I just finished reading the Physically Supurb book and would like to begin this program with my son. He is a BIG boy. :yes: He is 10 months and weighs almost 30 pounds! I assume this won’t be a problem for him when once he gets the hang of hanging on but I can hardly hold my arms up in the air he’s so heavy lol He thinks this is all great fun though!
SO any suggestions? I can’t hold a bar because then I can’t catch him when he lets go. I don’t think hubby would be to pleased if I go nailing a frame into our doorways :nowink: So I’m trying to think of other ways I can support a bar for him to hang from.
We have a trapeze bar hanging from our swingset in the backyard but I think the bar is to thick for his hands. Oh, that’s another thing, I worry if I get the .5 inch recommended dowel that it wouldn’t support his weight. Goodness knows my poor thumbs can’t :tongue2:
Don’t worry about a .5 inch dowel not holding his weight - dowels are made out of very hard wood, usually oak, and can hold up to a lot of weight (think about a well-made wooden chair - those are made out of oak or other hard woods and can hold a great deal of weight, several hundred pounds).
If there is nowhere in the house where you husband will allow you to secure a bar, you could try just laying the dowel across two tables or something of that sort as just a temporary support. It might roll so you could just set up large books on each end so that it can’t go anywhere. I’m sure you can find some structures in your home that would be suitable to lay a dowel across as a temporary hanging station. And then just lift your baby up to grab the bar and stay with your hands right on his abdomen the catch him when he lets go.
Another option would just be to hold the bar over a bed while he hangs (with a great bunch of soft pillows, in case he falls). When you see his hands start to slip you can gently lower him down, but it’s good to have a very soft landing just in case. Although this is kind of difficult with heavy kids (I did this for a while with my son, when he was 2 1/2, and it was hard but it worked!)
It’s more convenient to have a bar-hanging station that is permanent but you can make something work with a portable dowel. And, ideally you will eventually have a brachiation ladder that he can hang from, which will be the easiest of all. I have a very small room and didn’t think I would be able to have one, but I was able to build an 8-foot long ladder that fits over my queen size bed and therefore takes up virtually no extra room. (see a picture here http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wxnBlVg-VSw/SKOuBSkLU0I/AAAAAAAAA0U/NBzaS754Oc8/s1600-h/Rope+swing+08-13+003.jpg)
Hope you find something that works for you and your baby!
Thanks Elizabeth. I saw the pictures of your ladder over your bed and love that idea. I think it would be great to build my son a bed like that in his room. Kind of like a canopy type bed but just with a ladder instead. What fun Hunter must have with his!
I think for right now I am going to build a little frame that will hold a dowel. Later on I will build the ladder but would like to wait until he is a bit bigger.
If you think about it, it’s actually a great side benifit to us. Getting our kids into physical shape keeps us mamas (and daddies) in great shape too. Especially those of us with chunkies lol
