Babyproofing while Visiting Relatives & Friends
The Need to Babyproof, Challenges, Equipment & Etiquette
Dec 30, 2008
When you travel and stay in a hotel or with a relative or friend, the need to protect your baby or toddler from potential hazards is no less than it is in your own home. Use these tips to keep your baby and toddler safe while a guest in someone else’s home.
The Need to Babyproof When Visiting
It’s easy to think that you can be an extremely diligent parent when visiting friends or relatives and, therefore, skip the need to babyproof. While the young child will need to be supervised at all times no matter what, it takes a higher level of focus in someone else’s home when the hazards are not babyproofed. This is exhausting and makes for an uncomfortable visit for the parents.
It is hard work having to redirect a busy toddler away from any wall with an outlet, stairs or other common hazards. Babyproofing will allow the parents to relax a bit. As a result, the child will be more relaxed and everyone should have a more enjoyable visit.
Babyproofing Challenges Away from Home
In a hotel or at someone else’s home, you may not know ahead of time what kind of babyproofing will be necessary. Likewise, you cannot install any permanent babyproofing hardware and will need to rely on temporary fixtures.
The size of doorways and stairwells and the location of outlets and other hazards will only be known if you have stayed at the host’s home previously. Even then, if you stayed there before having a mobile baby, you may not have taken note of the areas that would be particularly hazardous and tempting.
Babyproofing Equipment
When visiting, bring a tension gate and plastic outlet covers. Each of these items can be immediately put in place with no need for hardware. Door knob covers may also be necessary for children who have a habit of opening doors and trying to wander away.
Babyproofing Etiquette Away from Home
Of course, parents should always ask permission before temporarily babyproofing someone else’s home. Once permission is granted, it is helpful to crawl around the floor as a baby would. It’s easier to see outlets, cords, breakables and other hazards from this vantage point.
With permission, place breakables on a high shelf, out of the baby’s reach. Be sure there are no vitamin or medicine bottles within reach in the kitchen or bathroom. Likewise, place any dangerous cleaning chemicals out of reach.
When it’s time for the visit to end, kindly replace all items in their original location and remove all babyproofing items you used.
When you have a mobile baby or toddler, babyproofing is a necessity. This necessity carries over to hotels and homes that you may be visiting. Take a few minutes to remember the need to babyproof away from home and the particular challenges that you may face. Bring babyproofing equipment and remember to follow babyproofing etiquette.
