The Necessity of a Baby Gate in the Home

Small children can manage to get in to just about everything if not properly supervised. However, you cannot watch them all the time, the phone or cooking can be a normal day to day distraction that allows them to wander off, even if just for a minute. A baby gate or two, installed in the right spots, can give you peace of mind knowing your child is safe no matter what you are doing.

Doorways leading into trouble spots in the home, such as the laundry room or kitchen, are the perfect places to have a baby gate installed and maintained. With the chemicals and sharp utensils that can be found in these areas, you want to keep them well secured from prying little hands. The garage and any shop area you might have is another good placement for one of these gates.

A fall down a flight of steps can be fatal to a small child, not to mention an adult. Stairway baby gates are easily installed and can be purchased with a one way swing feature that does not allow them to go outward over the stairs. Mounted it to the wall using the included hardware can alleviate yet another hazard in your home.

Most models of baby gates are low enough for an adult to step over, but tall enough so even toddlers cannot get through. Averaging around 30” in height, these are usually adjustable from 40” to as wide as 60”, to cover almost any opening. Be sure when you buy your gate that it is not too small to fit the opening you are going to be using it in.

Opening and closing the baby gate should not be an issue. Almost all models available today are equipped with a one handed operation style opener. A few models even have an indicator to let you know if it is latched properly.

Baby gates come in a variety of sizes and shapes to fit even the oddest openings in a home. There are also models available that are portable. These are very handy for a trip to a relative’s home where there is no “baby proofing” in place. Get an extra one and throw it in the trunk of your car so you know wherever you go, you are baby proofed in a matter of minutes.