As most parents know, and as we're learning, once they start crawling and standing and exploring, the battle dominance and safety between parents and children over has only just begun. After over a month of putting it off, Tricia and I decided this morning (with Gwyneth's help) that our project over the weekend must be Gwyneth-proofing the house.
Just this morning our fearless, diapered, red-kneed trouble maker rediscovered the cat food, learned how to open the kitchen cabinets and decided that a very tall study lamb had to be more fun parallel to the floor. So, we're off to Home Depot and Walmart to stock up.
Got any tips, products, resources or creative battle strategies to share with us? Now's your chance to help us get starting with a victory!
Nate
68 comments:
Nate you are funny! I can't for the life of me tell you the brand, but there are nifty outlet covers that cover and protect even things that are plugged in, so you need to find some of those. As well, cabinet locks are essential. I'm also on the hunt for a lock to put on my OVEN because my 2 year old thinks it's fun to open, even though he's been told and reprimanded a gazillion times that it's HOT. Now he's just not allowed in the kitchen anymore, but still, there are those moments that he sneaks in. Have fun!
tot loks! the only kind that my kids couldn't get open (they require a magnetic "key" that we keep on the fridge and the metal parts of bathroom vanity).
the other kind of drawer locks? useless for my crafty, smart devils! took them a day to get into before we went higher tech. a bit ore$$ but WAY worth it. (slight learning curve for adults on them too)
There is this thingie that 'locks' the toilet seat so that little munchkins can't open it. Totally love it! Before I knew it existed I had a scare when my new explorer tried eating the toilet bowl cleaner disk.
www.onestepahead.com is a great website for all kinds of safety stuff that you can't always find in stores. They have stuff you didn't even realize you would need! :) I'm not plugging the website, I'm just a mom with two kids, so I have been where you are!
Also, we had a kitchen cabinet just for them, filled with pots, pans, spoons, cups, bowls, etc, that they could get out and play with while we were in the kitchen. Of course, all the other cabinets were locked.
Enjoy this time--it's a lot of work, but it goes fast!!
The things on the cabinet door are a must! Can't think of what they are called but they are childproof. :)
Kristi
Totally agree with the cab/drawer locks that need the magnet. They simply cannot get them open w/o the magnet and if you keep that on the fridge there's no chance! Of course, gates are a life-saver as well. So many people think they are only for stairs, but they are great to keep them from a hallway or whatever. Good luck!
I totally recommend the oven lock (Target I think). My kids thought the oven was their own personal hanging bar. It'll be awhile, but I also recommend the refrigerator lock...sticks on the side of the fridge. Also, recommend the magnetic "key" locks for drawers & under the sink cabinets. They are more pricey, but are worth it! The other ones didn't keep my kids out of anything. Plug in covers & honestly, crawl around on the floor & see what is in arms reach plus about 6 inches. Anything glass, breakable, or that you don't want her to chew on, move up higher. I swear my kids had an extended reach of 3 feet. : ) Good luck, now the fun really begins. : )
Brenda
I don't have children, but I do have a cat who is always looking for trouble. Her favorite thing is to knock things off of counters, desks, shelves...you name it! We've found that using a product called "quake hold" is a life saver. They make a kind of sticky wax that you can put on the bottom of fragile items, and it essentially glues the item down. It is completely removable, and won't harm your item or the surface you stick it to. It's used by a lot of museums and antique dealers who do not want stuff knocked over. It doesn't cost much, and it really works like a charm.
Good luck!
One thing a lot of parents don't think of- bolt your bookcases to the wall! To kids a bookcase can look like the perfect climbing ladder, and they can and do crash down on top of them.
The magnet locks are great for kitchen cabinets- just be sure to get yourself a second magnet "key" if possible to save yourself the frustration when you can't find the first one.
The locks you can put on door knobs to "child proof" them really didn't work on my niece & nephew. But what was key was the lock at the top of the front & back doors, so they couldn't sneak outside without anyone knowing.
