Safety

They look ridiculous and unattractive stairs to have in a house anyway.

In my old flat, first born came racketing down stairs on his fire engine, crashed into toilet door. I couldn’t get out. Move on to new house. Fitted stair gates.inside
But outside was labyrinth of concrete scary steps. Too many to secure. Taught second child to crawl backwards down them. Took only two goes. He never fell.

Friends of mine who lived in an old Cotswold cottage with very steep rickety stairs and flagstone floors never used stair gates. Their children both very quickly scooted up and down from about ten months old with thankfully never a problem.

I wonder how difficult and risky it must be to move furniture up and down these stairs?

Taught second child to crawl backwards down them.
As did I Shizam

Some teach them to bump down on their bottoms but I think backwards is best.
Perhaps I should do that myself

I was talking on the phone to my six year old granddaughter when she dropped the phone. She came back later and explained her brother (15 months) had appeared at the top of the stairs and she had run to stop him falling. She's such a responsible big sister.

"Turn round and come down backwards"

Good girl

Not sure if stair gates were aound when I grew up, or my DCs were toddlers, we all made it in one piece.

We originally had open tread stairs but fitted risers and carpet when DC came along. We also taught them how to go up and down stairs. I think we've all slipped/fallen at one time or another, thankfully with no real harm done. Depends on your panic level I suppose - I'm quite nervous myself about spiral staircases so could not have a metal one with DC in the house.

a friend works at a nursery where they have 3 and 4 yr olds who are unable to go up or down a few steps unaided. they've never been allowed to! madness

Young children who are taught to use stairs (no stair gates) tend to not fall down stairs. At least not badly.

The children I know who have had "bad" falls down stairs were ALL kids who weren't usually allowed in the stairs but the gate got left open and they got in by themselves the once..

Sometimes safety features make kids less safe.