Going to other ppl's houses....

[janu98]

When we go to my familys house and DH's family's house, usually DS (7.5 mos)would go to sleep/nap in his car seat and since he wasent able to crawl or pull himself up someone one would always be holding him, but know since DS is very mobile he doesnt want to be held too much. He likes to explore especially new places.

Anyway my question is what do you guys do with your DC at this age, do you just let them crawl around? Do you try to hold them as much? Where do you put them to sleep? Ususally MIL is like "oh just put him to bed on my bed" :eek: ummm no way since he moves around a lot while he sleeps.... Do we need to lug around the pack and play everywhere?

I just dont feel comfortable letting him crawl around on the ground at other ppl's houses.....

[myshel]

When DS was that ge, we did let him crawl around. Of course, we watched him very closely. If he started getting into things, we redirected him to something else. Generally, he didn't crawl around too much, because we always brought an arsenal of toys with us. We'd stock a backpack with toys and treats and that seemed to keep DS happy.

As far as sleeping/napping while we were out, we either let DS sleep on the floor or we put him into a bed. If he slept on a bed, we built a "nest" around him using pillows and blankets. He never crawled out of it and always slept fairly well. Of course, at 24 months, he still doesn't crawl out of his big boy bed even though he could if he wanted to.

We did still lug the PnP around for longer trips or overnights to visit family-- mainly the ILs. We only did this, though, because they don't have enough beds in their apartment for everyone.

ETA: Is there a reason you don't feel comfortable letting your DS crawl around? If it's a cleanliness issue, I can understand that. I'm probably not as concerned about that as most people because we have a large dog, so our floor is never spotless at home. Most of our friends have either dogs or very clean homes, so I didn't worry too much.

DS got so used to falling asleep at other people's houses, that we've never really had much of an issue. In fact, we put him to bed so often at one friend's house that when he was older and got sleepy, he'd crawl up their stairs and sit outside of the room where he always slept.

[jennylou]

It really depends upon where we are at. In some houses, things are just too ornate to let her move around. In that case, if possible, I try to get us outside. :)

For other houses that are just normal houses that aren't baby proofed, we just watch her like a hawk. We try to bring toys with us that will interest her - if even for a few minutes.

For sleeping, we will usually put her in the stroller. We've found the stroller to have more uses than just strolling - high chair for eating times and sleeping area.

[aprilshowers]

Our PNP lives in our car, we use it so much. So, yes, that is what she sleeps in at other people's homes. And, like myshel, we also let her crawl around while keeping a close eye on her.

[mommydearest]

DD sleeps in the stroller or more recently we don't go during the day or instead we invite people to our house. At MIL and my mom's we have PNPs.

[MidwesternGal]

For sleeping, we lug the pnp with us everywhere. DS is a very mobile sleeper, so no way would he sleep in a regular bed. He'd just crawl over the pillow walls.

As for crawling/walking. . . we have one of those SuperYards (a completely gated in playpen thingy) that folds up. We take it everywhere, too. We use it to block off rooms or large parts of rooms (like tv stand and china cabinets or kitchens with large walkways, etc) when visiting or simply enclose DS in it if he's getting into too much trouble. It was seriously one of the best things we've bought!! A little flimsy, but helps with those seriously non-babyproofed houses. DS is lightning fast and this helps all of us out.

Lugging all the gear around is annoying, but in our situation, pretty necessary.

[janu98]

[QUOTE=myshel

ETA: Is there a reason you don't feel comfortable letting your DS crawl around? If it's a cleanliness issue, I can understand that. I'm probably not as concerned about that as most people because we have a large dog, so our floor is never spotless at home. Most of our friends have either dogs or very clean homes, so I didn't worry too much.[/QUOTE]

Yes i am very paranoid with DS crawling around other ppl houses because i dont know how clean the floor is and DS always has his hands in his mouth.

[Toonces]

I let DS, 8 mos old, crawl around on the floor. I can't think of anyone's house that we visit where the floor is so gross or dirty that it would skeeve me out. Well, MIL's house is icky, but that's why we don't go there. :p

We schedule visits around naptime. We did this with DD, too.

[mimieliza]

I let DD crawl around anywhere. I just try and wash her hands fairly frequently. She never gets sick, so I guess it can't be too dangerous/unsanitary.