Something to secure the oven, and knife guards are both important. And a "kids drawer" filled with toys is always a good idea- it's something my grandparents used to do so they could cook & entertain the kids at the same time.
Oh, and I don't know if they make them, but something to cover air vents would be great. My niece & nephew LOVED to remove the metal grate and throw toys and pens and even important things down there.
I can't wait to read more of your stories of the things Gwyneth gets into! When my niece was about 2.5 yrs old, she woke up before her parents & decided she wanted grapefruit with sugar on it for breakfast. So she pushed the kitchen chair to the counter, climbed onto the counter, then onto the microwave, then onto the fridge, where she pulled out the bag of sugar & opened it up. You could follow the trail of sugar back down that same path & to the kitchen table. She couldn't peel the grapefruit, so she just dumped the bag of sugar right onto the unpeeled grapefruit. And that is when her mom woke up & walked in.
If Gwyneth does become an escape artist who loves to sneak out of her room at night, you can always resort to jerry-rigging the alarm sensors they use for garage doors- you can set it to alarm if anyone crosses it's "path." This would hopefully wake you up if she is on her way to get into anything.
Good luck and keep us posted!
Besides the things already mentioned, I would suggest little bumper pads for sharp edges like fireplaces, coffee tables, etc. to prevent boos, boos when toddling. They sell those at Babies R Us in Chesapeake--probably other places too. They have peel off strips and adhere right to the place you are covering. ALSO, I would suggest bolting any tall furniture like bookcases, dressers, etc. to the wall to prevent falling over if your child climbs on them. Good idea to do for your oven as well--unless you lock the oven door so they can not climb on it.
This is so exciting to see Gwyneth growing up!!!
My husband can't open a few of our cabinets and there is one that I have to open the one next to it and reach around the inside. So- make sure you dont make things too tight!
And maybe something to lock the toilet? We havent had too many problems at our house, but i know way too many people who have lost/ruined expensive things to little ones discovering the toilet.
And outlet covers. For every single outlet you have- whether you think she'll never be able to it or not.
Good luck and have fun- such a great adventure!
OH! And as her reach gets longer, you need to make sure anything on the kitchen counters is cleared or near the BACK of the counter. Our 2 year old came running with a steak knife he reached up and grabbed from the counter, and we thought it was WAY out of his grasp. Scary things, those toddlers.
Start small with just the things you can clearly see her getting into. You can always keep adding on as she grows. Your health insurance company might reimburse/give a discount/work with a particular company. Leave one lower cabinet unlocked and fill it with safe kitchen/lving room goodies - pans, an old remote, plastic dishes, etc. That can be "her" cabinet to redirect her to when she gets frustrated that she can't open the other ones :) I know you won't believe me, but it gets better and better...cuter, smarter, more and more fun :) :) :)
Lots of good suggestions here, especially the bumpers.
And when Gwyneth is ready for a big-girl bed but you are still worried about her falling out in the middle of the night, they make side-rail nets to hold them in. You can make cute fabric covers for them if you're really creative.
I would have to say that is one of the toughest battles we have encountered yet. My pediatrician basically said your job now that your son is mobile is to keep them alive and out of harms way. Boy He wasn't joking. It is a fun time though and as she gets older these new discovered things she can open come in handy for instance. My son now helps set the table. I hand him his plate and he knows where it goes, and the silverware ( besides knives he can place on the table no problem) So there are advantages as she becomes more mobile.
My favorite contraption that I love for safety are those little latches that you can install on the inside of the cabinet. They are permanent but you don't see them and are hard for them to release but easy for adults. Safety first has these latches that hold two doors together. (don't know what they are called) They are very safe but a bugger to open. I have four of them and I have to say those cabinets are my least favorite to go in. (-:
The cat food issue is a big one. My kids used to cry furiously when I tried to dig it out of their mouths like they were starving orphans. Might as well put the child guard locks on all the cabinet doors and drawers except for the ones that you designate play areas. They do finally grow up but this time is a bit dicey as you've already noticed.
