Under Pressure

I’ve often wondered at the purpose of these safety gates. My brother once had one fitted between the kitchen and the lounge. The dog would simply jump over it, the youngest child could vault over it while the oldest child worked out how to open it and leave it open, making the whole thing utterly pointless. But why would you leave a little one unsupervised in a room anyway? I suppose if you’re tight on space they’re quite handy. You could take the door out and have a clear view in the next room if you’re doing another activity. Or perhaps they’re handy if the kids decide to go exploring and attempt to conquer the stairs. But when I was a toddler I fell from the top of the stairs all the way to the bottom and sat up laughing. Perhaps that’s why I don’t feel so caged up wherever I go.