[blparent] baby gates question

Thu Jan 27 22:36:21 UTC 2011

Hi.  A lot has been said about different ideas for gates or doorknob locks 
or whatever.  But I think the first consideration may be a very practical 
evaluation of what exactly is in the office that you don't want your 
daughter to get hold of.  I have an in-home office space right in my living 
room, and it can be done, with a little thought.

What's in the office that's such a concern?  You don't have to answer on the 
list, but that's the first question I would look at.  Is it something really 
dangerous, like a paper shredder that your daughter could get her fingers in 
or a paper cutter that she could slice herself with?  Those probably need to 
be unplugged and stored somewhere out of reach and out of sight, even if it 
isn't convenient to have to get them out and plug them in every time you 
need to use them.  Or is it just something that would be a pain in the butt 
for a three-year-old to get into?  I resorted to taping my desk drawers shut 
for a while, or using Velcro bands to secure them.  For the most part now, 
my daughter knows to leave the drawers alone, and she doesn't get in them 
anymore even without the tape on them.  That was just a matter of teaching 
her what stuff is hers to go for, and what stuff is someone else's.

Now that Sarah is sleeping in a regular bunk bed, we'll have to make some 
new rules for the bedroom, which my teenage stepson also uses when he's 
staying with us.  There's a cabinet in there that's his, and we've started 
securing it closed with a big rubber band.  He also uses some open corner 
shelves, and so far, if Sarah gets anything off there, I just make a point 
of having her put it back because it isn't hers.  The other part of the 
equation, when Stephen returns, will be letting him know that I'm not going 
to be responsible for anything Sarah gets that isn't in the secured cabinet. 
I'll do my best to keep her from taking over the room, but if he decides to 
leave a game or puzzle on the top bunk, or on the open shelves or the floor, 
and she gets it and loses pieces, then it's not my problem because the game 
or puzzle wasn't put away where she couldn't lay her hands on it.

All I'm saying is, it's not too early to start teaching a three-year-old 
that she can't have free access to everything she sees, and then evaluating 
the environment to make sure she can't get hold of anything that truly would 
be dangerous for her.  I'm not perfect--Sarah found a light bulb in a 
kitchen drawer the other day, which could have broken and hurt her.  But I 
just told her it wasn't safe because it could break and cut her, and then 
put it in a place where she couldn't get it.  Maybe some of these ideas 
might fix it so you don't have to just make an entire room off limits.  Or, 
if you have a big enough house, maybe making the room off limits is an 
option, in which case you'll havve to find some way to fix it so your 
daughter can't get in there, even if it means changing what kind of doors 
there are.  For me, the house is small enough, with only two bedrooms, a 
dining room, living room--and a home office and some watchmaking tools 
thrown in just in case we had extra space--that it's been all about what 
goes where, and how closets or cupboards are secured, instead of sealing off 
whole rooms.

Hope this helps,
Jo Elizabeth

"Some people see things as they are and ask why.  I dream things that never 
were and ask why not."--Robert F. Kennedy

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Veronica Smith" <madison_tewe at spinn.net>
Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2011 2:49 PM
To: "'NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List'" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [blparent] baby gates question

