Making a simple change in the environment can make a profound impact on behavior. This lesson never fails to impress me.
When my husband and I decided to begin fostering, we hadn’t had a toddler in the house for years. Our youngest was happily settled into kindergarten, and we had long forgotten the need for babyproofing. We were out of practice.
The first days after our first foster child arrived quickly reminded us of those early days—and then some! His curiosity knew no bounds —involving the kind of mischief that left me breathless:
- climbing up and down from kitchen table chairs and knocking them down on himself
- enthusiastically playing in the toilet
- deciding the kitty litter box was a fun new sandbox
- Playing in the trash, tasting it, feeding it to the dog
- Half-climbed into the fridge, trying to make chocolate milk.
I was going crazy trying to keep up with the constant correction setting and chaos. Every interaction felt like a confrontation resulting in a tantrum right at the time when I was trying to make him feel safe and build connection.
In early intervention, we aim to meet the child where they are. For my home, this meant making a few, strategic changes that focused on safety, not total restriction.
We weren’t trying to create a sterile box; we were trying to reduce my need to use the word “no.”
Create a Physically Safe Space in Order to Create an Emotionally Safe Space
We opted for targeted solutions that addressed his most persistent, and potentially most dangerous issues.
- Fridge Lock: We immediately installed a sturdy fridge lock. This single change, more than anything, gave me instant peace of mind—a core necessity for any parent. I was afraid he was going to crawl inside. YIKES
- Strategic Gating: We placed two safety gates limiting exits from the main living area, creating a large secure zone. This kept him in the living room where the toys were and away from the bathroom and litter box areas.
- Childproof garbage can: As an added bonus, the dog could no longer get into the trash either!
- Low and Accessible Seating: I adjusted the high chair to be at the lowest setting and took off the tray, allowing him to climb in and out safely on his own. This supported his need for independence and exploration while ensuring his environment was supportive.
These simple changes reduced the need to interfere with his playtime. The tantrums dropped right away because we reduced the need for constant correction—which was exhausting and counterproductive.
Basic Baby Proofing Makes Room for Focusing on the Important things
If you are a working with young children with difficult behaviors, right away my piece of advice is simple: stop wasting your energy disciplining minor issues like “stay out of the fridge,” “don’t touch the garbage,” or “get down from there.”
That energy is better spent meeting his needs and teaching appropriate behavior. In my family’s case we were trying to meet the emotional needs of all involved and learning how to be a new family.
Make your home as much of a “yes” area as you can by addressing the major, life-threatening hazards first (tip-overs, poisoning, falls). Then think about what would help reduce the battles with your toddler. Once those are secured, you can focus your discipline efforts where they truly matter—like working through issues of hitting, biting, or throwing—instead of being a constant safety patrol.
Not everything that can be babyproofed must be babyproofed.
Lenore Skenazy, the outspoken author of Free-Range Kids, argues that the “kiddie-safety industrial complex” dreams up new worries and products in order to profit from them.
Morris, C. (2017, March 17). Babyproofing: Should you do it? Today’s Parent. https://www.todaysparent.com/baby/baby-development/babyproofing-should-you-do-it/
Baby Proofing Is Not Meant to Be Forever
Babyproofing a sliding glass door when you have a pool in your backyard isn’t a replacement for teaching your child how to swim. Installing a baby gate in the doorway to your kitchen won’t teach them that the stove is hot and could burn them. Keeping staircases perennially sealed off won’t help them learn how to scale them safely. (from the everymom)
Rachel Morgan Cautero. (2019, May 29). How much babyproofing is too much? A guide to finding the right balance for your family. The Everymom. https://theeverymom.com/babyproofing-how-much-is-too-much/
Aim for “Just-the-right-amount” of Baby Proofing
Rachel Morgan Cautero, said it best when she shared her experience about babyproofing drawers. (Everymom, 2019)
I once spent an entire afternoon trying to figure out how to keep my son from opening drawers. Yes, drawers. Finally, it hit me. Why should I? Worst-case scenario, he’ll smash a finger — but he’ll be more careful next time. He may even stop opening his dresser drawers and throwing the neatly-folded articles of clothing out like confetti. (A mom can dream, right?)
Rachel Morgan Cautero. (2019, May 29). How much babyproofing is too much? A guide to finding the right balance for your family. The Everymom. https://theeverymom.com/babyproofing-how-much-is-too-much/
And you know what? He has closed the drawer on his finger. He even once closed it on his entire arm. But he wasn’t hurt, and I’d like to think he learned a little bit about cause and effect in the process. He’s still obsessed with how drawers work, so for now, I let him do it. Who knows, maybe he has a future in engineering.
References for Baby Proofing
Cautero, R. M. (2019, May 29). How much babyproofing is too much? A guide to finding the right balance for your family. The Everymom. This article explores the balance between safety and developmental growth, questioning if excessive babyproofing creates a false sense of security for both parents and children. The author argues that allowing minor risks, like opening drawers, provides essential lessons in cause and effect. https://theeverymom.com/babyproofing-how-much-is-too-much/
Dao, A., & McMullin, J. (2018). Unintentional injury, supervision, and discourses on childproofing devices. Medical Anthropology, 38(1), 15–29. This academic source investigates the social and medical issues regarding childproofing devices and their relationship to supervision and unintentional injuries. It highlights the complexity of preventing childhood accidents within modern parenting frameworks. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6342623/
Morris, C. (2017, March 17). Babyproofing: Should you do it? Today’s Parent. This source examines whether babyproofing is necessary and stresses that safety devices should not replace teaching children how to handle hazards like hot stoves or stairs. It suggests that education is a critical component of child safety. https://www.todaysparent.com/baby/baby-development/babyproofing-should-you-do-it/
Skenazy, L. (2008, November 16). Can you babyproof the world? Free-Range Kids. Skenazy argues against the “kiddie-safety industrial complex,” suggesting that many safety products are designed to profit from parental anxiety. She posits that “babyproofing the world” is impossible and that children must experience minor “ouchies” to learn how to navigate their environment safely. https://www.freerangekids.com/can-you-babyproof-the-world/
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. (Accessed Mar 7, 2026). Childproofing your home – Several safety devices to help protect your children from home hazards.
Summary: This guide outlines practical safety measures and devices, including furniture anchors, safety gates, and smoke alarms, to protect children from household hazards. It notes that safety devices are most effective when properly installed but are not entirely childproof. https://www.cpsc.gov/safety-education/safety-guides/kids-and-babies/Childproofing-Your-Home
All Things Early Intervention 