[jillbee]

We just did the basic stuff: locked cleaning supplies, medicine, put a gate at the top of the stairs, fire extinguishers, smoke/CO detectors.

Honestly, though, you could go crazy with worry just looking at all the stuff they're trying to sell us at Lowe's to keep our little ones safe. Yes, I have heard horrible stories about freak accidents and I do worry about those things. But really, how can we constantly worry about every little thing? Anyone else remember The Undertoad in Garp?

Maybe, just maybe, some of this obsessive worry is misplaced anxiety about our little ones. The process of getting them home. The worry about other kids treating them well. Will he/she get into a good college? The prospect of someone breaking my kid's heart is just unbearable....it would be easier for me intellectually to focus on toilet seat locks...something that I can control. When in reality a greater and more likely danger to our kids is heart disease and type II diabetes. I can't ban Legos in the house until all kids are over the age of 5.

The basics of home safety is great, but more important is good supervison. Really though, we've all worked so hard to get our kids home I doubt any of us will actually quit holding them in their first five years! Okay, that said, it's late and past my bedtime...I am going to go check on my sleeping kids.

Paz,
Jill