As a parent of two daughters and someone who is admittedly paranoid about their safety, I can speak from experience: The home can be a dangerous place for babies, toddlers and children in general. Care needs to be taken up front when a baby is introduced to the home especially when they start crawling and are suddenly mobile.
A home should be baby proofed around the time a child is starting to crawl. Babies can move very quickly and can hurt themselves easily once they become mobile and it can be more difficult to keep a constant eye on them than you think.
What I found as a father and parent is that much of the protective things you can do up front for your baby can simply remain in place even as they become a toddler. So once the protective work to safeguard your child is done, you’re set for awhile.
Baby Proofing Kit
When my older daughter was born, we bought a baby proofing kit and set it up when she started crawling. It came with doorknob covers, cabinet locks, electrical socket covers and small rotating caps to tie up window shade strings to avoid them strangling themselves. I’ll explain the use of each in more detail below.
Once your baby is starting to crawl, they very quickly learn how to travel on the floor around your home relatively well. You think you can keep an eye on them and next thing you know it they’re in the other room and suddenly out of your sight. Here are the things you may need to address depending on the design of your house.
Stairs
Stairs are very dangerous to kids for obvious reasons not the least of which being that they don’t know the danger and often can’t protect themselves if they tumble down the staircase.
Solution: A solid childproof gate at the top of each set of stairs is a must for homes with very young kids. If your staircase has a door at the top (ie. leading to the basement) you may instead use a rotating plastic door cover that fits over the door handle that prevents children from turning it.
Doorknobs
As mentioned above, a doorknob that opens a door that leads to a staircase can be very dangerous whether it’s a staircase going upstairs or downstairs. Crawling children love to explore new places and from personal experience I recall catching my kids climbing up the stairs when they had the opportunity shortly after learning to crawl.
Solution: Using a plastic safety device over top of the doorknob to prevent a child from opening the door. It’s designed so that you have to squeeze a certain part of the handle hard to grip and turn it otherwise the door won’t open. It also means they can’t escape out the front door, back door or garage door nor can they get into the bathroom to wreak havoc with the taps, toilet or bath.
Cupboards
Cupboards can be a dangerous place for kids to get into especially in the kitchen with heavy pots and pans as well as glass containers that can easily break and cut your child.
Solution: If you have cabinetry with handles or knobs on them at ground level that your child can access, you can get plastic latches and straps that effectively lock cabinets together or otherwise prevent the doors from being opened. It depends on the style of the cabinets that you have. They are easily removable by adults but difficult for kids to figure out.
Baby Crib
Baby cribs are built high enough that even a baby who can stand up can’t escape. But it happens and I know that from experience as my older daughter climbed out and fell on the (carpeted) floor with a thud on two occasions. Once your child gets old enough and strong enough, they may be able to start climbing out of the crib if they’re using it at an age where they might need to be moved to a bed. Don’t be surprised the first time when you walk into your child’s bedroom in the morning and they are climbing up the gate and are trying to get out.
Solution: Follow recommended instructions for the crib in terms of when to stop using it by a certain age. Some cribs convert to a bed so you can take the gate down so your child can’t climb over it and tumble to the ground like my older daughter did. Also, use a baby monitor at night and during naps as you can listen in and will hear if your baby gets up and starts moving and climbing.
Electrical Outlets
These are particularly worrisome. Kids see an electrical outlet and if they have something to try to stick it in, they can get electrocuted. Since you have electrical outlets in every room of your home, what can you do?
Solution: Other than keeping an eye on your child of course you can’t always be in front of them constantly as they’re playing and you’re doing something else. So get small plastic covers that plug right into the sockets and prevent your kids from accessing them. I was a long term nail biter
and I couldn’t pull these things out of the wall even with my adult hands and bitten nails.
Door Locks
I was always paranoid of my little ones sneaking out of the house at night for some strange reason when they were old enough to walk. It does happen. Kids do sneak out of their house at night and while it usually ends well and they return home safely, sometimes it doesn’t, particularly in the middle of winter. I don’t think you can be too safe about this especially as it only takes one of several cheap devices to prevent it.
Solution: You can try the aforementioned plastic doorknob covers that prevent a handle from being opened by small hands. You can also use a secondary lock on your door that is high enough that it can’t be reached by a child and can only be opened by an adult. I installed a $15 chrome lock that is screwed into the door frame and closes against the door itself so even when the door is unlocked it won’t open.
You do of course need to be careful that you or someone else in the house has an alternative way to get out of the house in an emergency as this particular lock can be difficult to open for some people or could be installed too high for them.
Bathrooms
Bathrooms can be dangerous because of the risk of a child falling unattended into a bathtub with water in it. Secondary to that is the old trick of kids filling the toilet with an entire roll of toilet paper (didn’t experience that) or with toys (I did experience that once) and clogging the toilet (yep, the toys got stuck).
Solution: Until kids are old enough to go to the toilet themselves you either need to teach them to stay out or use the plastic doorknob covers to prevent them from entering a bathroom themselves. Hide the bathtub and sink stoppers too so they can’t run a bath or fill the sink and accidentally flood the house.
Drapes and Shades
Shades with draw strings can be deadly. Children have hung themselves by getting entangled in the strings from window shades.
Solution: The baby proofing set I bought included small round hollow discs that enable you to roll up the curtain strings inside the discs to prevent kids from reaching them. When you want to adjust the shades you just reach up and unwind the discs.
Sliding Doors
Sliding doors at the back of the house let a nice breeze in during the summer but are also an easy escape route for kids. If you have a pool like my family it can be a real danger if the kids manage to get out without you knowing about it.