Not to worry Nate and Trish this stage only lasts about 40 years. You could look for an old fashioned playpen with a lid.
Crawl! Get down on your hands and knees and see what Gwyneth sees--and then remove the dangers.
We found the magnetic drawer and cabinet locks worked the best. Just remember to keep a spare magnetic key on hand in case you "lock" the key in the cabinet.
I would buy a baby "jail." They can put in all different positions and you can add pieces to it -- free standing baby gates. We used it for our twins.
Othere than that -- we just have taught the kids (we have 4) that some places are off limits. It takes a lot of consistency with whatever discipline you choose (we spank, slap hands, say NO in a very stern way). What ever you choose -- I do think that the 1,2,3 chance to listen is very dangerous. YOu basically teach your kids that they have 3 chances to obey you -- NOT a good thing in dangerous situations.
We've made it 8 years without many child proofing items. We do use the plug covers and our poisonous items are up high. Other than that, they just really need to learn!
All the suggestions look great. I might add that you'll need to remember to remove all those cabinet devises, etc. We still have some cabinets locks and outlet protectors that have been on since the oldest was 1 (she's 20now) and the baby is 7.
When my middle son was 9 months old (he'll be 18 next month), he stooped over the brick hearth to pick up a toy and had to have stitches in his nose. My husband invented the fireplace cushion that day! Seriously, he took pipe insulation and duct tape and fixed that joker! What's so bad about that is that he didn't remove the stuff until our youngest was born. (There's 10 years between the middle and youngest.) He thought it was efficient and didn't need to look pretty. Ah! Be nice to Tricia and buy nice looking stuff, OK?
We LOVE these! http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2967826
I have a 16 month old that just started really getting into stuff. Up until now she's been happy playing with toys. Our biggest struggle has been the buttons on the TV and DVD/VCR players. She loves to push them and screw up our programming, as well as stick little toys in the VCR. Unfortunately, we don't have a cabinet to put everything in so we just have to watch her close. I'll be watching comments to see if anyone has a solution...
The other things we've loved having are a couple of different gates. We have a pressure-lock gate that keeps her away from our stairs and we also have this one: http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=488757&parentCategoryId=85183&categoryId=85217&PIPELINE_SESSION_ID=f620eb5cac12041543f17006701e3a26 that we have used around the Christmas tree, at the beach, and camping. Very handy!
If she shouldn't be in it, on it, or near it.... put it up.
Seriously, even the best childproofing techniques can fail so just get it out of the way.
And make sure you have a room or rooms where she can play without you having to constantly tell her to stay out of something. It makes having a crawling kid much more fun if they can explore safely.
when it came time for baby proofing with my boys the only thing we did was the plug in covers , fridge lock and cabinet locks on the cupboards with cleaners/dangerous stuff in them... Then we just taught them not to get into the stuff they had access to but shouldnt touch.... I found it helped out alot for the times that we were at other peoples homes that werent baby proof... they already knew they shouldnt touch... versus thinking its free for all because nothing was child proofed. Just a thought and whatever you do... good luck- things are about to get alot busier at your house!
Gates and cabinet locks - enough said!
My friends have a screen thing in front of their DVD player etc that's underneath the TV. You also want to make sure any computers or laptops are out of White Rose reach! (my godson has managed to remove one of the keys to his mum's computer, and damaged a few others which makes us chatting online interesting as I have to decipher what she's typing!)
We bought safety latches for the outside of cabinets and drawers. The type that go on the inside still allow a little on to open at least a little.....enough to get tiny fingers inside, and then SLAM the drawer or cabinet on.
Oh...and I'm with the people who've mentioned the toilet seat thing - um...the stories of getting poos back out the toilet, putting people's toothbrushes in, putting clothes/underpants down and trying to flush them away.......
