[blparent] Tips on Baby/child proofing your home

Thu Feb 25 17:14:27 UTC 2010

I honestly think that by us, the blind, saying we can do it on one hand and
on the other hand saying we cannot, that sets a double standard. Right.  Do
it first and then show them what you did. v

-----Original Message-----
From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Elizabeth Cooks
Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2010 5:22 AM
To: NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List
Subject: Re: [blparent] Tips on Baby/child proofing your home

Yes, butwhen it comes to blind people, social workers don't think that way. 
You have to strap, lock, and latch down everythingin the house before they 
are satisfied.  Wit hsighted people it's, "Are outles covered, cords out of 
reach, medicines out of reach?"  Everyting else, they figure they can see so

they can handle it.  Such a double standard.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Veronica Smith" <madison_tewe at spinn.net>
To: "'NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List'" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 10:22 PM
Subject: Re: [blparent] Tips on Baby/child proofing your home

> And when you invest in a deadbolt for the front door they open the latch 
> and
> go out the sliding glass door and out the side gate. The bad thing about
> hiring someone else to child proof your home is you still don't know if 
> they
> did the right things and what if the social workers ask, "why not this or
> that?"  Ok, maybe it would be a good idea if you are part of the proofing-

> I
> want to be part of everything that concerns my child.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Dena Wainwright
> Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 6:12 PM
> To: NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [blparent] Tips on Baby/child proofing your home
>
> If you are going through the process of an adoption, then I would 
> seriously
> consider having someone who knows how to baby proof assess your home. I
> imagine that there are enough obstacles for a blind person adopting as it
> is, and I certainly wouldn't want to risk some uppedy social worker
> conducting my home study deciding that I was incapable of taking care of a
> child safely, just because I missed a cupboard or toilet lock.
>
> Without knowing what your house is like, it is impossible to make
> appropriate recommendations. What kind of doors do you have? How low to 
> the
> floor are your windows? What kinds of cupboards and drawers do you have?
> Etc., etc.
>
> This person doesn't need to be an "expert," though if that's all you have
> access to, I'd consider it a good investment. You could simply ask a 
> friend
> who is a parent with toddler-aged kids to help you. Baby proofing really 
> is
> a work in progress - just when you think you're done, you're not. Children
> develop so rapidly, that their skillsets (and thus their potential to 
> damage
>
> themselves) literally evolve daily. E.g., my daughter has had a bookcase 
> in
> her room for the last 17 months. Having it there was just fine...until 
> about
>
> 2 weeks ago. I left her in her "baby proofed" bedroom for 3 minutes to 
> take
> a pee. All of the drawers and cupboards are locked, all of the corners are
> padded, all of the wall sockets are covered, all of the blind cords are
> retracted, etc. When I returned from my brief absence, she was making very
> happy noises from a very unfamiliar location... That location was her
> bookcase (She was literally curled up in one of the shelves, proud as 
> punch
> of herself). That was the moment I had to turn the bookcase toward the 
> wall
> so the shelves were no longer accessible to her. Eventually, she'll have 
> the
>
> cognitive sense to realize that just because she can do something, doesn't
> mean she should, but for now, I refer to this stage of her development as
> the "trying to remove myself from the gene pool" phase.
>
> Also, you don't know what kind of kid you're going to have, so no matter 
> how
>
> carefully you try to plan, you will not be prepared in every instance. You
> may spend a ton of money on a crib, only to learn that your child has to 
> be
> touching you to sleep. You may go out and buy a bouncy seat, and forget
> about a swing, only to learn that your child hates his bouncy seat, and 
> will
>
> only sit quietly while swinging. You may strap down every piece of 
> furniture
>
> in your house, and then be fortunate enough to have a child who has no
> desire to climb. Also, until you're living with a child, you have no idea 
> of
>
> the lengths they will go to in order to kill themselves. You really do 
> have
> to think in worst case scenarios. E.g., I have a lock on my drier. My baby
> doesn't have access to my drier, because it is separated from the house by

> a
>
> pocket door. However, I don't want to wait until the day she learns how to
> open that door, and climbs inside the drier, and suffocates herself, to
> realize I should have gotten that lock. You may be thinking "That would
> never happen to me. I would watch my kid better than that..." All I have 
> to
> say to that is "Ya think so?" My sighted husband makes just as many 
> "errors"
>
> as I do when it comes to baby proofing issues. They can move faster (and
> quieter) than you ever believed possible.
>
> What I'm saying is that knowledge is a good thing, but it can't compare to
> real world practice.
>
> Dena
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Miranda Borka" <knownoflove at gmail.com>
> To: "NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 4:22 PM
> Subject: Re: [blparent] Tips on Baby/child proofing your home
>
>
>> Hi Veronica,
>> I'm ~ot sure if you've seen this, but in previous messages I've posted to
>> the list I explained that my husband and I are in the process of 
>> adoption.
>
>> We will be adopting a child between the ages of 0-3 years old.
>> Therefore, we may need to child proof our home sooner than a parent who
>> has a child naturally, as we don't yet know the age our child will be.
>> This is why I am planning ahead.
>> Thanks for the info, and yes I am blessed to have this group! My husband
>> and I truly appreciate all the great advice and resources you all have
>> provided thus far!
>>
>> In Christ, Miranda
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Veronica Smith <madison_tewe at spinn.net>
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 2:28 PM
>> To: 'NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List' <blparent at nfbnet.org>
>> Subject: Re: [blparent] Tips on Baby/child proofing your home
>>
>> Even if you had the money, don't waste it there.  Just common sense is
>> needed.  You don't  need to do anythihg until your child is mobile, able
>> to
>> stand or crawl. Then a must is cover those outlets.  You can buy outlet
>> covers just about anywhere and keep them covered unless you need that
>> spot.
>> Baby proof as your child grows. No glass that can break when grabbed, no
>> sharp things to play with, no little papers and toys to eat, no cords to
>> pull or chew. No curtains that they can tie around neck,  no pictures to
>> fall off the wall on the heads.
>> Don't worry about it until you have to.  V
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Miranda Borka
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 3:29 AM
>> To: Blind Parents
>> Subject: [blparent] Tips on Baby/child proofing your home
>>
>> Hi,
>> We're gathering information on what we can do to baby/childproof our 
>> home.
>> We're looking for information for children between 0-3 years of age.
>> Since we don't have the $300.00 or more for a babyproofing expert to come
>> and evaluate our home, we're wondering if any of you have any tips and
>> experiences of what does or doesn't work?
>> Thanks in advance, and have a great day!
>>
>> In Christ, Miranda
>>
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