> Then Ken I think you need to be very firm about the fact that if you or
> mommy is not in that room, then neither is she and if she is found in 
> there
> without you, then she will be punished.  Sounds harsh, but safety first. V
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Ken Quinn
> Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2011 11:42 AM
> To: NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [blparent] baby gates question
>
>
> is an issue during the morning part of the problem is that she used to 
> have
>
> some of her christmas presents in it. also she is allowed in it other 
> times
> of the day when we are in it. taping the doors shut isn't an option the
> pressure would just take the tape off.
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "PICKRELL, REBECCA M (TASC)" <REBECCA.PICKRELL at tasc.com>
> To: "'NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List'" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2011 1:14 PM
> Subject: Re: [blparent] baby gates question
>
>
>>I bet there is. Hook and eye maybe? Or could you tape the doors shut when
>>the office isn't in use? Or, just teach her to stay out same as you'd 
>>teach
>
>>her not to touch a sharp knife or play with a gun? Part of your job is to
>>teach judgement.
>> Also, I assume this office has been there for awhile? Why is it all of a
>> sudden an issue? I'm trying to understand.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Ken Quinn
>> Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2011 1:13 PM
>> To: NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List
>> Subject: Re: [blparent] baby gates question
>>
>> you hit the nail on the head. it isn't the fact that we are afraid of her
>> getting down the steps cause she does them very well. however we are
>> afraid
>> of her getting into things in our office which has french doors on them
>> and
>> they are very old so know way of attaching any kind of lock to them.
>> ken
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Barbara Hammel" <poetlori8 at msn.com>
>> To: "NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2011 12:09 PM
>> Subject: Re: [blparent] baby gates question
>>
>>
>>>I think what he's asking is how can he keep his 3-year-old in her room at
>>>night so they can be sure she's safe.
>>> Barbara
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Through the sunny fields of yesterday
>>> Echo voices of children now grown,
>>> Their golden peals of laughter
>>> Ring upon the ivied stone.
>>> -----Original Message----- 
>>> From: PICKRELL, REBECCA M (TASC)
>>> Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2011 10:41 AM
>>> To: 'NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List'
>>> Subject: Re: [blparent] baby gates question
>>>
>>> What problem are you trying to solve?
>>> And, why is it a problem now. You've done just fine up till now so what
>>> is
>>> the concern?
>>> I'm serious with these questions. I want to advise but truly don't know
>>> what your goal is.
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] 
>>> On
>>> Behalf Of Veronica Smith
>>> Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 10:26 PM
>>> To: 'NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List'
>>> Subject: Re: [blparent] baby gates question
>>>
>>> Let me tell you what my brother and his wife did.  They never did get a
>>> gate, but taught their daughters to go down the stairs backwards.  The
>>> kids
>>> would go to the top of the stairs, sit down and then crawl backwards to
>>> the
>>> first step.
>>> Others I know, have gates but they never open them, the adults just step
>>> over. V
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] 
>>> On
>>> Behalf Of Ken Quinn
>>> Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 1:25 PM
>>> To: NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List
>>> Subject: [blparent] baby gates question
>>>
>>> hello all,
>>> i am looking to get a baby gate cause my daughter has now master the art
>>> of
>>> opening her door and coming down our steps to the first floor. i am
>>> looking
>>> for something that is both easy  to install as well as easy for myself
>>> and
>>> wife to open up but difficult for my daughter to open. any suggestions
>>> would
>>>
>>> be deeply appreciated.
>>> thanks in advance,
>>> ken
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> blparent mailing list
>>> blparent at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blparent_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> blparent:
>>>
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blparent_nfbnet.org/madison_tewe%40spi
>>> nn.net
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> blparent mailing list
>>> blparent at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blparent_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> blparent:
>>>
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blparent_nfbnet.org/rebecca.pickrell%4
> 0tasc.com
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> blparent mailing list
>>> blparent at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blparent_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> blparent:
>>>
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blparent_nfbnet.org/poetlori8%40msn.co
> m
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> blparent mailing list
>>> blparent at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blparent_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> blparent:
>>>
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blparent_nfbnet.org/cj3639%40hotmail.c
> om
>>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> blparent mailing list
>> blparent at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blparent_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> blparent:
>>
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blparent_nfbnet.org/rebecca.pickrell%4
> 0tasc.com
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> blparent mailing list
>> blparent at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blparent_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> blparent:
>>
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blparent_nfbnet.org/cj3639%40hotmail.c
> om
>>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> blparent mailing list
> blparent at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blparent_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> blparent:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blparent_nfbnet.org/madison_tewe%40spi
> nn.net
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> blparent mailing list
> blparent at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blparent_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> blparent:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blparent_nfbnet.org/jopinto%40pcdesk.net
> 