Safety 1st Squad Childproofing Giveaway!

Last month I was contacted by Safety 1st Squad to see if I was interested in meeting with them to learn more about the benefits of professional childproofing.   The timing couldn’t have been better, as I have a newly crawling/exploring/ into everything baby, so I almost jumped through the computer yelling “YES PLEASE!”  Make sure to read the last paragraph below on how you can enter to win a free in-home consultation too!

So, they set up a meeting with Kimberlee Mitchell, childproofing expert, local OC mommy of two, and founder of Boo Boo Busters, which is now Safety 1st Squad to come to my home and give me a complimentary consultation.

Let’s face it, discussing safety hazards for your children and babies is not a pleasant topic as for most moms it is probably our biggest nightmare.  To  be honest, I was sort of nervous she would come into my home and point out death traps behind every corner.

However, I was pleasantly surprised because she was “so NOT scary!” and I told her so!  Kimberlee shared with me that their goal is to empower parents with education, not scare tactics, and every employee of theirs is trained accordingly.  Instead of walking away feeling scared, I left feeling MORE sure of my ability to keep my baby safe.

The professional difference.

I have babyproofed before, so this is not entirely new to me.  I have an almost 4 year old, and we did it ourselves the first time, sort of winging it as we went along.   This time around, with a baby AND an older sibling it is a whole new scenario.   Actually scarier to me , much scarier, now that big sis has toys that are not baby-friendly. It’s a way more vulnerable feeling.  As we walked though our home, she pointed out things I would have NEVER thought of. Not just for our baby, but for my oldest too.

With their service, they will walk through your home, point out potential hazards, suggest solutions and provide you with the option to purchase professional grade childproofing items. You can then DIY or hire them to install, you have the choice depending on your budget.

What’s the difference with professional products?  Well, with most things in life, you get what you pay for.  With a professional safety device (i.e. locks, latches, gates, etc.) you will get better longevity and usually a “prettier” more esthetically-pleasing product, but you will pay a little more.  Plus, with a professional install, you know it is done right!

Case in point, we bought this (pretty inexpensive) baby gate for my first baby. Hard to open, narrow opening, not convenient.   We used it for a LONG time, and here we are again, pulling it out of the garage for baby # 2.  So, seriously with two kids, there is probably 3 -4 YEARS of use involved.   And, I dislike it as much as I did the first go round!  I seriously wished we had forked out the money and gotten a professional gate from the get-go.   Here is Kimberlee talking about the difference of a professional quality baby gate (and demonstrating on mine!)

Kimberlee had so much to share with me and I learned so much, too much to share in one post, but if there was one important safety hazard I had to pick to share, it would have to be the potential dangers of  front loading washer/dryers.

Do you remember that story of the little girl who died not long ago in Mission Viejo in a front loading machine by accident? Click here to read the article. Horrendous, unfathomable story.   May this tragic loss be a wake up call to all of us, to get a latch and lock the front loaders ASAP.  This Safety 1st ProGrade Front-Load Washer/Dryer Lock is only $16.99.  I installed it the same day I met with Kimberlee.

Take away point, childproofing is much more than installing latches, gates and outlet guards. It’s about looking at your home with a new set of eyes and professional consultations are more affordable than you might think!   Let me tell you, the peace of mind you get after having a childproofing pro comb through your home for potential safety hazards is priceless!  You’d be surprised at what they find – better they find it instead of your baby!

Hooray! It’s a Tiny Giveaway!

Safety 1st Squad Professional Home Childproofing Service is giving away a FREE one hour in-home child safety consultation (a $75 value) to one lucky reader (contest open to Orange County and Los Angeles residents only.)

After the consultation, the winner will be presented with a detailed list of recommended safety devices to eliminate your home’s specific child safety hazards.  You will then have the option to take their expert advice and DIY (do-it-yourself to save some cash) – OR – you can Let the Safety Pros Take Charge and schedule Safety 1st Squad to return to your home for the professional installation at an additional cost, if desired.  Totally optional!

Here are the entry options, please leave a separate comment for each one!

1. Simply comment below and tell me one of your home safety concerns – 1 ENTRY

2. Visit Kimberlee’s Safety Blog and tell me something you learned! – 1 ENTRY

3. Follow @Safety1st_Squad on Twitter – 1 ENTRY

4. Follow @TinyOrangesOC on Twitter – 1 ENTRY

5. Subscribe to Tiny Oranges emails (top right column) – 1 ENTRY

And, to stay abreast of safety info, become a Fan of Safety 1st Squad on Facebook!

Good luck, contest will run all week, have your entries in by 5pm PST on 4/20/2010!

{Disclosure: I received the consultation free of charge and received a small amount of childproofing products as well including Safety 1st sliding outlet covers, toilet lock, front load washer/dryer lock, and a top of door lock.}