Solution: Quality sliding doors come with a Charley Bar which is a metal rod that holds the door in place so it can be opened and they are usually quite high off the ground, too high for a child to reach. You can also get a bolt to put into place in the floor to hold the door in place. You may also add a door chime to go off every time the sliding door is opened to alert you.
Garage Door
If you have a garage door leading into your actual garage from the house, it’s another potential escape route for your kids. Given the stuff you may have in your garage that could cause your child danger, it’s best to keep them out. But how?
Solution: Again, the plastic doorknob handles are an easy fix. You can also install another door latch high enough that they can’t reach it. You may also add a door chime on the door to indicate every time the door is opened. In fact all three of these ideas are great for all around home security too.
Windows
Windows have long been a dangerous way for kids to hurt themselves, and worse. The Consumer Product Safety Commission suggests that 8 children under age 5 die every year and another 3,300 are injured and treated in hospital each year for falls from a window. Older homes that may still have large, outdated windows with fewer safety features than newer modern windows are often the culprit.
Solution: As the CPSC suggests, you can install window guards and stops to prevent children from opening them. Open windows from the top and not the bottom if possible. Don’t put furniture underneath windows that children can climb on. Don’t rely on bug screens to prevent a child from falling through an open window as they are not designed to support a person’s body weight.
Appliances
Kitchen appliances in particular can be dangerous if kids try to crawl in or try to pull things out that can fall on them. And you don’t want them turning the stove on and burning themselves or causing a fire.
Solution: Modern fridges often have a lock feature which prevents the door from being opened. Auto ice makers often come with a shutoff switch too. Stoves also come with a lock out function to prevent a child from turning it on. Check the instructions from your manufacturer for more information. Keep kids away from the washer and dryer and keep the doors tightly shut so they can’t get in.
Pets
Pets – particularly dogs – can of course be problematic when the kids start touching the pet perhaps aggressively and the animal reacts. Even a smaller pet like a cat can scratch or otherwise hurt your child’s soft skin relatively easily.
Solution: Short of keeping a close eye on your child whenever they are around your pet or keeping them separate, there isn’t much more you can do except pay attention. Don’t leave your pet alone with your child unless you absolutely know there is no danger in doing so. You can also use the same stairs gate or other blocking device to keep your pet out of the same room as your child.
Lights
Lights that are plugged into the wall have an electrocution danger, a danger of the light falling on your child if they pull it off a table and the danger of them getting caught in the cord. Lights can also be dangerous to a child’s eyes and there are some who believe children should have limited exposure to LED lights. Others suggest that LED lights that are battery-operated are better for kids since there is no cord to worry about. Who to believe?
Solution: Put table lamps – if you must use them – in a way that prevents a child from crawling up to it and having access to it. Whether it means putting a gate up to prevent them from entering the room it’s located in or moving furniture to block their access, you need to account for it. Regarding the safety factor of LED and other lights on a child’s eyes check with your eye doctor for their advice as it does seem to change over time especially as new light-based products are introduced.
Other items
Medications, alcohol, chemicals, matches, lighters and many other products suddenly can’t be left out when you have a small child crawling around. You have to watch that you don’t drop pins and other sharp objects on the ground too.
Solution: As with kitchen cabinets, keep bathroom cabinets and other storage places for chemicals locked with doorknob straps or protectors. Keep bathroom doors closed with doorknob protectors that you can use on your front door to keep kids out. Store medications up on a high shelf or other area well away from children’s reach.
Keeping An Eye On Your Child When You’re Busy
2020 and the various lock downs and home office set ups that suddenly appeared certainly wasn’t the first time in history that a parent(s) suddenly had to work while taking care of a youngster at the same time. But for many parents, it was the first time for them to handle both jobs simultaneously.
Perhaps you have an important phone or video call with someone from work. Sometimes you need to do something more mundane like cleaning the house or cooking. All you know is that you need something to keep your child occupied for awhile as you do your thing. Of course, having an understanding employer or whoever you’re meeting with also helps as it can reduce the stress you feel if your baby won’t cooperate.
In my experience, here are some ways to do this when you’re in a pinch and are the only adult around.
Naps
A child’s nap schedule may be set or it may vary. It often depends on the child. If you know in advance that you need to focus on something like a phone call or meeting at a set time and would like to work your child’s nap around that schedule, keeping your child awake until shortly before that event is certainly one way to do it without letting them get overtired. In my experience, a crib with a battery-operated mobile that rotates fastened above the bed that your child can watch and fall asleep to often work wonders.
Jolly Jumper
A jolly jumper is a moveable exerciser that easily clamps onto a door or hallway frame. Your child sits in it and can bounce up and down and keep themselves busy while tiring themselves out while bouncing. In my experience, our two daughters loved their jolly jumper and since it’s easily moveable to any floor of your home, can be taken to whatever floor you’re on to keep your child stationary while you do your thing. For me, it enabled me to cook or clean or just work away on my laptop while they bounced up and down. And since jolly jumpers often comes with a tray, you can put toys on it or even little snacks so they can feed themselves.
Playpen
A playpen might be a better choice once your child gets old enough to crawl because you can put their favorite toys in and let them loose and have fun. Many times they don’t even really know they’re in a confined space because they are keeping busy with the toys.
Summary
In order to baby proof your house, you will of course have to take into consideration your home design and all the things specific to your house that your child can get into. Once they start crawling, your child can move around freely at a pretty good rate of speed.
Familiarize yourself well in advance of your child crawling regarding the potential areas to be concerned about and what contents a baby proofing kit should have that suits you and your situation.