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Original poster

To think it's impossible to 'child-proof' your house

120 replies

NorthernRosie · 17/01/2016 09:30

I have a baby of 6 months and everything keeps telling me that I need to go round and childproof the house - but how on earth can you childproof a whole house?

I have a small house and don't have enough storage and cupboards to put EVERYTHING that could be slightly dangerous on a top shelf.

Do I need to replace our pull down shutter blinds in living room? And what about our expensive floor standing speakers - do I have to replace those? And get our DVD / stereo boxed in? I can't afford all that on maternity leave!!!

What did you do?

OP posts:
BloodyDogHairs · 17/01/2016 09:35

I put stair gates up and moved chemicals in the kitchen out of reach. That's all I did as far as I remember.

Oh also reminded my teenager not to leave hot hair stuff on her floor.

insancerre · 17/01/2016 09:38

Anything dangerous I put out of sight, like cleaning products and knives
Anything fragile I put out of reach, like ornaments
You can't move everything. You just have to supervise closely and teach them not to touch things they shouldn't
Distraction works best or you run the risk of making the forbidden things more attractive then it becomes a game where they home in on the things you don't want them to touch just to get your attention and a reaction

Sallyhasleftthebuilding · 17/01/2016 09:42

I tight them not to touch - they need to learn this lesson

PurpleTreeFrog · 17/01/2016 09:43

You'll know how much to childproof when your baby becomes a toddler and gets to that stage where they want to explore everything... vigorously...

And what about our expensive floor standing speakers - do I have to replace those? Ha! Ours have now been relocated behind the sofas. Only after my 18 month old decided to do some kind of rampant pole dance with them. Now the sound quality is rubbish but at least the speakers are intact.

HumphreyCobblers · 17/01/2016 09:44

You have to watch what they are doing. Some children just don't get into everything. Some don't leave a single thing in your entire house untouched. I have had both kinds.

Someone will be along to say that they never child proofed, they just taught them well. That may well work for some children, but it is not a failure of your parenting if you do have to remove some objects. Fireguards and removal of dangerous items is obviously necessary, although I have had some people say that they just taught them that the woodturner was hot. Which, of course, will be a great help when the toddler trips up and lands on it Hmm.

Fizzielove · 17/01/2016 09:45

What Sally said! I taught my DC not to open drawers and cupboards that had dangerous things in them. When DS became a climber I put a lock on the kitchen door!

HumphreyCobblers · 17/01/2016 09:46

child proofing does not mean that you do not teach not to touch! With many children you have to do both. I knew someone would say this Grin

christinarossetti · 17/01/2016 09:48

No of course you don't have to go to Health and Safety Certified lengths!

Reduce obvious risks with stair gates, locking away/having high up potentially dangerous items eg knives, cleaning products. Put things you don't want to get broken out of reach.

Most accidents involving babies and young children can be avoided by ensuring hot drinks are out of their way, they can't go near the cooker stair gates are locked, table cloths with heavy things on them can't be pulled etc.

The risk with blinds is of strangulation as a result of dangling cords. This can be avoided by tying them high, and modern blinds areade to not have this feature.

Amummyatlast · 17/01/2016 09:48

Obviously there's a limit to what you can do, but from the things you have mentioned, I would have to have child safe blinds. And for the floor speakers, is it likely that they could fall on your child? Are there lots of wires they could get tangled in try to bite through.

HumphreyCobblers · 17/01/2016 09:51

Are your speakers the kind with a cone? Our toddler poked them in the first time he came into contact with them. It must have been an irresistible temptation for him, he took one look, ran over and poked them. Dh was not amused.

christinarossetti · 17/01/2016 09:51

I kept a stair gate on my kitchen door until my children were of school age! I only used it when I was carrying boiling saucepans etc, and it definitely reduced the stress.

SaucyJack · 17/01/2016 09:52

Yes, I taught all of mine not to touch too.

Took nearly ten years for my oldest to learn it mind..... Child-proofing was a must when she was toddler.

And do move your speakers for your own sake. Friends of ours suffered nearly a £1000 worth of damage in one toddler poke.

