Baby, Schmaby!! The Wonderful World of Charlie Rose Lernout

Charlie can't crawl yet, but she is getting more mobile indeed (rolling on the floor) and really can't be left by herself in a room for long. Cooking dinner takes me twice as long nowadays, because I have to come check on Charlie in the living room every 2 minutes (alas! she doesn't like sitting in her bouncer with me in the kitchen anymore).

With all this in mind, I am beginning to think about baby-proofing our house, you know, just in case she develops a taste for power outlets, laundry detergent or Mik's extensive medicine collection.
I am a big believer in locking away anything breakable, chokable or toxic for Charlie. And naturally, I am not going to leave the patio door open for her to crawl outside and eat the plants or jump off the roof.

However...here are a few things I stumbled upon while looking up baby-proofing on the internet. Is it just me or are these products completely insane?

- Toilet Lock: I can imagine that this would be very inconvenient if someone in the family had a toilet emergency
- Gummi Crib Rail Cover: God forbid the baby would chew on their wooden crib! The horror!
- Child Safety Harness: Come on, people! The kid in the picture is at least 5 years old.
- Stranger Safety DVD: For parents who prefer to let the TV do the talking for them? This is perhaps the most depressing product in the list.
- For the extra paranoid parents, there are baby inspection and installation services available.


That's just the best of, if you will. The above list could go on and on. There is some crazy stuff out there, sold by clever baby-proofing manufacturers who specialize in scare tactic as a marketing tool. 

Am I delusional to think that Mik and I will keep Charlie from drowning in the toilet the old fashioned way by actually keeping an eye on her? Are we irresponsible parents for just holding her hand on the street instead of putting her on a leash?