Ten Years of TriPlatts: Top 3 Baby Proofing Devices

My triplet children, aka the TriPlatts, celebrate their birthdays on March 13. I'm taking a "family" departure in the editorial realm the next few days. Thus, I'm taking ten days plus the last one, that March 13, to reflect on ten years with John, Brynley, and Brooks. I'm doing it to document those first ten years worth of memories, but I hope to share some entertaining thoughts along the way.

One of the gates that worked well.

Baby proofing for one kid is essential.  Baby proofing for triplets is harder, because they teach each other and learn from each other how to get around your best efforts.  A triplet household is a testing ground for baby proofing devices.  I know what works and, most of all, what doesn't.  My kids stayed safe, but it wasn't easy.

 

Here's my top three, but I wish it only took three.

 

Gates:  No entryway or hallway is alike.  You need a gate that works in any variety of places.  My favorites were the ones that had flexibility in where they could go and had a gate within the gate. 

Door Latches:  You need door latches on your refrigerator, your toilet, your downstairs door, your outside doors, and, especially, your kitchen cabinet doors and drawers.  You need to prevent sliding closet doors from sliding and figure out how to keep infants out of the toilet while letting grandma's into them.

The kitchen drawers are the most vital to keep little hands out and most of those sold are quickly defied by triplets.  I found the only ones that worked were the ones that included metal parts.  Plastic, alone, can't withstand much use.  Adhesive ones?  Yeah, right. 

I found the Safety Solutions spring-loaded latch the best.


Keeping them in or keeping them out?

Portable Fencing:  When they are mobile, you can't be everywhere.  The gating system was a must-have.  At first, it kept our dogs safe from the kids mobile devices.  Later, it kept the television on its stand and the Christmas tree 98% out of reach.  Regrettably, the promise that they couldn't penetrate the gate sooner than age 3 was wrong and the Christmas tree found that out the hard way.

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Tomorrow:  Off to School