Georgia Babies
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Child-proofing consultants
Does anyone have someone they recommend? I've heard of companies that charge for a consultation and ones that just charge you when you have them install product. I'd prefer a free consult, as I don't want to spend money needlessly! We do know that there will be a few things we will have the consultant do and others we'll do ourselves.
TIA!
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Re: Child-proofing consultants
Since I'm doing all I can to stay out of that healthcare debate in the other thread
, I thought I'd reply here instead.
I think your instincts as a parent are far more valuable than any childproofing consultant. Also, childproofing truly depends on the child. We did our CFing in stages as G. got more mobile. When she was crawling, we attacked things within her reach as a crawler. Obviously, walking presented different issues - and we worked with those as she approached them. We focused on CFing her immediate area (rubber bumpers, electrical sockets, locking some cabinets), with goals for the more long-term (a special noise lock on our basement door).
We haven't bought things like toilet locks yet because she hasn't really shown interest in them, nor does she have regular access to them. If you had asked me about the toilets before she was born, I'd have bought enough locks to glue them shut!
As she keeps growing, the plan keeps changing. She can't work doorknobs yet, so no doorknob protection. But that will definitely change in the upcoming months.
I think a consultation could be valuable just for opening your eyes about what kind of risks there are. But I also think they could be fright-inducing and create panic where none should be.
Ditto pps. We're child-proofing as we go and as we see the need for it.
But...I do know that "L" used a consultant and paid about $100 just for the consult. Maybe give her a call and get the info from her?
See, I don't want to use her consultant, b/c I don't want to pay $100 just for the consult. I think that's ridiculous!
We pretty much bought everything we need to child-proof for the crawling stage and we are going w/ our instincts for most things. I really want a consultant to come out to talk to us about options for tying down certain furniture (esp. the living room, dining room, and plasma TV) and options for our basement (we have to keep the door to the basement open b/c the cats' litter box is down there, and car seat options for DH's car (no latches in his 2000 Hyundai Tiburon).
We put our Superyard XT around the plasma so G. couldn't get within 2 feet of it. As for the basement door, we put a kitty door in. We got the regular cat sized door and G. can't even get her head through it. As for your older car, all carseats are made to work without the latch system and be just as safe. Just read your manual and it'll tell you how to attach it with the lap/shoulder belt.
What Myra said. :-)
We just took down the Superyard this past weekend as Benjamin's actual play area. We actually had 2 connected and it basically was the size of our living room. Now, we have it around our tv, entertainment center and all of the wires and have things behind it so the little monster can't push his way towards it.
Also, we have a kitty door in our basement door although we have a gate leading down to the basement door because of the stairs and I know yours isn't set up that way.
ETA: We also have never used the latch system for the car seats. Mine is on the driver's side and we might use it when we switch B over to that side. I don't believe Peter has one in his. If he did, he didn't use it when he was taking B to daycare for those few months.
The issue seems to be that Tom can't figure out a way to get the car seat in the car tight enough using the seat belt alone. His car is so tiny that it's really hard to get back there to begin with. If there was a fire station that did safety checks anywhere near us, that would easily solve that problem.
Did Peter put in your kitty door? Tom won't do it, b/c he's scared he'll ruin the door.
The TV is a bigger issue b/c it doesn't technically fit in the entertainment center. It is too low to the ground to put the Superyard in front of it. If we put it there we can't see 1/2 the TV and can't access the DVR or sound system. Since it's Ikea furniture it's really light and we are worried about it rocking forward. The whole thing is really just a pain in the butt, but we aren't about to get a new TV or entertainment center!
You know, I think there is a car seat check place somewhere in Marietta. I need to see if I can find that link for you.
I forgot about your tv being so low. Hmmm.....
Do you really think Peter has the talent to do any sort of home improvement housework? I just had to show him how to use the remote controls for the tv again!!!! No, our stupid former roommate did it for us a long time ago when we thought your cat would be happier downstairs away from the dogs and it didn't work out so much. I don't think it's that hard if you know what you're doing and can work your way around a saw. Do you have any friends you can bribe that are handy?
WE only had the knives drawers childproofed and the cabinet under the sink with the chemicals can cleaners. Also did the superyard across the length of our room in front of fireplace and TV. We did anchor the DVD cabinet to the wall. Also did door knob thingies to the door to basement and out to garage. WE have a gate at top of stairs which is in the wall and a cheaper one that you can take out for downstairs at bottom of stairs or in the hall to get out of family room.
Save your $$ look around your house, see what you have that might be a hazzard or something that will draw DD near it and figure out a way to childproof. You can spend alot of $$ if you aren't careful!
Can you get some blocks to raise up your entertainment center? Make a platform for it? The superyard is an awesome blocking device....I still have mine up.
Oh the cabinets we didn't have locked and wanted SC to stay out of, she learned pretty quickly they were off limits....