Childproofing Your Home
Whether you have small children, are thinking about starting a family, or have small grandkids
over to your house, childproofing your home should be at the forefront of your mind. Small children have the urge, desire, and imagination to explore their surroundings without knowing the consequences of their explorations. Keeping our kids safe should be our number one priority, and the following tips will prove useful in your quest for a safe home. Most solutions cost will cost you little or nothing at all...besides, what is more important than a safe home for all visitors?
over to your house, childproofing your home should be at the forefront of your mind. Small children have the urge, desire, and imagination to explore their surroundings without knowing the consequences of their explorations. Keeping our kids safe should be our number one priority, and the following tips will prove useful in your quest for a safe home. Most solutions cost will cost you little or nothing at all...besides, what is more important than a safe home for all visitors?
- Lock up all poisons, cleaning chemicals, and dangerous objects. Be sure to organize any clutter and keep it clean, including tools, office supplies, and kitchen utensils.
- Turn down the temperature of your water heater to 120 degrees. You will still be able to wash and sanitize dishes, launder clothing and bathe and get the same results as you did before. As an added bonus, you will also save money on your gas/electric bill due to the lower temp!
- Discuss emergency escape routes with everyone in your family. If you have a two story house, have emergency ladders in every bedroom to ensure a safe escape in case of fire. If you have a bedroom in the basement, seriously consider installing an egress window in that room so they too can escape during a fire. Be sure to discuss a place for everyone to meet at when the house is evacuated, and practice your escape routes and meeting places so everyone knows.
- Keep emergency numbers handy for all family members and visitors. The list of numbers should include emergency services (usually 911, but if it is not, list it), poison control, cell phone numbers for everyone in the household, work phone numbers for both parents, and an emergency contact in case you (parents) cannot be reached. This list will be especially handy for any caregivers (babysitters) that are in your home.
- Install smoke detectors on every level of your house, particularly in living room/family rooms, near bedrooms, and in stairwells. Also consider installing a carbon monoxide detector, as carbon monoxide is a leading silent killer in the home. They both can save your life!
- Replace outlet covers that small children can reach with protective covers. If you don't use the outlets, place small plastic outlet plugs in the receptacle to keep children protected from accidental shock.
- If you have a crib in your house, check the spacing of the bars. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends that spacing not exceed 2 3/8 inches. Be sure to visit http://www.cpsc.gov/ to get the specific safety information on any other items you are wondering about.
- Install childproof latches on drawers and cabinets, paying special attention to ones containing fragile or dangerous items.
- When your baby starts to crawl (since walking comes soon afterward!) install baby gates at the top and bottom of stairs, and at any rooms that you do not want your newly mobile baby to go. Also, if you are training a new pet, baby gates also come in handy for small pets in order to keep them out of unwanted areas.
- Pad any sharp furniture, counter edges, or anything else with a sharp edge. Tape down rugs or loose carpeting with carpet tape.
- Enclose any open deck railings with wire welded mesh. It is fairly inexpensive, and can be cut with tin snips. The mesh is easily nailed or stapled onto the railing and should be filed and sanded down to keep the little ones from cutting themselves on the edges. For the inside, use acrylic sheets stapled or nailed in the same manner
- If you have a swimming pool or hot tub, fence it in! The height of the fence should be a minimum of 4 feet high, and should have a self-latching gate.
- Check outdoor play equipment for any protruding bolts, loose nuts, sharp metal edges, and slippery surfaces. On the ground, install tree mulch (the bagged kind, seen in other landscaping), as it makes for a softer landing for kids when the fall.
We cannot by all means prevent every single situation a child may encounter in the home, but but following these tips, we can at least prevent some of the most common home injuries to children. By making our homes a safer place for children, in turn, we create a safer place for us, the adults, too.
