6 things you forgot to childproof

This article was on MSNBC News
1.) The floor: Susan Baril, co-founder or Safe Beginnings (a child-safely company) says, "Taking a trip around your home on your hands and knees is the only way to see it like a child." Some of the things to look for would be; paper clips in the baseboards, cords hanging neck high, even splinters in any hardwoods floors you may have, and electrical outlets that may be exposed.
2.) Baby gate: The article said, "Never use pressure gates at the top of stairs. They'll hold back a crawling baby, but not a pushy toddler."
3.) Fireplace: not only blocking the fire place itself, but blocking the "sharp hearthstone in front," which can pose a huge danger also. Especially to kids who go from crawling, to walking, to running.
4.) Television: "More than 15,000 kids are injured each year by falling furniture," according to the Center for Injury Research and Policy. Most of these injuries are caused by the TV's falling over onto the children. If you have a way to strap the television down, you should do so.
5.) The cat: If you have a cat, you should buy a crib tent to protect your toddler from being stepped on.
6.) Yourself: Baril says, "Toddlers love to imitate." Examples would be; how to operate the baby gate, and stepping over the baby gate. If your child sees you doing these things, they will try to do them themselves.

My first reaction was that I have an infant myself and I want to make sure I do everything possible to make sure he's safe at all times. My thought while reading this story was thinking about these things, and how obvious they are and I would have never thought about them. So good thing I read this article.

The first one, the floor, is a good childproof example. I know the other day I was on the floor playing with my son and I looked around for a split second and saw something on the floor that I couldn't see from above. As I looked around to see anything else I may have missed, I realize how much their views are different from our own. I saw things in a whole new light. The second one, the baby gate, I haven't quite started using yet. Although, it's a big thought in my head since my baby is crawling everywhere now. I know I would never put them above the stairs in my home, if I had stairs, but I never thought about not letting my son see me climb over it. As for number 3, the fireplace, I already knew. You should always make sure that any sharp objects or tables, ect. are protected. My son will grab onto something and pull himself up, and if he loses his balance, he falls over, so anything around him he can hit his head on. We have a hardwood floor in our living room, and my son falls all the time and hits his head on them. I try to put blankets around him while he holds onto things while standing, but there's only so much I can do. I wish I could just put a helmet on him until he gets better at standing and walking. But I guess it will just make him tougher later in life to just deal with the head pains now, although it makes me so sad when he cries. Number 4, the television, is something every mother/father should know. I always make sure things like that are safe. Our flat screen TV in our living room has straps on the back to keep it tied down to the entertainment center it's on. Number 6, yourself, is the best one. I knew that toddlers love to imitate the things or the people around them, but I never actually thought about them trying to do things like climbing over the gates. However, there was one point where I was buckling him into his car seat and he tried to help me, because he has seen me do it so many times. Now he tries to help me all the time. He also, in the last month or so, started pulling off his own diaper, because watching me, he knows where to unstrap it.

I'm glad they make articles like these, because there are so many things to be done to childproof your own home, and sometimes we over look the most obvious ones. And I want to do everything possible to make sure my children are safe.