Getting up the stairs with little ones

[sunnydays]

Well it takes time to get them all going up well, but I find going up is much easier than down. I make them all go up together and I am right behind them all. So the biggest kids go first, followed by the two year olds and then the under twos are last and I am right behind them. I make them crawl up unti they are over two (depending on the child) and then they start standing and holding the railing as they are able. My stairs are inside the house mind you, so I don't have to worry about any dangers at the top. They know (well all but my newest..LOL) that they go straight to my mudroom to get their shoes. On the way back down, I leave the two youngest strapped into the stroller while I take the two 2 year olds down (the 2 three year olds walk down fine on their own), then I gate them all in and go back up for the younger ones. I make them crawl down backwards, but this is a slow process and my two youngest have been training for 6 months and are still slow and tend to try to turn around or go the wrong way...I have to hold the back of their pants and keep them going the right way. I have teo leaving and two babies starting in August, so I may have to start by carrying the baby with the slowest crawling abilities if necessary, but as soon as possible I get them crawling up.