:)
On Becca's comment - my little brother once decided to put his hand INSIDE the toaster while it was on. Despite all 'No touch' 'Burny burny' 'You'll get hurt' 'It's very hot' warnings. A trip to A&E was needed (he's amazingly unscarred though!!)
tot locks work way better than the kidco locks. :) the drawer locks work well for top drawers but not for stacked drawers, it took Nathan less than 5 minutes to figure out how to open them at a friend's house. oven locks!!!!! essential!!!!! we also have door knob locks onto the bathroom doors and the door into the garage (he's not tall enough for the outside doors).
This may be able to wait until next summer, but make sure you put a hook closure on your screen doors - way up high where kids can't reach them. I learned the hard way, with my kids always pushing the door open (they were always eager to answer the door). Our dog would take off like a shot whenever that dang door was opened and be half way across town in three minutes! Also - it's a way to keep little kids from opening the door to strangers.
We bought a baby fence type thing at Toys R Us for the living room. Kinda like a huge playpen.
I had nice cabinet locks with springs but you had to press the latch down to open AND close. Get the basic ones, they work just fine.
Yeah, good luck with that. Consider skipping the Christmas tree this year. Love the photo!!
One trick that worked well for us: When our son wanted to get into the kitchen drawers, we put all safe stuff in the bottom drawer and told him it was "his"...if he reached for others, we'd direct him to his. Worked awesome. We used the same strategy for our entertainment center and a few other key spots...put his toys in one cabinet and made the others off limits. Good luck!!! =)
No advice from me here Nate. Being a grandma now, I have saved money and just set boundaries. You will figure it out soon enough:) And what a blessing to have to be thinking about this too.
Go Gwyneth Go.
Love and Hugs, Laurie
Nate,
I don't have kids but I bought some baby-proofing stuff at Babies-R-Us once as a shower gift because my friend had registered for it. If you have one near you it's worth a look!
Also, I'm sure "No Gwenyth" will be your theme for a while. :)
Good luck!
My son is one day older than your daughter. When we were baby-proofing, the best advice we got was to crawl around the floor and see what you'd be able to get into at that level. It's easy to see things like cords that can be chewed on, dangerous cleaning supplies that are in an accessible cabinet, outlets that need to be covered, sharp edges on tables, etc. when you're looking at it from the kiddo's perspective!
Get the cabinet locks that screw into the cabinets...my son figured out the u-shaped locks within 10 minutes of an overnight visit to my parents' house. Also, those foam corners you can buy at Babies R Us and wherever else they sell these sorts of things are great for coffee tables! They're not the prettiest things to look at, but they save a lot of bumps and bruises. Watch out for blind cords...keep them out of reach or in one of those cord keeper dealies. Test out the gate really well if you get one to gate off rooms she's not supposed to be in...we have a tension gate and my son can throw his weight against it when he's really mad and pull it down!
Definitely use brackets and secure heavy things like dressers/bookcases/etc. to the wall in her room. They can be climbed and pulled down.
Good luck!!
Jessica
You need outlet covers, corner covers for tables (they can go on upside down if the child stands up under the table), cabinet latches and drawer latches, and baby gates. Plus, depending on how adventurous Gwyneth is, a toilet latch, a freezer/fridge latch, oven latch. A garbage can with a lid if you keep garbage can accessible instead of under the sink. Crib mattress on lowest setting. Latch tall heavy stuff like bookcases to the wall - they get tippy when littles try to climb them. There is a clear cover that goes over TV controls so little fingers can't push them. Best advice is to COMPLETELY babyproof one room and gate it off so you can put her in there and not worry if you have to run to the garage, are cooking messy stuff, etc. And, of course, any cords on blinds need a winder thing to keep them from dangling on the floor and being a strangling hazard. Anything with a cord can be pulled over: lamps, irons, etc. You have to learn to look at stuff like a baby does and plan accordingly. I suspect there are books at the library that might help you with this. Don't forget contents of purses can be dangerous - so keep them high. Ditto medications; pills look like candy, and she has seen her parents take meds lots of times.And...you have to keep doing the babyproofing as she grows; once she learns to carry her little stool around, she's taller and can get into lots more stuff. Always beware if she's too quiet - this usually means trouble. good luck!