Oh, and if your DC is going to need a nap while you're at someone's house, I would definitely bring the pack and play. You can also use it as a secure place for him to play if you don't want him on the ground. I know my DD would take a nose dive right off of any bed, so I wouldn't leave her on a bed unattended.

[Alegna]

I'd suggest bringing a blanket for DS to crawl around on. It's going to get annoying trying to keep him on the blanket but it's the only way to make sure he stays clean.

[Standrea]

We would let DD crawl around whereever we were, but we would keep a blanket in our car for her to play on. At my sisters or MIL's, she sleep in a pnp. At my aunts house, we would just bring her stroller inside, put it in a bedroom, and strap her in to sleep. She never had a problem.

[nuhmah]

I let DS crawl wherever we are - I don't really care, or mind, any dirt. Just me, though. ;)

We are constantly on the move these days - our house is on the market in Oregon, we spent 2 months in France, and now we are traveling up and down the east coast with DH on work. DS is so used to sleeping wherever his head is laid down. I just put pillows around him, and hang out close to the room so I can keep an ear on him. But he never crawls off - he just sits there and yells for me when he wakes up. He sleeps in the bed with us at night.

[zhannushka]

I guess I'm in the minority here - DS is 7.5 months old and I don't let him crawl around on the floor, not even at home. He plays in the PnP - it's big enough for him to crawl and sit and play, etc. I just can't see him crawling on the floor and licking it and stuff... We are always on a go and we do bring the PnP with us almost everywhere. He usually plays in the PnP and sleeps in his stroller when we are not at home.

[December27JJB]

I guess I'm in the minority here - DS is 7.5 months old and I don't let him crawl around on the floor, not even at home. He plays in the PnP - it's big enough for him to crawl and sit and play, etc. I just can't see him crawling on the floor and licking it and stuff... We are always on a go and we do bring the PnP with us almost everywhere. He usually plays in the PnP and sleeps in his stroller when we are not at home.

Do you have a room in your house where no shoes are allowed in so he can crawl around in? I believe babies need to move around, explore things, and learn to use their muscles but that's just me.

[karlatta]

DS is a walker now, but before, I would just let him crawl wherever we went. Personally, I always worried more about him getting his saliva all over my friends' floors than I worried about him getting a little dirt on his hands.

zhannushka - I agree with Decemer27JJB. I think that kids need to be able to move around more than a PnP allows. I think that soon your DS will also need the opportunity to learn to pull up on furniture and stuff - things you can't learn in a PnP.

[LeslieR]

For those of you afraid of your babies licking the floor, what do you think your baby will catch??? Kids put their mouths on all kinds of icky stuff-that's how they learn and explore! At just shy of 2 YEARS my son picked up a piece of goat poop at a petting zoo and put it in his mouth not even 2 minutes after one of his buddies picked up a piece and licked it! There were moms everywhere and still this happened. These things are unavoidable.

I'm sorry, but I do not think it's healthy for a baby to spend that much time in a PNP. At the very least, buy one of those superyards so they have their own (larger) area to crawl around in and pull up and learn to walk. I'm no PT, but I don't know how any baby will learn how to walk in a PNP.

[jh124]

DS is a walker now, but before, I would just let him crawl wherever we went. Personally, I always worried more about him getting his saliva all over my friends' floors than I worried about him getting a little dirt on his hands.

Count me in this group. I fall under the "God made dirt, dirt don't hurt" Mom Category. We let him explore - within reason - his environment. We dont' have family in this area, so we don't worry about Grandma's breakable knick knacks. The majority of the time we go anywhere, we are visiting friends with kids so the houses are kid-proof.

Superyard - this was a great investment for us. We used it as a kid corral for quite a while, then gradually opened one end to one side of the room and slowly expanded it as he progressed from rolling to crawling to cruising to walking. Kept the dogs on one side and him on another. We have a huge stairway, and we now use the superyard as a very large baby gate. He can get around it now, but it's just to keep him from falling downstairs as he's running into the kitchen.

PNP - I would lug that EVERYWHERE! IMHO, there are too many risks with a baby rolling into a pillow and suffocating or falling off a bed and breaking something. If your child is going to nap, use a crib, PNP, stroller, or carseat.

[lil_geek]

SIL just puts DD on a blanket on the floor in the bedroom to sleep. Then she can't roll off.


