No baby gates.

I have made a decision to forgo baby gates at this point. I figure she can learn where she can go and where she shouldn't.

Madeline learned in her own time how to refrain from any attempts in going down the steps....she took a spill one afternoon trying to find me. Fortunately she was fine, spooked, but fine. And to this day, she may peer over the edge, never does she try going down. Instead, she goes up.