And, if you are interested in the discipline side of it, consistency is key. I can't remember all the safety stuff we used so I hope others can help with that. :-)
My best advice to you as a mother of 3 is this, buy very basic stuff (outlet covers, fridge lock). I chose not to put locks on the cabinets. Instead I just made one that had stuff they could play with in it. I also moved the cleaners from under the sink to the laundry room cabinets. Also put up the stuff that you don't want her to mess with. Like figurines, remotes, etc. That way she learns what she can and can't play with. Too much baby proofing will not help her learn to leave stuff alone! This will also help her when you all go other peoples houses that may not be baby proofed at all!!!
Good Luck on this new journey. Just remember one thing, don't make it harder on you and Trish to live in your house due to baby proofing!!! Trust me, that CAN happen!
Kind but firm "no" works wonders. See where she is drawn before you go off and just baby proof everything. There's no point in spending money on cabinet locks if she is not interested in the cabinets.
(mother of three)
Have good advice already.The best thing I read is what I did=put cleaning stuff up high.One can never too safe with that kind of stuff.
I am happy that you and Tricia are able to childproof your house for Gwyneth.So exciting!
Surely that sweet face does not belong to a trouble maker. :)
Well it is good to know Gwenyth is normal... as in a normal mischief maker like the rest of the little ones in the world. Ü
kid proofing...
just makes things a bit easier on mom & dad.
ToOdLeS.
I didn't go crazy with the baby proofing- just use your common sense- remove things that tip easily- put sharp items up high and use gates and outlet covers.
This is just a stage they eventually understand what they are allowed to do. I also used the bottom drawer in the kitchen for kid friendly stuff.
I did have a playpen in the master bedroom so I could put my toddler in while I showered- I could still talk to the little guy and he was happy because he knew he wasn't going to be in there for long!
Call me cheap if you want, but I'm all about saving money. I refused to pay over $6 for two cabinet locks when we had over 20 cabinets to lock! So.... My solution.... hair bands! I bought a pack og Goody's ponytail holders and put them on the knobs of the cabinets. I guess if you have non-knobbed cabinets this won't work.
Oh well.
Good luck!
I'm with some of the others. Even if stuff is childproofed still use the word NO. Oh what fun. Keep your ears and eyes open. Kids are quick.
I have a 3 yr old (and one on the way) and we are leaving up all of our childproofing items! My son walked at 9 1/2 months and we were scrambling to get things covered, outfitted, secure etc. I had/have all of the items mentioned here but one I did not see mentioned that we had to have was a dishwasher latch- so he couldn't pull it open! Every outlet is covered, every cabinet latched, tall furniture hooked to walls, we used gates (he was a climber too!), fireplace edge covers, fridge lock, door knob covers, etc. Great advice from people who said get down on the floor and try to see things from her perspective. We did that with our son and it worked!
Also good friends who were moms & dads before my husband and I told me that the child will hear "No" so many times from this point on that they may tune it out so get creative with how you redirect or condone behavior (think "no thank you"; "not for Gwyneth" etc instead of "No!" all the time! The idea being that when you really need her to stop doing something "No" will still be effective- or so they say!)
Best of luck- have been reading your blog for a long time and am continually impressed by you and your family!
Not sure if someone suggested this yet but you can buy a tiny metal clip that attaches to the front door, back door etc that keeps them in the house. It also keep burgulars out. It works amazingly well for something so small. If I can find a link, I'll send it.
those pigtails are so cute!