Jw35 · 17/01/2016 09:53

I found it easier to child proof as I went along. You will find yourself moving stuff as they become an issue. Right now I wouldn't worry, a 6 month old is never left alone apart from in a cot! Even now my baby is one, my house isn't completely childproof.

Noodledoodledoo · 17/01/2016 09:56

We have done a mix of moving things out of the way and explaining about not touching - its an endless task.

We don't have a fire guard for our woodburner as it is never lit during the day - when it is lit its after LO has gone to bed and will be cool enough by the morning. We have rarely pre baby had it lit during the day so not changed this at all.

I find it fascinating that my little one ignores somethings but when friends bring their same aged ones round other things need to be moved - don't have an issue with it but it's not because we have told our little one not to touch - she has just never shown any interest in said item!

megletthesecond · 17/01/2016 09:58

You might want to move those speakers.

All my house plants went for a start. Stair Gates on stairs and kitchen door. Cupboard locks. Anything dangerous or fragile banished or put high up.Blind cords were knotted and tied multiple times then hooked high out of reach.

You can teach them not to touch until you're blue in the face but it doesn't mean they will pay any attention to you. Better to be safe than injured.

AnnaMarlowe · 17/01/2016 09:59

Highly entertained by the 'teach them not to touch' posts. Grin

Of coirse you teach them not to touch but that takes a while.

The real answer is that the level of child or offing you require will completely depend on the child.

Some of my friends had children who never ever strayed from their toys for example.

I have twins, one rarely touched anything after first or second telling, the other was on a seek and destroy mission. He was also an early walker and climber which made it all the more difficult.

In addition having twins I couldn't give my whole attention just to him so there was the danger that he's hurt himself while I was feeding or changing his sister.

Our house was on lock down until his was about 2yo. Grin

honkinghaddock · 17/01/2016 10:00

You will need to do basic stuff like already suggested but ultimately how much you need to do will depend upon the child you get as some are more into everything than others.

ditavonteesed · 17/01/2016 10:01

I keep trying to child proof the house but them persistent buggers keep on getting in.

honkinghaddock · 17/01/2016 10:04

Mine is 9 and still won't leave things alone.

HumphreyCobblers · 17/01/2016 10:11

arf at 'seek and destroy' I have one of those. He will now move a chair in order to climb up on the work surface. It drives me absolutely bonkers tbh. Luckily he is my only little one so I CAN keep a good eye on him.

gamerchick · 17/01/2016 10:13

Have a crawl around on your hands and knees, you can see better.

The speakers you will have to protect. I once encased an electrical in a made as small as possible fireguard attached to the wall. I put a fire guard in front of the tv which was a magnet. I gave knee high cupboard in the living room to them. It was easier to let them have access to child friendly stuff than try and keep it closed.

You do teach them not to touch as well... However if you don't want them to touch full stop them you go hardcore Supervision and consistency right from the off. It's harder work but it pays off.

Sallyhasleftthebuilding · 17/01/2016 10:14

I have twins as well - Hmm

MummaV · 17/01/2016 10:17

Our floor standing speakers are on very heavy sand filled posts which even with a good tug I can't get to fall over and the speakers are tethered to the top. The stands are also wedged under power sockets so couldn't fall if they wanted to. Have covers over the cones and tweeters.

But other than stairgates and rubber covers on the corner of the glass table we haven't bothered child proofing anything else. She is climbing all over everything and pulling herself up at 9 months but anything that can cause serious injury is dealt with, the odd bump or bruise is to be expected with a toddling baby.

jobrum · 17/01/2016 10:24

dita Grin

BillBrysonsBeard · 17/01/2016 10:26

I childproofed the lounge and bedroom (which are connected) and put a safety gate so rest of the house was closed off. It was great as I knew I could totally relax in those rooms as they do put everything in their mouths. When he started to crawl we would let him explore while supervised.. Then walking we would say "no" to certain things (like opening certain cupboards in kitchen etc) and now at 21 months the safety gate is off as he knows his limits.
I think your speakers would be fine! It helps that we don't have a fire, loads of ornaments etc.