Free-Range Quads

Well, the kids finally won their battle against the gate a couple of weeks ago, so we have bid it farewell. Now they have free roam of the house (except for the rooms which are all kept closed off and doorknob-covered). It has been an adjustment, but nothing too awful. The only real change has been that I tend to leave them strapped in their chairs while I clean the kitchen floor after a meal, instead of letting them loose in the playroom. They don't like it much, but that's too bad!

No more gate!

Some of you expressed an interest in knowing more about the gate itself. Here's a pic of it brand-new, and you can click here to read the post about when we first installed it.

It is called the Sure and Secure Custom-Fit Gate. We needed a gate that would span the wide distance of the doorway between the playroom and the kitchen. We also needed one that was adjustable shape-wise to allow the jumpers we were using at the time to stay in the doorway as well. This is the one we ended up with. Jim found it at Babies R Us. It served us well and lasted just over a year.

It was certainly a handy thing to have when I needed to confine all the children to a safe space. And I know it was nice anytime we left the kids in someone else's care that they could contain the kids in one spot and not be constantly chasing down the ones who had run off. But I have to say, it sure is nice not to have to go through the gate every time I need to get to the washer/dryer or garbage can, all of which were housed in the laundry room on the playroom side of the gate!