For the not wanting the kids to eat dirt etc..... my neighbour was incredibly anal about this. Her house is cleaner then most hospitals I have been in! The first time her daughter was outside to play and could walk (I think she was nearly 2 when this happened)... standing on the sidewalk, holding mommies hand as she talked, the little girl bent over, picked up a WORM and ate it!!!

So, it will happen at some time!!!


(And DH was raised a farm kid, ate dirt all the time, he is NEVER sick!!!)

[snowzilla]

I guess I'm in the minority here - DS is 7.5 months old and I don't let him crawl around on the floor, not even at home. He plays in the PnP - it's big enough for him to crawl and sit and play, etc. I just can't see him crawling on the floor and licking it and stuff... We are always on a go and we do bring the PnP with us almost everywhere. He usually plays in the PnP and sleeps in his stroller when we are not at home.

I'm not trying to be hard on you, but none of my three children have ever licked a floor. Babies need to play and explore - learn to use their muscles and to manipulate their own little bodies - these are things they can't learn confined to a PnP day after day. :(

[zhannushka]

I'm not trying to be hard on you, but none of my three children have ever licked a floor. Babies need to play and explore - learn to use their muscles and to manipulate their own little bodies - these are things they can't learn confined to a PnP day after day. :(
DS licks the bottom of the PnP all the time, so I'm assuming that he'll be licking the floor just as well. We have a very small condo right now and while I thought of getting a Superyard - we just don't have anywhere to put it.

My sister and I were never allowed to crawl on the floor when we were babies (we also played and moved around in the PnP's) and we grew up strong and healthy... Actually - DH wasn't allowed to crawl all over the place either - it must be an Eastern European thing (that's where we all grew up...)

I'm not trying to say that letting them crawl all over is bad or anything, it's just not something I can be comfortable with... We also have a dog, who goes outside, gets into stuff (like all dogs do) and then of course walks all over our floors - I can't imagine my child crawling all over that same floor (especially since his hands go in his mouth all the time!)

[LeslieR]

My sister and I were never allowed to crawl on the floor when we were babies (we also played and moved around in the PnP's) and we grew up strong and healthy... Actually - DH wasn't allowed to crawl all over the place either - it must be an Eastern European thing (that's where we all grew up...)

I'm not picking on you, I swear, but the play pens we played in as kids were much larger than the PNPs of today. We're talking abut maybe a 3x5 space in a PNP today.

[zhannushka]

I'm not picking on you, I swear, but the play pens we played in as kids were much larger than the PNPs of today. We're talking abut maybe a 3x5 space in a PNP today.
We have a large square PnP, which is double the size of a regular one - Graco Bugs Quilt Pack 'n Play (http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=br_1_2/601-0784454-4636129?ie=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B000056C86). :)

[Kanga]

I guess I'm in the minority here - DS is 7.5 months old and I don't let him crawl around on the floor, not even at home. He plays in the PnP - it's big enough for him to crawl and sit and play, etc. I just can't see him crawling on the floor and licking it and stuff... We are always on a go and we do bring the PnP with us almost everywhere. He usually plays in the PnP and sleeps in his stroller when we are not at home.

I've never heard of this before...must be a cultural thing. I can't believe your ds is content enough to do that. My kids would scream non stop if they were in a pnp all day (no matter how large). At what age are they allowed out? How do you play with him if he's in his pnp all day?

We let our kids crawl everywhere within reason. I never have understand the germophobe thing. You can't escape germs and personally I want my kids exposed to germs so they can build their immune systems. Dd1 has been sick once and even then it was a fever and rash which was most likely teething, dd2 never has been sick. We have 3 cats, one of which is inside/outside and the other 2 are inside only. It hasn't killed them yet;)

[annielynn]

My son crawled everywhere we went. He hated the PnP (still does). We were pretty diligent about bring a blanket or sheet with us everywhere we went. There was only one house that I was concerned about being at and letting him crawl on the floor at that was my MIL house. I am not picking on her but she (at that time) had a really old doggie that refused to let anyone bath her and she couldn't clean herself so I really didn't want Jack on the same carpet with her (and neither did my MIL.) So we would spread out a sheet on the floor over the carpet and he would play and crawl on that.

