Keeping your kids safe is pretty much the number one priority for all parents. If it isn’t, you must be a fur mama because when a new baby comes into the picture, the lioness roars and it’s all about protecting the cubs. A new baby coming into the home gives you an entirely new perspective on your house. One minute, those cute ornaments that line the low mantelpiece with the beautiful fireplace are simply an addition to the décor. The next, those ornaments look like lethal weapons that are going to impale your child as they innocently walk by. It isn’t going to happen, but that’s just where the mind goes when you’re a parent. Children are naturally curious, which means that they will get into everything in the room that you don’t want them to.

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Safety is paramount when you have a child, and whether you want to baby proof your home from the moment the stick turns positive or you wait until they’re a little older. The last thing that you need is a trip to the doctor because your child has had an accident or managed to somehow get into the cupboard where you hold the bleach. The important thing is educating yourself on how to make your home the safest environment possible. Never wait until an accident happens before you make changes to your home to make it safe; there’s no use in closing the gate after the horse has bolted. There are hundreds of different safety gadgets out there on the market, but the one thing that you have that you can utilise with your children is your supervision. Keeping an eye on your kids 24/7 is not going to be possible, so the alternative is to ensure that they can be 100% safe away from your watchful eye. Once you arm yourself with the correct information, you can move swiftly through the steps to making your home as safe and comfortable as possible for your curious children. Check out our best tips below.

Preventing Falls

Climbing is a big no-no in your home, as the moment that they start to get up and moving, the couch and tables can look like amazing challenges. Discipline here is important, as the earlier that you instil in them that it’s not okay to climb up onto surfaces, the faster they will learn the dangers. Falls are one of the most common causes of household accidents, especially falls down the stairs. You can use safety gates on the doors to prevent children from accessing the stairways in the home, and you can add these foam corner protectors to the tables and edges of surfaces in your house. These won’t prevent falls at all, but they will cushion the blow if an injury occurs.

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Safe Doors & Windows

Doors are extremely important when it comes to safety. Think about it; doors of medicine cabinets, cupboards with cleaners and bleaches and even the doors to every room are a hazard for kids. You can invest in home cleaners that are free from harmful chemicals; find details at cleanhappens.com, but ultimately, you have to protect the cabinet from being raided. Using safety locks on the cupboards is going to go a long way to helping you keep those doors closed at all times. For large patio doors that are mostly glass, you need to stick on these glass stickers. Children can’t often tell if there is a glass door there, so the stickers can help to remind them to slow down and not go charging through the glass. For windows, keep blind cords tied up high – or simply avoid them all together – and ensure that every window, no matter the height, has a lock. There’s just no use in risking it, even if you believe the window cannot be reached.

Tiny Hands, Big Injuries

Little hands have the ability to get into areas that yours may not reach. Plug sockets are always a hazard for children, as their tiny fingers can get inside the openings. The thing is, a plug socket is not activated unless you open all the ports. Read here about why you shouldn’t use socket covers – despite them being on the market! Always be aware of things that can hurt little fingers; patio doors, hinges in rocking chairs, sharp pens and scissors – each of these things can hurt your child and while you won’t be able to prevent every single injury, your constant vigilance will make a difference.

Hot Water

Younger children are more likely to burn themselves than adults or older children, with most scalds on the skin caused by little children pulling a hot drink down on themselves. Obviously, the first thing that you should do to prevent this is to ensure that you keep boiling water or hot drinks away from little children. Never have pan handles sticking out when cooking – these are like little pieces of temptation to a curious child. It’s just not worth the risk. You can research how to treat scalds, but it’s preferable to avoid them altogether.

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Suffocation

The biggest fear for most parents? SIDS. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is a scary prospect for a new parent, but if you are following the right advice when it comes to a safe sleeping space, you can dramatically reduce the risks of SIDS happening. Always observe safe sleep rules, such as not putting the baby down to sleep unattended on a sofa, not allowing cats and other animals to sleep in the same cot as a baby and if you choose to co-sleep, following the guidelines for safe co-sleeping. Safety for your baby comes with you knowing everything that there is to know about the possible dangers and actively trying to prevent them.

Child safety doesn’t mean you need to be a helicopter parent. All it takes is a little management, and you’ll be able to rest easy that you’ve done all you can for your children.

See you next time!