Baby proofing questions. Does anyone have strong opinions about cord loop blinds for a baby play area? My preference is for cordless blinds but I am willing to be told this is overkill. It’s a room without blinds currently.
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When I looked into it years ago, I remember being satisfied with other safety measures (short cords not tied together, etc.) but there could be new research. And we were renters.
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Oh, and I just realized you are adding new blinds. Get cordless for sure if you’re buying new. They’re better IMO and probably at least a little bit safer.
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No kids here but cordless blinds all the way. The corded blinds in our old place were much better quality than the cordless ones here, but I would take the crappy cordless ones every time. They are just so much easier and less frustrating.
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For new get cordless. Cords are bad enough, then cutting them, can’t reach them… half of ours are permanently scrunched up
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I also vote cordless but if it is cost prohibitive (I have never purchased blinds) you can get these pretty cheaply–it’s been my rental solution
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Looking for advice on baby room organization. I know my kid is a climber, and I would like to have everything child proofed and I’m a good state where once she officially can climb out of her crib, all we have to do is switch to floor or toddler bed configuration, not have an oh shit babyproof the room day.
Current state of affairs:
Issues being:
- What would you suggest as a layout?
- No overhead light. Can you baby proof a floor standing lamp?
- Everything is too crowded. Should I remove the chair and just set up the nugget before bed as a “chair” for night nursing maybe? Not sure the actual chair is super safe and it is very climbable.
- Sooo many plug in ables. How do you childproof an outlet that has something plugged in? Can you childproof a power strip?
- The tiny bookshelf definitely needs to go because baby says this is a ladder. Alternative child accessible books storage?
- There are a bunch of Rubbermaid drawers in the closet holding mostly clothes. Are these safe? Or can they be made safe?
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Curtains gotta go, unfortunately. They are not for this season in life. We just basically papered over the window (I used nice wrapping paper that was white on the back so it just looked like the white fabric back of curtains from outside) and then stuck baby’s artwork from day care on the inside paper for me to look at. If you keep the curtains that rod is going to get yanked out of the wall, or the rod will be pulled down on someone’s head.
We had a table lamp with the cord running behind a heavy piece of furniture. We ended up with all the plug in ables in one corner on a not very large but heavy table (actually an old sewing desk that still has the old metal sewing machine in it). We put sliding outlet covers on all outlets in baby’s room and several in main areas of the house.
I can’t find the exact model but we have a rechargeable egg lamp that we used for lighting/nightlight then. We still have it on hand in case of weather related power outages.
For many plug in ables in one small corner of the room, we got something similar to this but I bow to @Bracken_Joy spouse on if that is actually a terrible idea (assuming everything is lower electricity needs like night lights and sound machines).
Might have more thoughts another time, gotta go.
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We got outlet covers like these LectraLock - Baby Safety Electrical Outlet Cover - Large Plug Cover - Child-Resistant, White Amazon.com
Contrary opinion: We did have blackout curtains in both rooms, with two girls who were big climbers but never tried to hang on the curtains. In fact, they didn’t start that until just recently 
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Wall lights and outlet covers for the plugs. Shelves on the wall for storage of things that need to be out of reach. Baskets and plastic bins for things that can be in reach. But mostly - just not too much stuff.
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My kid wasn’t a climber but definitely wanted to use the glider for acrobatics so we moved it to our room and just left the nugget.
We did high shelving with and outlet cover and wall cord covers to put a power strip on a shelf. Then we could plug in a sound machine/monitor/hatch there. We do have an overhead light but could have put a small LED lamp on the shelf as well. I’ll try to find a photo to add soon.
We kept a small bookshelf and a toy shelf in the room that were anchored to the wall. She’s not a climber so I wasn’t super worried but still wanted them to be less than 4’ high. (The pickler triangle was not left in her room at night). We kept her dollhouse in the room but if she had shown any interest in using it to try and reach the shelves we would have moved it.
ETA 2 obviously one photo was staged right after we set up the room and the other shows actual usage haha
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For books we have a book caddy and really like it — it’s easier for them to flip through without pulling every book out of the shelf.
For lamp, probably plug-in wall sconce with cord covers. It might be worth getting an electrician or handy friend in to wire for overhead lighting.
The Rubbermaid bins — does your child want to climb them? If not, I personally wouldn’t be too stressed about them because they’re lightweight enough that pulling them down is more messy than dangerous. (Would be different with a heavy wood dresser.)
A baby-can’t-reach wall shelf is always a handy addition, both to clear things off the floor and have a place to sit things down that they can’t reach (eg your own drink or phone). That could be where things like the sound machine (?) that’s on the floor go.
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I can’t remember who’s journal I recently posted these on, but had good luck with both:
I left the surge protector in the screen shot because I was obviously baby room shopping that week 
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We have curtains in the kids room, so that is a YMMV but also we have brick walls they are anchored into.
We had duckling’s toddler bed, bookshelf anchored into wall, chest of drawers anchored into wall, built in wardrobe with a door that is always closed and a beanbag when he had the room to himself and was allowed to roam.
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Yeah so long as it’s low draw stuff, not a portable AC or space heater for example, those are fine.
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If a preschooler has previously had hand foot mouth.
Can they catch it again from a younger sibling.
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I…hate that you’re asking this
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HFM symptoms can be caused by more than one virus, so potentially, but not definitely 
Sorry.
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Yes. Adults can get it more than once too…(please, please, may I never have HFM again)
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Yeah… hopefully it’s the same strain but no guarantees. For a good story: it took out 24 kids in preschool when they were in the toddler class and the following year it took out everyone who hasn’t been in that class the year before but all the original kids were fine!
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