Give it Away Friday: Safe to Grow Chair Locks

If you are one, you know it.  You know what I mean.  You can't leave the room, even for a minute.  You can't turn your back.  You can't even THINK about closing your eyes!

Hi, my name is Elizabeth, and I'm mommy to a climber.

I must have been lucky with Little Lou and Bugsy.  Neither of them were climbers, and I'll admit that I secretly couldn't believe the things that "those moms" let their kids do!  And then Stinky started walking (at 15 months).  He wasn't a super great walker at first - none of them are - so I didn't worry too much about where I'd find him.  He wasn't fast.  And then one day, when he'd been walking about a week (a WEEK!) I came out of the bathroom and found him standing on the computer desk, one foot on the monitor.  EEEEEK!  I removed him, and a day or so later, I accidentally turned my back on him for 4 seconds and found him standing on the kitchen table!  A few days later, he'd pushed a chair over and was standing on the kitchen counter!  

We had a huge problem.  Stinky had grown fond of the kitchen chairs, knowing he could scoot them around to get where he wanted to be.  I began searching for a solution.  There HAD to be something out there that would keep my curious little fellow off the table, right?  I am SO grateful to Danielle from Happenings of the Harper Household for finding Safe To Grow chair locks!

The Scoop 

Safe to Grow chair locks were created by a mom and dad team who were concerned about the statistically high number of kitchen injuries.  They sought to create a product that would make the kitchen as safer place by preventing chairs from being moved to be used as a climbing platform.  Their successful invention is the patent-pending Chair Lock, which secures to the table and chairs!

Since we have 6 kitchen chairs, Safe to Grow sent me two sets of chair locks to review!

The Good

Security.  With the Safe to Grow chair locks, I know that Stinky can't climb onto the table!  I feel so much more secure knowing that (as long as we remember to lock the chairs) he won't be able to get our drinks, ruin our paperwork...or stand on the table!  He can't push the chairs to the counter, so I know I won't find him standing on the counter tops anymore.

 Stinky was really confused about the chairs when I first secured them to the table.  Hooray for the Safe to Grow chair locks keeping him off the table!

Installation.  I was a bit confused at first about how to attach the straps to the chairs.  I tried and tried and then kind of gave up, telling myself I'd contact Safe to Grow later and see if they could help.  They did help!  The referred me to the video on their website, which showed me exactly how to do it.  Once I had successfully installed one lock, the others were easy and fast!

Training.  I'm SURE we're the only family that would ever have this problem, but sometimes we forget to lock our chairs when we stand up.  You would think that Stinky would immediately climb onto the unlocked chairs.  He did that at first.  But he's starting to learn that he's not allowed to sit at the table without "permission" right now, so he comes and gets me and "asks" it he can sit in the chairs!  I love that he's learning that the chairs and table aren't a safe place to play!

Maybe it's because of this.  He learned very early on that when the chairs are secured to the table, you really shouldn't climb onto them!  This was the only time he did this.  He was not injured in any way, just mad.  I'm so glad he was stuck under the table rather than on top!

The Bad

The tape.  The locks secure to the table with sticky 3M tape.  It's not a big deal to me, but The Hubby isn't thrilled with having tape stuck to the table, even though it's on the underside.  I don't know how else they could be secured, though, and I am so much happier knowing that Stinky can't climb on the table that the tape seems like a minor issue to me.

Detachment.  Stinky quickly figured out that one of the tapes didn't stick as well as the others, and he has, on occasion, pulled that chair loose on one side.  It's difficult for him to do, though, and we get to him before he can get onto the table.  If you have a table that doesn't have a polished underside, I don't think this will be an issue.  Safe to Grow is also working on a solution to this "problem."

The Outcome

I love the Safe to Grow chair locks!  I think that the only real flaw is that the tape isn't quite strong enough, at least in situations where the underside of the table is finished.  But I am so happy that Stinky is safe and I don't have to worry as much!  I would definitely recommend Safe to Grow chair locks to anyone who has a toddler!  (Find a list of retailers here.)

 Stinky doesn't like the locks.  They make him really mad.  He knows there's super cool stuff up there on the table!

The Giveaway

Safe to Grow has VERY generously agreed to send a set of chair locks - enough for 4 chairs - to each of FOUR of my readers!  They are very concerned about kitchen safety and would love to help you keep yours injury-free!

I was given this product at no cost in order to facilitate a review.  I was not compensated in any other way.  All opinions are strictly my own.