Thursday, October 11, 2007

FUD

A baby-proofing expert came to our home today to strike fear into our hearts. Apparently, we are not adding a baby to our family, but rather a tiny tyrant bent on destroying everything within his reach.

The expert walked with us from room to room pointing out how our baby will insist on pulling our solid rosewood elephant from Kenya down on top of his head, tear books from the shelves and toss them at something delicate, climb aboard any piece of furniture within reach of something that he can crack his skull on, eat potting soil and leaves from our houseplants and generally locate any item we hold most dear and chew it to pieces (afterwards choking on the pieces).

Much of the expert's advice was to "put it up". Although that seems like wise advice, I'm not sure where we can put all of these things "up". Are we to build perimeter shelving around the entire house and elevate every item we own?

I am not questioning our expert's expertness. He is the guy that does all of the celebrity homes, he tells me. I am simply saying there is a line to be drawn between practical and necessary and I believe his line may be a bit extreme or at least unrealistic. Maybe celebrity homes do have entire wings in which to "put things up" but we don't so we are somehow trying to reach a happy medium to make our home both safe AND livable. The impossible dream? Stay tuned...

6 comments:

Rebecca Lily said...

Some of the babyproofing does go overboard. My philosophy was always to keep dangerous things out of reach (i.e. knives, medicine, household cleaners) but the rest of it? I just taught them a little word called "No." And guess what, none of my 4 kids is dead of choking on leaves or pulling something off a shelf onto their head. Hmmm, seems to have worked just fine. :)

Good luck!
Rebecca
untilwemeetintaiwan.blogspot.com

Judy said...

I thought the books are going to be the toys for the baby? NO? I think if you teach limits, you will be fine...

good luck!
Judy

Our Family said...

You sure will be ready when you get home with the baby!! I'm sure you'll be fine babyproofing. Good luck with everything. I can't wait to hear about your trip to pick up your son!

Tiffany said...

I felt like I was there with you - the way you wrote this is hysterical! LOL. It's crazy isn't it?
Good luck baby proofing and getting ready for that trip - 3 weeks and counting huh?

tiffany

Kim said...

My mother's philosophy is "wait and see" - she says when I was little, I didn't ever reach for electrical outlets or anything like that. Not that they shouldn't be plugged - that's easy. But see how mobile your little guy is before your kill yourself over it all.

Sherry said...

I am laughing at this post! Kobi always tries to touch electrical stuff but I think I've scared him so much by screaming at the top of my lungs "OFF!!!!" that now he just walks by the plugs & says off. LOL! Which is good b/c I totally hate those child-proof plug covers! They are totally adult proof too. Anyway I am getting off track here. Just be stern & Island Boy will listen. :)