First steps to baby proofing your home start with your attitude

I am Daryl Gregory, AKA Mr. Baby Proofer,  a child safety expert and licensed contractor that has helped pioneer the baby proofing service industry for over twenty years. With over fifteen thousand installations behind my belt I’ve seen just about everything when it comes to baby proofing a home. With all the products and solutions to help with safety hazards in the home I’ve learned that safety all starts with your attitude about it. I have dealt with every kind of personality you can imagine, and there is always one common denominator, and that is EVERYONE has an opinion about child safety. It doesn’t matter how old or young a person is, everyone chimes in when it comes to baby proofing.

Attitude# (not any specific order)

1. Concerned parent ready to learn

This attitude makes our job very easy. There is nothing worse then trying to get information across to someone that isn’t ready to learn or even interested in the topic. We now find this ready to learn, open to information parent to be the majority of our clients, but early on this was not the case. I used to have to struggle to get a point across because parents just weren’t informed enough to absorb the fact that simple solutions to everyday hazards were necessary. I compare it to how our attitudes were about seat-belts. We all resisted them, even to the point where we would say they were unsafe because they would trap us in our cars and we would burn up in a crash. Now we know this isn’t the case and most wouldn’t consider risking it by not buckling up.

2. The “how did we all survive without all of these safety gadgets” parent

Blah!!!! Man if I never had to hear this again for the rest of my life I’d probably live longer. This attitude slash comment above pierces through me like a hot knife through butter. Grandparents were the first to start using it but many many parents have said this to me as well. Again it goes to seat belts and every other statistic in the world that has now been reduced by a safety product or safety measure. Can you imagine someone saying “how did we all survive with lead paint” ! ? I don’t think so. “how did we all survive smoking three packs a day” ” how did we all survive with asbestos?” and on and on. Yes this strikes a nerve. Now, however, when someone says this to me I find it to be a good opportunity to really make this parent or parents aware of things we do now verses how our parents used to do them. Also making them aware of how life is now compared to then. We have so many more distractions and times move much more quickly wether we want them to or not. Mom back then wasn’t surfing the web, while handling a conference call as she was prepping a bottle.  We also have more research on not only what children get hurt on, but everyone and we now have solutions to help prevent these accidents. It’s fact that there are hazards in every home that baby’s get hurt on and that there is a solution for ninety five percent of them. If you take the time to look for and or learn about them, then take action to prevent them you have made your children’ s environment a safer one. This type of parent usually does a full circle with their attitude once they know the facts and realize it’s no big deal to baby proof your home. Many times this parent is caving into their parent or in-law who is criticizing them about having their home professionally baby proofed.  I’ve been in a home many times when a client is on the phone and mentions to their parent or in-law that the baby proofer is there and it starts a heated discussion or eye rolling fest for our client. When they get off the phone they express how frustrating it is for them to deal with this, so I offer some facts they can give them to help educate their parents. Grandparents we deal with now are far more educated and open to baby proofing then in the past, which I find very refreshing.

3. The “I don’t want to mess up my home or make it a prison” parent

This parent must be educated just like the “safety gadget” parent and typically comes around after there child starts crawling and has some close calls and/or is making life difficult for Mom by taking everything out of cabinets and make a mad dash for the stairs. Often parents are concerned that a gate will restrict their child’s need to explore. A gate will actually do the opposite, it will now allow your child to explore without the what I call the “hoover factor” that happens when a child is around safety hazards that aren’t taken care of.

4. The “Don’t tell me about that hazard!! I can’t handle hearing about what could happen” (all while cringing)  parent

This parent is very open to have their home baby proofed and usually wants to do it before they even need to. I simply make them aware that this is information they need to know. I inform them that by knowing about what can happen, how much it happens and what happens if it happens is the key to their child’s safety no matter where they are. And that by knowing about common safety hazards gives them power by eliminating a false sense of security, which in my opinion is the number one safety hazard.  Thousands of clients have said to me that I must be very paranoid and that my home must be a fortress because of all the “horror” stories I’ve heard. Although many might think that would be true, I’ve learned early on that it’s been the exact opposite. Because I know what can happen I can scan an area very quickly and then shield my kid’s when they were baby’s away from such hazards, and then as they get older show them the hazard then tell them to stay away from it and why. On a daily basis my clients say “I never even thought of that!”, and it always makes my day because I know I have done my job. Again, just by knowing about a hazard the risk of that hazard causing an injury has been greatly reduced.

There are many types of parents, personalities and attitudes when it comes to safety but no matter what,  we all only want what is best for our children. It really comes down to basics, which is the focus for me when I go into a home. Take out the everyday stuff, don’t go crazy but get the right information, be open to learning about the hazards and solutions then take action to make a safer home for your baby. It makes it easier for you to watch your child, and allows your child to explore and learn without hearing “no” and “be careful” all day. Peace of mind for the parent and freedom for the child in my book is never a bad thing. So please don’t let your in-law, parent or friend talk you out of baby proofing. Also, please don’t take the nonchalant, cavalier attitude about safety that many of us take in defense of our ability to keep our child safe and don’t think that a bump or a bruise from a fireplace, corner or coffee table will “teach your child a lesson” or “build character” (both of which I’ve heard often). Take simple steps to eliminate hazards and be part of the safety evolution. Supervision, combined with identifying and eliminating safety hazards is always the key to a safe home.

-Mr. Baby Proofer