We LOVE the tot loks! My hubby managed to find a bunch on ebay cheap. Good luck!
Leave a gwyneth friendly drawer un-childproofed in the kitchen. Leave in there plastic stuff that she can't hurt and you don't use often (if you leave in there stuff you use on a regular basis you'll have to wash it everytime she plays in there but if it's just the once off stuff you can put it straight back in the drawer and wash it when you need it)
Ours is the deep 'tupperware' drawer with the most commonly used stuff in a different cupboard. We also put the measuring cups in the other cupboard because we could never find the size we needed. But charlotte loves to pull out plastic cups and containers and pretend she's eating or drinking.
If you don"t want to invest in a bunch of cabinet locks, link-a-doos do a really good job!
Don't overdo it. We have 3 boys (youngest is now 6) and bought very few safety products - just the ones that would reduce the chance of serious injury. For example, no drawer locks, no padding every edge, and definitely NO hand-slapping. Etc etc.
Do things like move toxic cleaners (if you have any) to the highest possible out-of-reach place and let her explore. Or at the very least, give her a cabinet that has SAFE stuff in it (like unbreakable containers).
Also, now is a good time to learn positive redirection - e.g. instead of "no touch" say "eyes only." If she wants to put things inside other things, give her safe opportunities to do so. Etc.
If door closing is a problem (e.g. smooshing fingers), you can put a towel on the top. There are lots of ways to get the same effect without buying into the neurotic-parent-marketing-schemes.
Looks like you have several good ideas. We "saved" the firm NO for when it was serious. Usually a "Jess, stop" with a redirect worked for her. Our son...not so easy. And also some things were "only mommy's and daddy's." (again worked better for daughter than son). For the pet food, my son loved it. I jokingly refer to many samples as to why he has such think and shiny hair :) But instead taught him to give it to the dog instead of eating it. He thought this was lots of fun. We didn't move everything higher, somethings were just not allowed. (as someone else said) It makes it easier for when you go to visit others. Good luck!
We found that providing verbal warnings along with physical warnings worked well. Meaning, if you remove the child from a potential danger, we would say, "No touch. Danger." (or whatever is appropriate for the situation) We would at the same time give a hand signal (we did baby sign language), so we'd show our sign for "danger" or "hot" (or whatever is appropriate).
Really, just follow your instinct. As parents, we've been given an incredible gift of just knowing what is right for our child.
Our daugher learned to walk early this summer. We have locks on everything! We found a pressure mounted gate that you don't need to screw in to protect the wood on our banister at Walmart, and we use a steel fence-like contraption to block off the fireplace, also from Walmart. We ordered, from Amazon, I believe, a lazy susan lock because of little pinched fingers. Oven locks, toilet locks... oh, and our daugher thinks the trash is a toy box, so if your trash is where she can get to it, either buy a trash can that she cannot reach the lid or put it somewhere else that she cannot get to it. Otherwise, we shut a lot of door and have a safe area that she can explore, and explore she does! Good luck!
Here is my baby-proofing tip: plug your outlets and weigh down the base of anything she might climb.
Nothing else. Do not do anything else. Teaching her what she can and cannot do is easier than baby-proofing. If you baby proof then when she learns how to un-do it she will do whatever she wants, if you teach her why she can't touch something she will always know why and listening to what you say because you have explained why is better than fear of getting caught and better than only not doing it because she can't.
Longest lecture ever from me. Only one too :) I have three kids, the third has been the most challenging, and I have only plugged my outlets, anything else I do not want her to touch I tell her.
:)
Ok, after reading some of those comments, I'm sharing a few of my parenting secrets, and I have such good kids, I can take them anywhere and I have always been able to.
1. Do not let your child set foot in a parking lot or street until she is 4 or older. You will NEVER have to worry about her dashing into the street or parking lot if she has not done it. This has worked with all three of my children.
