This TikTok mom explains why she hopes others can babyproof their homes before her toddler comes over
Chasing around a toddler every waking second of the day is exhausting, especially when you’re in spaces that are not inherently babyproofed. The experience is draining for parents, as one mom on TikTok discussed in a recent clip on the viral video app.
The TikToker acknowledged that her thoughts might be controversial, prefacing her post by stating she’s either going to sound either extremely relatable or rude. She then continued:
“If you make a big stink about us coming to your house and bringing our toddler and bringing all the stuff and traveling all the way to get to you and we are there, we show up and we are happy to be there, please for the love of God, if you didn’t even try to babyproof that place…” she continued. “There is nothing worse than showing up at a family member’s house and there’s glass this, porcelain this, plants this, special books, special picture frames, just everything all of a sudden is made of glass, and then people are surprised when you like, only stay for 20 minutes because your toddler is like running around reeking literal havoc like he’s got a glass figurine in one hand and like a handful of dirt in the other.”
She offered up a practical solution, inviting people to instead come to her house, which is more safely babyproofed than others’ might be. “We would love to have you over. Please don’t make us come to your house and just wrestle our alligator the entire time.”
Fellow TikTok users were pretty divided in the comments section about whether parents should expect others to partake in light babyproofing of their homes in advance of their arrival. “I have a toddler, I don’t expect people to change their homes to accommodate my child,” wrote one person. “This gives ‘put your pets away when you have visitors’ vibes.”
Other commenters tried to clarify, with one person writing: “she doesn’t mean bumper edge and attach everything. she means… move the vase off the bottom shelf and scoot the knife block back.” Another added: “She’s not talking about a normal friends house guys. She’s talking about going to your mother-in-law’s house and your toddler literally can’t exist.”
“It’s so exhausting “don’t touch, don’t touch, don’t touch” and then your toddler has a meltdown because they basically can’t breathe,” wrote one person. Another said: “If small kids are coming over I’m moving everything glass on my whatnot stand to the top shelf. Guess I’m just CONSIDERATE.”
In response to the backlash, she posted several follow-up videos intending to “clear a couple things up for all the people that are so mad.” She explained that she has these expectations for family, not friends, who would like to see her toddler in their homes. “It is however perfectly reasonable for me to ask my grandma to move the giant jar of marbles off the coffee table if she really wants our 18-month-old to come over and visit her.” She also thinks accommodating your home for guests should be the norm, whether they have food allergies or concerns about your pets. She noted that she’s just emphasizing “kindness” when it comes to those around us, especially children.
