The Parenting Journal
Baby Registry Must Haves 2026: The Safety-Focused Gift Guide
Every parent building a registry faces the same quiet panic: the lists are infinite, the opinions are loud, and nobody tells you which items matter for your baby’s safety versus which ones are just clever marketing. This guide focuses on...
How Long Should You Keep Outlet Covers Installed?
From 1991 to 2001, more than 24,000 children under 10 were treated in U.S. emergency rooms for electrical outlet injuries, about 7 a day (Electrical Safety Foundation International, citing CPSC data). Many parents assume the risk doesn’t apply to their...
Outdoor Play Equipment Safety: Swings Slides and Sandboxes for Toddlers
Every summer, I watch parents at the neighborhood park do the same thing: they settle onto a bench, pull out their phones, and assume the equipment is safe because it’s there. It isn’t always. For toddlers specifically, the gap between...
Small Parts and Choking Hazards: Organizing Toys by Age in the Playroom
You turn around for thirty seconds and your toddler is sitting happily on the playroom floor, mouthing something that belongs to her older sibling’s building set. No crying, no choking, just a small plastic piece disappearing behind curious lips while...
How to Baby Proof Electrical Outlets in Older Homes
The outlet in my living room was about eight inches off the floor. I didn’t notice until my older daughter started pulling herself up to stand, at which point that little two-slot receptacle was exactly at eye level for a...
Car Seat Safety by Age: Rear-Facing Forward-Facing and Booster Guide
Car crashes are a leading cause of death for children in the United States. The car seat your child sits in, and whether it fits them correctly for their age and size, is one of the most consequential safety decisions...
Baby Proofing for Families Who Co-Parent in Two Homes
Children don’t experience a "transition period" when they move between homes. They just arrive, curious and fast, in a space that may or may not be ready for them. Co-parenting across two households is already logistically complex. Add a mobile...
Teaching Toddlers Stair Safety: When and How to Practice
Roughly one child every six minutes is treated for a stair-related injury in a U.S. emergency room (Nationwide Children’s Hospital analysis of CPSC NEISS data, 1999–2008). Stairs are everywhere. And at some point, your toddler is going to want to...
Baby Proofing for Parents Who Travel for Work
For parents who travel regularly for work, one of the heaviest parts of the mental load is knowing your child is spending time in a home you can’t fully control. The good news: you can control more than you think....










