I’ve never been a big believer in child-proofing your entire home.

I never grew up with a window that only opened 3 inches, or with stove knobs removed or with our TV set mounted for safety purposes.  I just got yelled at a lot if I touched things I wasn’t supposed to and got the ol’ “I told you so” if I got hurt when I didn’t listen.

Although my hubby and I did put rubber bands around the knobs of the doors under the kitchen and bathroom sinks, that was pretty much the extent of our efforts.

As always, you can learn from my mistakes…

The unforeseen and yet completely obvious potential hazard…..the table edge.

Goodness it’s gifted many a child with a gaping head wound!

Case in point, last night.  We had dear friends and their 2 children over for dinner.  After the kids were done eating and had been excused, we adults continued chatting around the dining room table, happy to let them entertain themselves. We heard laughter, some running (to which we yelled for them to”walk in the house”) and then a giant THUD.  This was followed by a mild shriek and loud gasp, resulting in all the adults trying to run down the narrow hallway at the same time, squeezed together as they tried to get ahead of each other. Sure enough, their 9 yr old son had a good-sized gash in the back of his head from slamming into the corner of the coffee table.

Ouch.

This is the first time we’ve had anything like that happen here.  But, it’s not the first we hear of this type of table edge/corner head injury.

Just for fun, next time you think of it, bring up this subject around family or friends.  Almost everyone present will have either experienced this first-hand (themselves or their loved ones will have knocked their noggin on the edge of a table) or know someone who has.

You can absolutely train your kids to avert the dangers in a household.

I just think that although you cannot shield them from every possible danger, with this one you need to try.  It happens too frequently…Almost 150,000 kids per year under the age of 5 visit the ER for injuries related to tables, according to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Last night may have been a first for us, but I’m definitely making it the last.  I’m thinking I’d like to avoid a visit from Massive Head Wound Harry and I’m looking into buying bumpers…