How do you handle safety gates in regards to older children?

Question

My daughter is almost 5. My son is 13 months. We have a safety gate blocking off the hallway so that my son does not go into the bathroom, bedrooms, or basement. We cannot keep the doors shut, because of ventilation issues and because the cat needs to get to his litter box in the basement. My daughter is allowed access to these areas, but currently has to climb over the safety gate to get to them. This doesn't feel quite safe to me. What are some other solutions? I cannot lift her over the gate everytime and we cannot put a stool there because then my son would climb on it. Are we stuck with the climbing? Does anyone have any suggestions?

Answer 1

you're going to have to reconfigure your layout so that your eldest doesn't need to get to some of the areas especially the basement  and buy more gates and put them at the doorways that have to stay open mostly the rooms I would go ahead and shut the door to the bathroom that really shouldn't affect your ventilation such a small room and most often they have a window which should air it out. we put a small "kitty" door in the door to our landry room for the cat to get out to his litter box maybe you could do that for the basement our 14 month old doesn't really even know it there or at least doesn't try to climb through it.

Answer 2

if shes almost 5 u could teach her how to latch and unlatch them, just tell her to make sure and keep it closed so her baby brother doesnt get hurt

Answer 3

There are many new gates out that are really great as long as they are use with supervision for smaller children.

My son's attaches to the door and you step on a peddle and the gate opens. I cant find it on line but here are some other versions of that gate.

The cat jumps over the gate and the two year old isn't strong enough to open it.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.d...

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.d...

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.d...