On Baby Gates

One day while at my mother in law’s house, my nephew and son left the baby gate to downstairs open. They forgot that my daughter had been getting curious about the steps and more and more adventurous with each day. Normally by this time she was pretty good about turning around and lying on her belly and going down the stairs the way that toddlers do. This day however, she would try it the way mommy and daddy did. She was going to go down standing up. She did pretty well until the fourth stair down. She stumbled and ended up with her head and hands on the 5th step down and her feet still on the fourth. Luckily my husband was already downstairs, and he knew that where Jaycob and Mikey are Gabby is soon to follow. He wandered over to the stairs just in time to see her catch herself. Sometimes I really worry about my husband. He said this was one of the funniest things he had ever seen. I guess the look on her face was priceless. He did manage to compose himself long enough to get up to her and pick her up before she went head over heels down about 10 more steps.

I guess my mom has one of those Extra Wide Baby Gates. It is meant to be a pressure gate, but we simply extend it as far as it will go and place it across the steps to downstairs. The way we used to gate and the way it was designed were not exactly the same, and it potentially caused great harm to our daughter by doing so. Normally we are careful about those things, but this time the warning label was made just for us. Baby proofing your home only works if you do not cut corners. You should only use the products as they are intended.

As great as the baby gates are, having a four year old and an 18 month old I can honestly say these gates even when used correctly are just not durable enough for my destructive duo. If I had it all to do over again I would go with something much more rugged and durable...pet gates. I am pretty sure if these pet gates can keep a Doberman off your couch, they can keep your kiddies off the stairs.

God Bless!