A little dirt will not hurt a child. Some research suggests that a large majority of children have developed allergies due in large part to how sterile our homes have become. Not babyproofing the house requires that you be diligent, but children survived for centuries around open fireplaces, boiling water, and around fragile objects. Paying attention to your child and what they are "getting into" is important - distracted parents will miss the REAL safety issues.