The Parenting Journal

Baby Proofing When You Have Older Kids: Balancing Freedom and Safety

Baby Proofing When You Have Older Kids: Balancing Freedom and Safety

The house that worked perfectly for one child rarely works for two. When my older daughter was a toddler, I had a system. Gates up, locks on, outlet covers in, done. Then her sister arrived, and I discovered something nobody...

Read more

Baby Proofing for ADHD: Managing Impulsive Toddler Behavior Safely

Baby Proofing for ADHD: Managing Impulsive Toddler Behavior Safely

Most toddlers test limits. A child with ADHD, or with the impulsivity patterns that often precede a formal diagnosis, tests them faster, harder, and with less hesitation than you’re prepared for.I learned this the hard way with my older daughter....

Read more

How to Baby Proof Sliding Doors: Locks Stops and Finger Guards

How to Baby Proof Sliding Doors: Locks Stops and Finger Guards

Sliding doors are among the most overlooked hazards in a baby-proofed home. Parents spend hours installing cabinet locks and outlet covers, then leave a 70-pound glass panel on a track that a determined two-year-old can move with one hand.The risk...

Read more

Is It Safe to Stack Baby Gates to Make Them Taller?

Is It Safe to Stack Baby Gates to Make Them Taller?

About 93,000 children under 5 are treated in U.S. emergency rooms each year for stair-related injuries, according to a Nationwide Children’s Hospital analysis of CPSC NEISS data. That number is why baby gates exist. And it’s why the question of...

Read more

Baby Proofing Camping: How to Keep Tiny Explorers Safe in the Wild

Baby Proofing Camping: How to Keep Tiny Explorers Safe in the Wild

Camping with a baby sounds idyllic until you’re watching your eight-month-old reach for a glowing ember at 7 p.m. while you’re still trying to figure out where you left the diaper bag. The outdoors is wonderful for babies. Fresh air,...

Read more

How to Baby Proof Kitchen Cabinets With Different Lock Types

How to Baby Proof Kitchen Cabinets With Different Lock Types

Every parent has a cabinet story. Mine happened on a Tuesday afternoon when I answered the doorbell, came back to find my younger daughter standing in the kitchen with the under-sink cabinet wide open, a bottle of dish soap in...

Read more

Outlet Covers for Baby: Spring Loaded Sliding and Self-Closing Picks

Outlet Covers for Baby: Spring Loaded Sliding and Self-Closing Picks

Approximately 2,400 children are treated in U.S. emergency rooms each year for electrical outlet injuries (CPSC). That number has stayed stubbornly high for decades, despite outlet covers being cheap, widely available, and effective when you choose the right type. The...

Read more

How to Baby Proof a Balcony: Railing Guards Net Solutions and Furniture

How to Baby Proof a Balcony: Railing Guards Net Solutions and Furniture

Every fall from a balcony is preventable. That’s not optimism. It’s the consistent finding behind every pediatric safety review, every building code revision, every product recall tied to railing gaps and unsecured furniture. Your balcony poses a risk. The question...

Read more

Baby Development Milestones and Safety: Month-by-Month Guide 0-12

Baby Development Milestones and Safety: Month-by-Month Guide 0-12

The first year of a baby’s life is a masterclass in rapid transformation. In twelve months, a newborn who cannot lift her own head will become a small person who pulls herself upright, cruises along furniture, and reaches for whatever...

Read more