Making sure your home is as child proof as possible is an important step that should be taken well before a baby begins to crawl. Once a child begins to walk, a safe and secure home becomes vital. Here’s a brief list of the areas of your home that need the most attention when it comes to child safety:
Check Your Furniture
Furniture should be the first place to receive your attention when child-proofing a home. Tall items that are prone to falling (bookshelves) should be anchored to walls, and lighter weight furniture should be carefully monitored to make sure it isn’t in a position to be pulled over by an inquisitive child.
Keep Electric Items out of Harms Way
Power cords and plugs can be a potential threat to a child if they are left hanging from tables or desks. A child could easily pull a hanging plug cord and be hit by an electrical item as it falls from the surface above. In addition, it’s important to make sure unused plug sockets are carefully covered. Make sure your child isn’t able to spill fluids over electrics or prod any electrical outlets.
Be Vigilant of Poisonous Substances
Many families store cleaning products in low cupboards, such as under the kitchen sink. This is a definite problem with inquisitive children. If you must store cleaning products in these easy to reach areas, make sure the doors are secured with child locks. Alcohol, medication, cosmetics and other poisons should also be kept well out of reach.
Take Care in The Kitchen
The kitchen poses a serious health hazard for a small child. Be extremely careful with cooking utensils and knives, and make sure these items, as well as hot or boiling pans, are kept well away from the kitchen counter’s edges.
Don’t Leave Stairs or Windows Unguarded
Always install gates at the top and bottom of your stairs. In addition, it’s important to check the dangers posed by upstairs or apartment windows. If there’s a chance a child could fit through a gap in an open window, be sure to fit guards there as well.
Remove Dangerous Blind Cords
Hanging blind cords and chains are a potential choke hazard for a small child, and at the very least should be tied well above head height. A better solution would be to fit child safety blinds, as www.regentsparkblinds.co.uk advise: “All new blinds should come with child safety features as standard, however, if your blinds are older, it’s easy, and potentially life saving, to retro fit them to existing blinds.”
Be Aware of the Dangers of Water
Most parents wouldn’t dream of leaving a child unattended in a bath or paddling pool, yet it’s vital to remain vigilant to other water hazards too. Toilets, pet water bowls and even toy buckets filled with water can pose threats to inquisitive children. In addition, boiling water is a huge hazard that should be kept as far away from an exploring child as possible.
Child-proofing your home can seem like a daunting and even over cautious approach, but it’s a vitally important part of child care that only requires a small amount of time and effort.
Wendy Lin is a mother, artist and entrepreneur. She is a huge advocate for women’s rights in the workplace, but says her job at home as a mother is top priority.