for child abuse. LOL. DD-10 is very small for her age, and trys soooooo hard to keep up with big brother, so she usually ends up getting hurt. He taught her to ride a bicycle by putting her on his and giving her a push down a hill. She was only 3 and learned to ride pretty quick. I am still waiting for them to slow down. DS and his friends built a fort in and overgrown lot next to the woods, and I just found out they were chasing each other with BB guns!! We parents put a stop to that and the fort was taken down. DSs friends do not have adhd or anything else, and they were the instigators. Maybe when my children are about 30 they will finally develop a sence of fear.

[swmom]

Maybe a new rule. Climbing is allowed outside on playground equipment only. And take her to the playground alot!

[susanthemom]

Oh, thanks for all the responses; it's encouraging to know that she's not the only one keeping up the household melee. For the longest we had a sign in the living room that read "NO FLYING", which meant no standing on the edge of the couch and "flying" onto the cushions while screaming "To infinity and beyond!"(Buzz Lightyear). My third son is so pliable and easy-going that I just got out of the routine, but I suppose I'll just re-adjust to the daredevil in my pretty princess.

Btw, on the playground,she spends most her time staring, in awe, of other big girls. At the roller rink, she demanded that I put atleast one skate on her feet so she could shuffle across floor. LOL. She stuck with the whole time. ;D

[Honeysmom]

I also thought I was going to get Holly Hobbie, no such luck! I remember tell my DH when I was preganat with her that the kids would be such good playmates. They are two years apart. Boy was I wrong! They feed off of each other. And if I does it once, the other follows. They are like gasoline and fire keep adding some of each and something is going to explode!

Tying the chairs to the table is a great idea. I never thought of that. I will have to get Dh to bring me some good bailer twine so they can't get it off and tie each other up with it (they've done that before.) You would think we were running a cheap night club here with all the the table-top dancing going on!

[vickilyn32]

One nice thing about having a daredevil for a child is that neither of my kids are afraid to try something new. Whether it is food, sport, new friend or join a new club. DD is in the top of her tumbling class, and is already landing backflips like crazy. DS's coach has remarked several times how much my DS puts into whatever sport he is playing at the time. His fearlesness makes him a very good defensive player.