2. Explain. Explain the stove is hot and she can get hurt, explain what she can't do and why, you don't know at what point she understands your every word, so assume she can.
3. Don't hit. Don't hit. Don't slap, don't tap, don't hold her hand firmly, don't touch her face when you are upset. I cannot think of one good reason to touch a child in discipline or anger.
That is all the advice I would give to anyone, and I normally keep my parenting tactics to myself, but you did ask for baby proofing advice, and the best baby proofing is loving discipline. Your child knowing what you expect of her, is the best baby proofing you'll ever need. (that and outlet plugs).
I love you guys! I have enjoyed following the story of your lives you share and watching your darling daughter grow. And I have never been as bossy with my parenting advice to anyone except my brother. So you know I care.
So sorry if I'm repeating - don't have much time to read the other replies.
The biggest suggestions I have now are both going to be more important when she's older, but good to get in the habit of doing now.
1. Always turn pot handles inward on the stove when cooking. Even my husband still has trouble with this sometimes, which is why I'm suggesting starting early!
2. Never assume they can't reach something. They're sneaky! I was sitting right next to the kitchen counter, right by the sink, and Morgan was playing next to me. Suddenly she poked me with something sharp. I looked up and saw she had a steak knife in her hands. It had been left -next- to the sink to be washed later, but apparently too close to the edge of the counter. Scared the living daylights out of me!!
Congratulations on entering a new phase of parenthood. :) I told one of my childless friends that for the first several years, parenthood is mainly finding all of the ways your child can kill themselves and steering them to safety. Ugh!! Stressful, but sooooo worth it for things like those ice cream photos you posted :)
The word "NO!" in a strong voice and this will probably evoke alot of comments but a little tap on the bottom never killed anyone (I'm old school)!
I seriously never childproofed my house at all other than one child gate. My son learned the word no and hot and I kept him occupied with pots and pans to beat on while I cooked in the kitchen. I figured that not everyone's house that we would go to would be childproof and he needed to learn what NO meant.
The word "NO!" in a strong voice and this will probably evoke alot of comments but a little tap on the bottom never killed anyone (I'm old school)!
I seriously never childproofed my house at all other than one child gate. My son learned the word no and hot and I kept him occupied with pots and pans to beat on while I cooked in the kitchen. I figured that not everyone's house that we would go to would be childproof and he needed to learn what NO meant.
I'm with the minority here, I think. With our 3 older kids (our youngest hasn't hit that stage yet), we never childproofed our home, we just taught them what was okay & what wasn't. And yes, we did spank / slap hands if they disobeyed -- but NEVER in anger, and ONLY when I knew they understood they shouldn't touch it and made that conscious decision to disobey.
For peace of mind you can prevent the really dangerous accidents with safety locks because no one can perfectly watch their child every minute, but it's sooo much easier in the long run to just teach them to listen to your voice & respond to it.
good luck with this new adventure! i recommend the magnet locks because brilliant children seem to get around all of the other ones: while you are at it remember to laugh and enjoy the creative genius!
www.smilelaughordie.com
We used to have outlet covers until our 1st daughter was 8 months old. She figurd out how to pull it out and she put it into her mouth and almost choked.
You can purchase outlet that a sliding cover on them, probably at Home Depot.
forget it! lol, just use string on the cabinets, we bought those fancy tought locks that i cant get open, but with a few toddler jerk they pop right open lol.
Maybe no suggestions per se, but we are in the same boat. I did not realize how much we had "un-baby proofed" the house in just the last few years. We have a 4 year old as well and it is amazing all of the unsafe toys and goods lying around. And we have dog food, the baby's favorite treat! Good luck and enjoy the little trouble maker, that is what we call ours!
The Tot Locks for the cabinets are great. I didn't need an extra "key" b/c I could pull the drawer out above the cabinet and reach in and disengage the lock. I only had to do that once.
We put our dog food out of sight (in laundry room) which helped but there were still alot of incidents with it. It gets better.
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