My son was very very anxious to go go go. He would get very upset if he was held for too long. So I didn't see the point of pissing him off just because I didn't want him to get dirty. That is just silly. He is a happy healthy 2 1/2 yo that loves to gets dirty to this day.

[zhannushka]

I've never heard of this before...must be a cultural thing. I can't believe your ds is content enough to do that. My kids would scream non stop if they were in a pnp all day (no matter how large).
At this point, DS is not much of a crawler yet - he'll take 3-4 "steps" and falls on his face. These days, he's much more into sitting up and playing with his toys than crawling. Maybe when he gets more into the crawling thing, he'll have a problem with with PnP, but - he seems to be very content with it right now. I never crawled when I was a baby - I walked (at 9 months) before I crawled, so - who knows, maybe he'll be the same way? (I have no problem with him walking on the floor. :rolleyes:)

At what age are they allowed out? How do you play with him if he's in his pnp all day?
Maybe I didn't make myself too clear - he's not in the PnP all day! I play with him on our bed - he crawls and rolls all over it and we spend hours there sometimes. He plays in his Excersaucer, I hold him, he plays in his crib, etc. Just not on the floor! I leave him in the PnP when I need to get things done in the house and can't watch him. I know that when he is in the PnP, he's safe, yet able to move around and stuff.

[Elenna]

I just bring the padded bottom from DS's PnP for him to sleep on when at friends' houses. I put it on the floor so I don't have to worry about him falling.
I use a blanket for him to play around on (he's not quite crawling, yet).

We have two cats at home and it is impossible to keep the floors clean. Even if I mop and sweep the floors and vacuum the rugs at night there's cat hair and tracked in cat litter on the floors by morning. I just quickly sweep his play area free of the cat litter and hair before I put him down to play and hope it is enough.

[Irish Elf]

DD isn't very mobile yet so we just take a blanket for her to lie on. At my mom's we take her PNP to sleep in. MIL has her own so if we ever spend the night there we will use that one.

Since I sometimes pet the cat, then touch DD I'm not too worried if she steps on cat hair. The latest studies I have read sugest that kids who grow up with pets are less likely to develop allergies to them. Not to be picking on the PP but how do you know DC won't crawl unless you give him the opportunity and a hard surface to crawl? Children don't just magically start doing stuff, there are steps and it just seems that not allowing a child to explore will keep him from doing stuff. Don't children crawl/walk b/c they want to get somewhere? If there is nowhere to go then what?

[EJH]

Do you have a room in your house where no shoes are allowed in so he can crawl around in? I believe babies need to move around, explore things, and learn to use their muscles but that's just me.

ITA agree with this. It can't possibly be healthy for his development to be stuck in a PnP ... they learn SO much by exploring!!

[Kiley]

zhannushka - what about a blanket on the floor for your DS?

[Kanga]

Maybe I didn't make myself too clear - he's not in the PnP all day!


Ok, that makes much more sense. I thought you meant he spent literally all day in the pnp!

[Esq.]

I think I am middle of the road. We have 2 dogs, one lab and one medium size terrier. We have hard wood floors, though, so I guess that makes clean up a little bit easier. I vaccum the rugs every other day, but sometimes every third day. I clean the floors when it is needed...about once every 2 weeks.

I am okay with DD crawling on most people's floors. I hate to let DD crawl on the floor at my mother's, though. She is not the best housekeeper, has tons of knick-knacky things within DD's reach, has a VERY large dog (Italian Mastiff) who has a drippy face and is a messy eater. Even when my mother cleans her floors, DD's socks and knees are still very dirty from crawling around on the floor. At our house, her socks and knees get dingy by the end of the day, but never dark brown dirt like when she is at my mother's.

Still, I try to keep it in perspective. I don't like it, but there are worse things.

[AlisonCO]

I am pretty laid back but moreso with #2 than #1. When DD was crawling at someone elses house I just let her and then just washed hands before we ate or when we got into the car. Honestly I am actually happy for my kids to encounter other things like cat hair/bird feathers because I hope that the early exposer might decrease the chance of them having an allergy (I have alot of animal and other environmental allergies.) My floors are generally pretty clean - we do have two drippy dogs but their food and water is in a closed off area. When I notice that the kids white socks are dirty at the end of the day, I know that it might be time to mop or get the carpet cleaners in:). I too believe that kids and babies need to be able to explore and touch things and pull up, but I am also pretty laid back about baby proofing too.

