One of the most adorable things about children is the curiosity and keenness to know everything. The way they think is a mixture of fascination and unpredictability. It is also due to this very reason why they might sometimes unintentionally end up with a few battle wounds. Hence, the responsibility of keeping them safe should be our top priority.
As parents, the safety and well-being of our ward are always on our minds. We want to take every possible measure to protect them from any harm. The catch here is that this isn’t only be restricted to outside elements and factors, but it may very well start right at home.
Childproofing the home is a practice that is quickly gaining popularity. Even if you want to join the bandwagon, check out our list below that includes some essential pointers.
Protection against fire and shock
A child getting burnt or inhaling smoke is one of the most common child-related disasters that can be quite dangerous. For exactly this reason, you should also childproof your home against electrical shocks.
Keep your lighters and matches in places that are far out of the reach of your child. This should also include flammable liquids such as gasoline. Invest in a fire extinguisher while also installing smoke detectors around your house. This way, you will be able to prevent any fire-related mishaps.
Talking about shock proofing your home, whenever you are using hairstyling accessories such as curling irons or hairdryers, try to use these away from the prying eyes of your children to prevent arousing their curiosity. Again, don’t forget to unplug these appliances and keep them out of reach. If possible, conceal any exposed electrical outlets in your home. You also use outlet protectors or safety caps for this purpose.
Install safety gates and doorknob covers
Baby gates can be really handy to restrict the movement of your child which, in turn, will keep them protected from most of the accidents. Areas such as the top and bottom of your stairs, doorways, and any such similar areas could be appropriate for installing these safety gates.
At the same time, a doorknob cover can be a great device to keep your children away from rooms where they shouldn’t be entering without adult supervision. This can be the generator room or swimming pool and hence, is a wise investment. You can also put a doorknob cover on your bathroom handle as well.
Throwing away any potential choking hazards
Younger children have a tendency to put everything they see in their mouths – it is something that comes naturally to them and you really cannot do much about it. It’s the choking hazard here that becomes a problem. This is also why you need to be watchful of what goes into their mouths.
The first step to identifying the nearest hazard would be to inspect your kid’s toys. Generally, these toys have several small parts that can be easily unscrewed. Remove such toys from the reach of your child pronto. In addition to these, coins, crayons, and marbles can be potentially dangerous too.
Even food items such as popcorn, candies, raisins, and fruits can become a choking hazard. In addition to increasing your awareness, you should also warn other people who are trying to feed your child. Ask them to be vigilant whenever they are giving them any type of food.
Smart placement of furniture
As soon as you have a baby, you need to redesign your home to make it more baby-friendly. Firstly, keep your furniture like sofas and dining tables away from windows or any open space. This is an important adjustment because children can end up climbing the windows cell and then falling fatally. Another good tip would be to put corner and edge bumpers on your furniture.
Develop a timely replacement routine of your shades, blinds, and draperies. While this may sound like an unnecessary expense, it actually isn’t. Children can sometimes play with blind and draperies so they need to be fixed firmly. If you don’t, it puts them at a higher risk of getting injured.
Make your bathroom more child-friendly
As soon as a child enters the kitchen, every parent becomes hyper-aware. After all, there are many sharp objects that he or she can hurt himself. But, an equally important area that needs supervision in your home is the bathroom.
Toddlers nearly always enter the bathroom unsupervised. So, you need to keep an eye whenever they’re about to enter the bathroom.
Non-skid bath mats, keeping electric appliances unplugged and at a higher shelf, storing cosmetics and medicines in locked containers, and using toilet seat locks – are all useful tips for you to use.
Even during bathtime, always be careful and aware. Make sure that the water isn’t too hot that it can burn the delicate skin of your child. Please always be present whenever your baby is in the bathtub.
Avoiding any poisoning mishaps
As mentioned above, children tend to put random things in their mouth. This can include poisonous liquid and chemicals such as insecticides, rat killer poison, and bleach.
We would advise you to avoid storing such chemicals in your home and if you do, always store them in locked cabinets. This includes paint and medicines.
Though not many people are aware, even your garden or lawn may contain plants that might be poisonous. Hence, be aware of the plants inside your home and research to ensure that they aren’t potentially poisonous.
Takeaway thoughts
There, all done! You can use these tips to protect your child from the hidden and the not-so-hidden dangers lying around in your abode.
In short, you always need to be aware of your child’s wandering movements at all times. If you have a nanny, give her strict instructions asking her to never let the kid out of her line of sight.
Finally, here’s wishing you all the luck for childproofing!
Resources – Mum in the Mad House, Saint Luke’s
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