Baby proofing is such an important part of being the parent of a young child.  If you have a baby and haven't done it yet, you shouldn't waste another minute.  Before you know it your child is roaming around your home and if you are not prepared, so many things could go wrong.  Fortunately most home accidents are easily preventable.

If you get down on your hands and knees and really look around at the rooms in your home from your child's perspective, you can see so many accidents waiting to happen.  Cords dangle behind a computer desk, outlets are on every wall and are the perfect height for baby, door knobs open easily for your toddler, sharp corners on tables and bookshelves threaten to do a number on your little one's forehead,  and don't even get me started on those blind strings that hang down just waiting to be pulled on. 

I recommend buying an all-in-one childproofing kit like the Safety 1st Family Room Child-Proofing Kit - 46 Piece.  It has a variety of items to keep your child safe and to give you some peace of mind.  It is a great start, and I find that it has more than enough safety tools for a few rooms and not just the family room that the name refers to.

It comes with 24 outlet plugs, so right there you know you will get a few rooms out of the way.  There are also 2 swivel outlet covers and 2 double touch plug covers.  These are so important to have in your home because for some reason babies and toddlers are drawn to outlets.  They are at the perfect height  and size for curious little fingers and small enough for toys to be pushed into them.  Trust me when I say that having the electric shock fear out of your mind is a great feeling.

There are four blind cord wind-ups, a VCR lock, a power strip cover and cord shortener.  The blind cord wind-ups are a must have!  The stories I have heard about children and babies being strangled by these things stuck with me always.  I knew that I wouldn't be able to relax unless I eliminated that risk completely.

Now we come to my two favorite child safety products.  The kit comes with 3 door knob covers and 8 furniture corner cushions.  The door knob covers work great.  I have one on the inside of my daughter's bedroom door so I don't have to worry about her roaming around the house unattended while we sleep.  I also have one on each external door of my home so that she can't get out of the house.  A few nights of waking up to the sound of my toddler banging around by herself was enough to convince me.  The “what ifs” that ran through my mind were horrifying.

If you have ever spent any amount of time around children, you know that the world just seems to be set up to hit their little heads on every hard corner ever made.  It is absolute misery to watch your baby fall and hit their little face on a sharp corner of the coffee table while concentrating so hard on just standing up.  The corner cushions won't prevent this from happening, but they do indeed soften the blow.

The Safety 1st Family Room Child-Proofing Kit - 46 Piece is an amazing head start to making your home a safe place for your child to roam and explore without getting hurt.  I got my kit as a shower gift and was glad that someone had been so thoughtful.  I find that knowing my child is safe makes it a lot easier to let her learn and grow without hovering over her.  I cringe a little less knowing that she will be okay and so will you.