Childproof: Home Safety Checklist

One of a growing number of "childproofing" videos on the market (next month we'll be reviewing Mr. Baby Proofer), Childproof: Home Safety Checklist is one of those semi-ozone productions where the people don't quite seem to know what they're doing. Narrated by stage actress Valerie Dalli and television personality Keith Brunson (who come across as precisely those professions), the tape opens with the hosts sitting comfortably talking to the camera. During the opening remarks, Mr. Brunson is holding an open copy of Barron's as if he's interrupting his scanning of the stock market prices to share his child safety knowledge with viewers--a prop which looks rather silly. On the plus side, the tape really does cover a lot--from the usual household appliances and poisons to detailed examinations of the backyard and the garage. But the format is so weird--the idea is to booby trap rooms and then let little kids with their "natural curiosity" get into things. Although viewers are assured that parents are standing just off-camera, there are a couple of shots that are just darn lucky (one kid gets his hand on the handle of a knife lying on a counter over his head). The otherworldly hosts and bizarre method of teaching, in our opinion, outweigh the loads of information on the tape (and even some of that is questionable--at the program's close one of the prevention tips discussed is watching children more closely at the end of the week since that's when they're more likely to have accidents. Huh?). Not recommended. (Available from: Promedion, P.O. Box 3551, Austin, TX 78764; (800) 365-5342; FAX (512) 282-9099.)