In my never ending quest to childproof my house, I thought I’d share a few tips, It might prevent you from making the mistakes I have, the #1 being, spending money on shit I don’t really need.
Not recommended:
- Spout cover – Brightly coloured and does nothing but bring attention to something that was otherwise ignored.
- Outlet covers – These particular ones stick out to much. Yes they briefly prevent little hands from pulling out plugs, but after a while they just become something else for your toddler to stand on. The swivel covers are better. The babe hasn’t figured out how to poke things in the holes, and it doesn’t take me 10 minutes to plug something in.
- Toilet latch – If you can’t remember to close the bathroom door after each use, what makes you think you’ll remember to fasten these?
- Tot lok cabinet locks – I’m sure they would have been great had I managed to understand the instructions.
- Deluxe outlet cover – Just don’t! These are also adult proof, especially if you have perfectly manicured finger nails.
- Corner guards – Take your pick, I’ve tried several they don’t stick well and once your toddler pulls one off by accident the rest are history. It becomes a toddler game, can he pull them off faster than mom can put them back on.
- Large opening gate – Yes it’s a big sturdy heavy metal gate; unfortunately it comes with plastic brackets. The brackets on the hinge snapped on the third day, I had to improvise, and a month later the latches on the other side shattered. I’m not quite sure what the manufacturer was thinking here, but it’s like balancing a Chevy truck on wheels meant for a scooter
- Floating bath thermometers – Really, stick your elbow in the water, if you find yourself saying “ouch” the water is to hot.
- Bi-fold door locks – I got this yesterday, it took him less than 5 minutes to open both doors.
- Babytrend high chair – I was stuck with that one. The entry speaks for itself. And no, never heard back from them.
Recommended:
- The gate – This is the only gate in my house I’ve not had to replace. It sits at the bottom of my stairs, is easy to open, and the babe hasn’t broken it or figured out how to open it. If you’ve read anything about my toddler, the gate’s longevity is proof it works
- Wide gate replacement – This one replaced the big heavy metal one, and it’s awesome. Opens easily, folds back when not in use, and it’s held on the wall by (and I’m trying to remember without going upstairs to count) 6 hinges. Not only is it a plastic mesh so toys can’t fit through, it also glides only a cm above the floor so things can’t fit under it; that’s important.
If you have a cupboard you use for storage and don’t open it often, might I suggest a piece of wood and a screw.
And nothing holds two doors together better than a hair scrunchy.
Industrial strength velcro is your friend, it even holds up smoke-detectors.
Everything listed is based on my experience with those items. Yes I know the not recommended list is bigger than the recommend list, but when you have a toddler like mine who’s into everything, there isn’t much – short of keeping him in a cage – that’ll work.
If there are any manufacturers out there reading this, feel free to drop me an e-mail; I’ll gladly give you some pointers on how to improve your products.
