Many people like to point out how their parents never heard of baby proofing and yet they turned out fine. That's true. But how many other children didn't? Are we willing to take unnecessary risks with our children's safety rather than take a little time, invest a few (or a lot more) dollars and address the concerns?
Most parents want to provide a safe environment for their children but get conflicting advice. Perhaps the grandparents suggest leaving breakable items within baby's reach and just teaching the child not to touch. This reflects a different parenting approach than is usually taken today. Children are not short grown-ups who can be disciplined to avoid danger. They are naturally curious explorers who must interact with their environment in order to learn and grow. The idea of "Look, don't touch!" just won't work with an infant or toddler. (Or preschooler, or sometimes even a teenager for that matter!) Teaching children about safety and responsibility is a part of child rearing, but that alone will not keep children safe. You cannot rely on your child's obedience to your rules to keep him or her safe. It simply isn't worth the risk.
As parents go through their homes, room by room, they learn to recognize potential dangers. The gates, locks, padding and screens will help block off specific areas that can endanger little ones but that alone will not protect them completely. However, in seeing those potential problem areas and seeing what can possibly go wrong, parents are also alerted to what to watch out for in their homes.
For instance, with a pool, a parent would not rely on a door alarm alone to keep their children out of the pool and safe. Instead, there are levels of safety that work together. A fence with a self-locking and closing gate, a locking pool cover, rescue equipment and a cordless phone are all levels of protection that provide back up safety. You can't rely on one thing alone, and the goal is to slow down the child so that you have every opportunity to rescue him or her before an accident occurs.
You may decide to keep a room a no-kid zone. That's fine, as long as you find reliable ways to keep the children out. However, you can't do that with every room in a house. "I believe that every parent should baby proof a home, but it depends on how they want to raise their child. I think it's important that you look at what the risks and issues are. It's up to the parents if a child is going to be in a room. If so, you want to try to make it as child-friendly as you can," says Mark Altman, baby proofing expert and owner and founder of The Childproofer.
You could try and go for the old-fashioned, "we didn't child proof and we turned out fine," approach but remember, "You don't get second chances," says Altman.
