A stepstool looks a harmless kitchen tool until you see what a toddler can use it to help him do. I have had the same white plastic step stool for years. This step stool is light and easy to move from one location to another. It is a great thing for me to have in the kitchen. At 5 feet 3 inches tall I have needed one to reach high shelves and clean the top of the refrigerator.
It is unfortunately a tool JDaniel loves to use to help both him and me. He uses it to help get himself into his booster seat. Next he may use it to help him climb into our bed. He may than pick it up and use it to help him get into the sink to “help” clean the dishes. It can be moved to the counter to “help” me make dinner. The stool may then be taken to the living room and be used to reach our books that interest him. If I haven’t remembered to close the bathroom door, it could be used to explore the bathroom counter.
If he needs it and it is somewhere else on the first floor stand clear, JDaniel will rush off to get it and bring it back. I could be working on dinner and get nudged by the step stool to make room for JDaniel to stand on it. He just wants to see what is going on and “help”.
The step stool has gone into timeout from time to time. If it is used in a way that leads to trouble, it sits on our bed for a time. Without it JDaniel can’t climb into our bed to retrieve it. It has to sit there and wait to be retrieved by an adult.
My husband has suggested that maybe the step stool could go away permanently. I hate to take it away forever. Without it I can’t reach the top shelf and JDaniel can’t get into his booster seat.
I don’t think removing the stepstool would’ve kept my little man out of mischief. He was teaching his big sister how to jump off the bunk beds at 2. Thank God for Guardian Angels! =)
Our step stool leads to trouble too, but how can I get rid of it?? It definitely is teaching the kids independence, which is a good thing in the long run.
I love this post. We’re in the market for a stepstool – I envision Georgia getting into the same types of mischief, and independence too. 🙂
I guess with most everything in life, we have to choose to use our tools for good or bad. Those choices are lessons!
I use the kind that folds up and hides in the closet for this very reason! 😉
Love this, with Keree being so short, the step stool has been a fixture in our lives since she could safely stand on it by herself. Our collection has a massed and we now own 7 different step stools..wait I forgot about the 2 outside, so that is a total of 9. But I understand the need to put the stepstool in timeout, when she 1st discovered the stepstool I can’t even count the times I took it away until I set up a very strict rule about where the stepstool could be moved (I think that’s why we have the collection we do). Luckily she followed the rule most of the time and it did help with the mischief.
I can tell you, if he is anything like Selena, removing the step stool will not solve the problem, she uses everything from the dining room chairs, to her toys to get to what she wants. Nothing but nothing stops her if she is determined enough. Children are fun!
We tried to take ours away perm too, and he still found it, in the garage and begged and pleaded for it….but in it’s absence he still found something else to take it’s place!
If there is no step stool, my son drags around a big dining room chair to get what he wants!
We are big fans of the stepstool here too! It’s used to get into LOTS of trouble. Funny I never thought to take it away? Although for my boys, anything can be used as a step stool. One even went so far as to take all the couch cusions off our couch, pile them up high in the entry, climb the mountain and undo the high lock so he could answer the door.
I’ve often thought we need to get a step stool for our daughter so she can wash her hands, instead of I have been moving a chair into the bathroom. I cold see her getting herself into trouble too. 🙂
My son uses a Lil’ Tykes chair, LOL. His big thing is making sure all the lights are turned off.
Wish I could tell you they stop finding ways to get into trouble as they get older! ;0)
We always thought we’d need a rule: No step stools outside of the bathroom. Unfortunately, we bought several over a period of months to find one the right height when Cutie Pie was toilet training…so there’s one in the kitchen, under the living room window and TWO in the bathroom! Funny thing is….they only use the ones in the bathroom! (Never thought of putting the step stool into time out…great idea!)
We use a collapsible one that I keep in the garage. I used to have a regular one, but my kiddo was getting into trouble too!
Like everyone said, I think if it went into retirement there would be a substitute. =) I think it is sweet that he wants to use it to see what is going on in the kitchen and help.
I love all the step stool uses! My son would use anything he found when he was little to work as a step stool – sometimes things with wheels unfortunately, which rolled out from under him.
I feel your pain! I finally got rid of my old stepstool and got a metal one that folds up that I can “hide” from him 🙂
I still have my sons 2 step step stool. They used to use it to get into tons of trouble!
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broxton tries to climb UP the cabinets to help me…
no way are we going to let a step stool in here…
but, i do like the time out on the bed!
I’m laughing because my 4 year old once put his stool on top of a kitchen chair and used it to get a lemonade box off the top of the refrigerator. I may have to put our stool in time out, but I’m not sure there’s any place in our house he couldn’t figure out how to get to!
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Yet another useful entry for me. You keep putting out some great info!
I was thinking about getting one soon, but I don’t know now! He’s quite a monkey already without it!
Stopping by from Time Travel Tuesday. I stumbled, already followed and Google +1 you! My post is http://practicalfrugality.blogspot.com/2011/07/earn-it-learn-it-teach-your-child.html
wow-you clean the top of your fridge?
sorry, I lost focus after that…
Stopping by from the time travel. I’m 5’1″, so I also understand the need for a step stool in the kitchen. The tough part about putting your whole house on the ceiling out of toddler reach is that it’s out of mommy’s reach, too! 🙂 I agree that if you take it away, JDaniel might just get creative and come up with his own, less safe, step stool. Good luck with your little climber!