[Rico'sAlice]

J is only 3 mo, so not actually crawling yet, but still very mobile as he can get from one side of the room to the other through a combination of rolling and flinging. Assuming there aren't shards of glass or razor blades or something crazy like that I have no problem with putting him down on carpeted floors at other people's homes. Not comfortable w/ wood or tile b/c sometimes he sort-of bangs his head down. But once he is actually crawling, those will probably be fine too. We have three dogs at home who track dirt all around and lick his face. I just really don't worry about germs unless we are in a hospital or doctor's office.

We don't have a crib/PNP, etc. at home so I can't imagine him sleeping in one elsewhere. We don't have a stroller or infant (bucket-type) car seat either. Generally if we're not home he just sleeps in the wrap. If he were willing to be put down to sleep, I would just leave him on the floor, w/ a folded up blanket for cushioning.

[HGMorgann]

I let my DD crawl anywhere really - well we did try to keep the bathroom door closed. I'm sure she licked the floor. Heck, she licked her shoes right after going to the bathroom in the airplane last week.(I admit that one grossed me out a bit) Yet, she's literally the healthiest kid I know. I believe in giving babies freedom with boundaries and pack n play and play-yards (for awake times) are pretty much against my parenting beliefs.

[Spellbound]

I was huge on giving DS ample amounts of tummy time before he was crawling. And once he was crawling, I was huge on allowing him to explore, explore, explore while closely keeping an eye on him. When we visited other people's homes we basically kept to the same routine.

DH and I are pretty anal cleaners and also don't wear outdoor shoes inside, but we do have a dog that has free range in/out of the house via a dog door (and of course we take him out for play/walks too) and an indoor cat FWIW.

For the most part, most people's homes we take DS to aren't nasty stinkholes - one relative's home though is on the icky side and well, we basically deal and continue to keep a really close eye on him...and provided a huge quilt for him to be on. We typically lug a PNP with us if a nap is due during the time of our visit - even once DS became a walker. Basically for 2 reasons: to keep him safe and us sane and because he's a good sleeper in it.

I can't say everyone's homes are up to my housekeeping standards but I totally believe little ones should be exposed to things as well as have great mobility. Our PNP was used a total of 3 times outside of sleep and that was because we were in a location where we needed to put him in it to pack everything else up. And FWIW, my dad was born and raised in Eastern Europe and I've never heard of what was described as the norm within our family with any of the kids.

[zhannushka]

All this talk got me worried, so at our pedi visit today I asked her whether my kid will be underdeveloped if I don't let him crawl on the floor, to which she said "absolutely not!" and that our PnP is totally sufficient enough for him right now. Of course, when he starts walking and becomes more mobile, I don't intend on keeping him contained in there, but for now - we're just going to keep doing what we've been doing. :)

[jbenny75]

I'm honestly not trying to be a smart aleck, but even when he's walking, he's still going to be all over the floor. They fall, ALOT. They roll around, they still crawl, pick things up off of the floor, they eat things off of the floor. There is quite a bit of contact with the floor.:)

[zhannushka]

I'm honestly not trying to be a smart aleck, but even when he's walking, he's still going to be all over the floor. They fall, ALOT. They roll around, they still crawl, pick things up off of the floor, they eat things off of the floor. There is quite a bit of contact with the floor.:)
I know. You guys are probably right - I should just get over it and let him explore... I've been thinking about this alot since this whole discussion started. Maybe I'll try letting him hang out on the floor on some blankets or something. :) (But don't tell my parents - they will freak out! :rolleyes: )

[Kanga]

(But don't tell my parents - they will freak out! )


What grandma doesn't know won't hurt her;) And ITA about kids still being on the floor after walking. My dd is nearly 2 and on a recent shopping trip to a party supply store, decided she needed to look underneath the shelving and then proceeded to lay down on the floor:confused: For what, I'll never know.

[cosmic]

I think I am middle of the road.


So am I. In certain parts of the house, I feel very comfortable with DS crawling around freely. But downstairs, where the cat is, I just don't think things are clean enough. And DS will put just about anything in his mouth. Maybe I'll eventually be more laid back about it later, but right now it wouldn't make much sense.