Think of baby proofing ideas and baby proof products, and immediately we think of jail-like window grilles, huge plastic drawer locks, and clunky foam bumper corner stickers. Fret not, those aren’t the only options available. Here are some of the best ways to baby proof your Singapore HDB flat that aren’t ugly.
A few months out of the newborn haze, our firstborn started exploring the house and Ben and I were soon googling “ways to baby proof or child proof a home”, “baby proofing ideas” and “baby proofing hacks”, but so many of the suggestions and products were, quite simply put, ugly.
After months of research, and years of having lived in a house with now two toddlers, we can vouch for these alternative solutions that are both safe and aesthetically pleasing. I wish knowledge of these were more common so that design conscious families wouldn’t have to sacrifice style for safety!
Baby proofing – when and why?
It’s important to address the question of why we baby proof in the first place. Every family has a different risk tolerance, and ours is relatively high when compared with the average Singaporean household. We believe in allowing our children to take risks, so that through experience they may calibrate an internal risk metre that will help them make better decisions in the future.
So, where does baby proofing come in?
In two main ways: first, when the risk is simply too high to allow it to happen; and second, when we don’t want to have to deal with the outcome should the undesired result arise.
Let me illustrate. An example of when a risk is simply too high is leaving sharp kitchen knives on a low counter within reach of a toddler, when the toddler has free access to the kitchen. An example of when we don’t want to deal with the outcome of an undesired result is when a toddler has access to a huge bin of their favourite puffed snacks, and they are likely to empty the entire bin on the floor or eat an inordinate amount when no one is looking.
In the first example, the knives are a safety hazard and can cause serious harm to a child. In the second, it’s unlikely that serious harm would result to anyone, but as a parent, I wouldn’t want to have food wasted and have (yet another) mess to clean.
So, we baby proof to prevent these situations from arising. Apart from these situations, we don’t put too many physical restrictions on our children, but instead, give them the opportunity to learn about making good choices and assessing risk accurately. More on this later.
What is a baby proof house?
To us, a baby proof house isn’t one where there are no risks, and any and every possible danger is kept out of the child’s reach. Instead, it’s one where a child can roam about freely without fear of being put in harm’s way. A space where a child knows that he or she is safe, and can be free to play, explore, and simply be.
With that in mind, let’s dive into some of the best ideas we found and used to keep our home safe for our entire family.
Best baby proofing products
Window restrictors instead of window grilles
We live very high up, more than 30 stories up, so window safety is extremely important to us. When we first heard of window restrictors, we were mind blown.
If you live in Singapore (or a neighbouring country) like us, you’d equate having kids and living in a high-rise flat to having metal grilles on your windows. Or in more recent years, some opt for “invisible grilles” which still look like wires across the windows. Apart from the look of grilles, we didn’t like how grilles can inadvertently encourage climbing and exploration rather than keep kids away from the windows.
Enter window restrictors. These nifty gadgets are completely hidden and prevent the windows from being opened more than a tiny gap.
The style that we went with allows an adult with nimble fingers to undo the catch and open the window fully, but little hands are unlikely to be able to do so. There are also styles that require a key in order to open. These restrictors baby proof by preventing the windows from opening large enough for a child to fall out of, without adding visual clutter and obscuring the view.
While it’s possible to install on your own with a drill, it’s not the easiest thing to do so we went with a supplier who could do the installation for us. The installation also doesn’t affect the waterproofing and drainage that’s on a standard HDB window.
Hidden cabinet and drawer locks that are strong enough to deter adults
Another common sight in homes with kids are large plasticky white straps across drawer and cabinet doors. These child locks are meant to keep children out of drawers and cabinets, but can often look so visually attractive that they tempt little hands to give them a go.
Hidden magnetic locks are one of our best “baby purchases” for a few reasons. One, they remain completely hidden when the drawer or cabinet is closed. Two, they can be switched on and off, which means we can change up the contents of the drawer and allow or deny access accordingly. Three, they are super strong. Even adults can’t open the drawers or cabinets without the “key”.
To open, simply bring the magnet “key” near to where the latch is located, and it will release. Even though our kids have watched us do it many times, and often try to do it themselves, they can’t find the exact location of where the “key” must go in order to release the latch. It’s a super effective solution that we’ll be using for many years to come.
A two-step to open baby gate
A baby gate is another baby proofing staple, due to its ability to help keep a child in (or out). In our first home, we used a baby gate to restrict our toddler’s access to the kitchen. The gate was always closed when we were not around to supervise, but he was free to access the kitchen when we were working in it.
Children are incredibly smart, and a basic baby gate lock mechanism can be easily figured out by your little explorers. We chose a gate with a two step lock, which required an adult to pull the latch back and lift the gate up while still holding the latch. It was a task that required physical strength and dexterity that little children simply do not have.
With the gate in place, we felt peace of mind to allow our toddler to roam the house freely, knowing that he would not be able to venture into the kitchen and encounter the possible hazards there unsupervised.
Socket covers – a safety product or safety hazard?
In Singapore, power sockets that are installed in homes must comply with local standards including the requirement for safety shutters that protect users from touching the live contacts. If you’ve ever tried to plug a two-pin appliance plug into a three-pin socket on the wall before, you’d have realised that there is a “gate” preventing you from inserting the plug, unless you stick something into the top pin, which would then open the “gate” on the bottom two pins, allowing the plug in.
This safety mechanism makes it fairly safe for children to be around power sockets, as they are unlikely to be able to access the live contacts behind the shutters. Still, some parents choose to use socket covers to stop their children from sticking items into the power sockets.
If you use a socket cover, please be aware that they may do more harm than good. Inserting a socket cover into a socket opens the shutters, making the socket live and bypassing the very safety mechanism that is built-in to keep children (and adults) safe. In the UK, the NHS has warned against use of socket covers and all nurseries have stopped use of them. You can read more here.
Baby proofing ideas that aren’t products
Providing “yes” spaces for free exploration
Toddlers crave independence, and exploration is what they were meant to do.
To provide opportunities for them to explore while keeping them safe, we don’t keep them away from a space unless there is a safety concern. We also create special spaces for them to explore. For example, in the kitchen, we have a cabinet that holds all the kids’ tableware and utensils, and is freely accessible. The drawer containing plastic containers is likewise unlocked and available for exploration.
In our living area, we keep one of the drawers on our console unlocked. This drawer holds socks, and one of Ms 1’s favourite activities is taking out all the socks in the drawer, and putting them in again. Such opportunities allow them to learn from their environment, and allows them to take small risks and observe the consequences of their actions.
Train the internal risk meter, then trust them
Finally, and most importantly, baby proof by teaching your child to make good decisions and take calculated risks. Provide them opportunities for risk-taking, such as at the playground while supervised, or helping out in the kitchen. Talk to them about the consequences of unsafe actions. Point out safety hazards. As they grow in maturity, you’ll also grow in your confidence in them to keep themselves safe.
Ultimately, there is only so much we can protect our children from. Here, I shared some baby proofing ideas. We should create a safe and conducive environment in the early years, to build confidence and learn skills that they will need as they grow up and venture into the world. As they grow, we slowly release the guardrails, and allow them to soar.
