By now, I’m sure you have seen the video of the twins from Orem, Utah who were playing in their room and the dresser toppled over on one of the brothers. The other brother then successfully pulls it off of him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtsrIpeMIkE It’s pretty gut wrenching to watch the video as I think about my boys in the same situation. However, the video was uploaded to bring awareness for parents on why they should be securing heavy furniture to the wall. My boys have a similar dresser in their room, and I made sure that something like that wouldn’t happen to my boys. For me, the video was a success. However, what is some other furniture in our house that we overlook that may topple over on our little ones?Entertainment Centers
In our home, we have the classic black entertainment center from Ikea. It was very affordable and looks great in our home. Style points aside, this is a piece of furniture that should also be bolted to the wall. Last year, Ikea recalled dressers that were toppling over. I’m not saying there has been a similar issue with the entertainment centers from the same store, but it is better to err on the side of caution. I feel better knowing that it wont come crashing down if my son were to bounce into it.Bookshelves
Bookshelves can be similar in weight and height as dressers, so it would be a good idea to anchor them down. Especially if the book areas are close to where children will be playing. Of course, when you have a toddler, any area in the house becomes a play area, so it’s better to anchor all the bookshelves in the home, and not just the ones in the family room.Corner Display Cabinets
We don't have one of these at my home, but my parents do. I always get pretty nervous when my son plays with his cousin near this piece of furniture. They get pretty rowdy and anything could happen. These pieces of furniture can be long and heavy, and would be better if secured. Again, with baby proofing, you're planning for just about anything, even though nothing might happen.Grandfather Clocks
This one might be a bit of a stretch because they are so heavy and it takes a lot to even move them. However, as I started to write this, my paranoia started to sink in and I thought they should be added because this could be overlooked as something that would never fall over. As I previously mentioned before, it's better to be safe than sorry.Overview
Full disclosure, I am the worrying parent and I can get pretty paranoid of potential dangers for my children. Heavy furniture is something that can be a problem if it topples over and it's really something that can easily be overlooked. When we think of baby proofing, we think of keeping the cabinets closed and covering electrical sockets. Take some time today to look at what you have in your home and what could be secured to the wall. Your local hardware store will have all you need to keep heavy furniture in the upright position.