*This feature is in collaboration with LionsHome*
My husband and I both work from home. It’s a set-up that has both its pros and its cons, for me the biggest benefit is childcare and managing to juggle the needs of my children around my work. I have three children, my two oldest are at school during the day, but Bo our one year old is with me all the time, with no childcare.
I’ve worked from home around my children since my second child Aria was two. So I am used to juggling the needs of a child around deadlines and commitments. I am grateful that my children are very good at creative play and I can set up activities for them to do while I work.
Bo, however, is proving to be a challenge on another level. I suspect it is because he has two older siblings to learn from, but he is into EVERYTHING. I’ve already got the baby-gates out, a couple of weeks ago I had to urgently order a fireguard after I got him eating coal off the fireplace! I’ve never before thought about buying a toilet lock and have actually wondered why they were needed, but Bo is fascinated with the toilet and I had to thoroughly antibacterial his hands after turning round from washing my own hands to find him arm deep in the toilet splashing the water.
It means that I have really had to up my game on the baby proofing front and for the first time really have been considering getting a playpen. Just so I can leave him safely for a few minutes without finding him sucking on an iPhone charger cord! I have been looking on LionsHome for some inspiration.
I haven’t really used a playpen with my other children and I didn’t realise there are so many different types that you can buy. I really love the look of the wooden ones as I think it would look nice in our dining room rather than something that’s plastic. But another this I have discovered, is playpens specifically for a garden, which with the summer holidays around the corner would be so, so useful. I wouldn’t have to worry about turning my back and he’s eating something he shouldn’t and he’s so, so fast! But Bo also loves water and it means I wouldn’t have to worry about him accidentally crawling into the paddling pool if I wanted to get it out with for his brother and sister which would be really dangerous. So I think for baby number 3 it is probably time to invest.
I’m not a fan of over baby proofing your house, to a certain extent I do think you need to guide your child do things safely. I’ve never bought corner guards for example, but I have it on good authority babies just pull them off anyway. Bo managed to bump his head crawling really fast to get to the Lego in his brother’s lego the other day on the corner of the skirting board, so I think he’s determined to sport bruises whatever I do! But as parents we’re not superheroes and it’s easy to just turn your back for a moment. So there are some safety items I have sworn by to make life easier when you have a baby:
- Babygates on the stairs
- A fireguard
- Cupboard lock on cupboards with dangerous or breakable items
- Door guards, to stop doors being slammed on little fingers
- A bed guard was fantastic for both of my older children to help them transition from a cot to a bed
- A thermometer to check that the bath temperature isn’t too hot
- Video baby monitor – to check he’s not climbing out the cot!
- I also need to make a special mention to make sure any blinds you have are fitted with safety clips, so stop little one getting tangled up in the cord
Are there any items I’ve missed that you would recommend to help keep my little one safe?