I was watching some of nannyde's youtube videos and I love her idea for using towels on the ground to visually block off restricted areas for the kids. I'm just wondering a couple things as far as implementing this.
Do you think you can teach a younger child not to cross it, but allow older children to cross it? For example, I want my older ds to be allowed to go down the hallway to use the restroom independently and use the older play sets that are stored separately, but I don't want my 2 yo dcg to go down the hall. Is it possible to teach her not to cross it even if she sees him crossing it? Is that fair?
She wants desperately to follow him everywhere, but I can't trust her out of my sight for a second b/c of aggression and also can't trust her to keep pieces out of her mouth if she enters the bigger kid toy area down the hall.
My 17 mo can go down the hall, choose an activity, bring it to the main area, and take it back when done with some reminding. He isn't mean to any other children and doesn't damage the toys. Therefore I allow him to do it. (I can see this area if I'm standing, but not if I'm sitting in the floor with a baby. Line of sight is blocked by a couch.) However, dcg has proven time and again that she can't handle the privilege so I don't allow her to do it. I'm just wondering if that is going to be too confusing to her if she sees certain kids allowed to cross the barrier at will, but she's not allowed to.

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Absolutely!

I have several separate rooms (infant/toddler room, preschool room etc) and I have gates/half doors on all rooms.

I never close them. I don't have to. The kids just know they cannot cross boundary lines. Even those lines they cannot see.

As for your DS going to the bathroom, I would just say to DCG that she is not toilet trained or does not wear underwear therefore she cannot cross that boundary.

When she does wear underwear, it's one at a time.

It's the repetitious, consistent reinforcement of the concept that makes it work.

Just be patient, consistent and firm. Any exceptions you make will confuse them and only create situations where exceptions apply....even if only in their minds.. lol!

It's a super easy thing to teach.

I have rules about no kids being allowed to touch doors that lead outside, no kids touch light switches and no kids cross boundary lines unless they KNOW they are suppose to or have implied permission to do so.

Routine, routine, routine.

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I understand completely where you're coming from. Unfortunately, I don't have any suggestions that would be helpful. I currently accept AS kids (as well as I have my own 2 SK's throughout the week), and all of these children like to sit on the furniture, go upstairs to access the older kids' toys, cross the gate to use the restroom, etc. All things that I don't allow the infants/toddlers to do. If it weren't for my baby gates blocking entry to these off limit places, they'd follow the other kids. It doesn't matter how often I reinforce the rules, if they witness someone else doing it, they follow suit. :/ the only thing that I've been successful in doing is requesting that the older kids not do the undesirable behaviors. Otherwise, they're able to get over the gates as needed... Good luck!

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I should also add, however, that there are children (even though younger) who are capable of listening and following direction. They acclimate to and accept the rules. I do have kiddos who will stay where they need to without a baby gate I am speaking mostly from current experience Because I have a VERY rambunctious 2 yo DCB. He is my biter, hitter, and wild child. I reinforce our rules every single day, several times a day. But he still does as he wishes. Therefore, I know I cannot trust him to abide the boundaries, so the other children incur the same boundaries and supervision! Those are the circumstances that make it more difficult!

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I love the towel idea but I've devolved a simpler method for me personally. I use masking tape. Right on the floor. Blue for babies. White (beige) for walkers and green for "getters" (our term for the oldest of our bunch. The ones who get to do big kid things. Get to bring me things. Get to use sharp scissors, hole punches, etc)
I used to do the towels but I had a trip issue with one of my walkers.
Also, I can vacuum right over the tape by lifting up the sweeper head a bit. The tape lasts for a while and I can remove, replace, rearrange things at will.

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I love the different colors of tape idea. I have used painters tape to mark off about a foot before getting to a cabinet with lots of breakables in it. The children couldn't cross the tape, and a cabinet of glass was never touched! I still have tape 2 feet in front of the TV, when we do elmocize or yoga he kids stay behind the line

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My playroom is an L shape. The smaller part of the L is reserved for big kids. The larger area is the main area where everyone is free to play.

I do not have it blocked off or marked. I just start from day one by turning the littles around and bringing them back into the main area to the toys and encouraging them to play. It only takes them a few weeks to catch on. They will now stop at the boundary to check on their own.

I absolutely think it's fair. With age comes different responsibility and privileges. Such as playing with smaller toys, more variety (which in turn means more to clean up), etc.

Good luck!

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ITA with everyone else - children can learn to "see" invisible boundaries. I have gates to the living room and kitchen but rarely close them. They're closed all the time when a new child starts and when I have a crawler, until they learn that those areas are off limit. I also close them when I use the bathroom or run to the basement (both of which are through the kitchen) just to make sure they don't give in to temptation.

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Hold up. Nannyde has youtube videos

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https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Tori+Fees

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Yes I just discovered them earlier this week! I was so excited!

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What!? Sweet!

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My exact thought!

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With new kids/ new walkers, I use retractable safety gates in the doorways. As time goes on, I'll use them less and less and use reminders as needed until they're trustworthy. It's completely fine to allow different kids to advance to different areas based on need/ maturity.

I homeschool my 2 kiddos (11.5 & 12.5), so I have them around to supervise if I need to go further than earshot for a second. Otherwise I would use the gates in that instance.

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