Making Your Home a Safe Haven for Little Ones

Making Your Home a Safe Haven for Little Ones

All parents want to create a home that is a safe haven for their children. However, there can be a range of things in the home that can hurt children by accident, without parents even thinking about it. If you have a curious little explorer, then they may discover a potential hazard that you hadn’t even considered before.

The good news is that with some planning and preparation, you can prevent a lot of accidents and risks in the home. Whether you’re a new parent or have been parenting for a little while, we can all learn something. Here are some things to consider for a safer home. 

• Make sure cords and cables are secure and out of reach

There are a number of cords and cables that little ones can get their hands on, from the cable to the TV, to the cord of a roller blind. These things need to all be secured to the wall, so that they can’t be taken off and become a choking hazard or something that could get stuck around their neck. You can even get interior shutters now that don’t have cords, rather than ones that do, as a way to eliminate the risk that comes with it. Look in every room in the home to see what potential hazards there are with cords and cables.

• Keep hazardous items out of reach

There can be a lot of things in a home that can be dangerous when not used in the right way, from cleaning products to medicines. Of course, we still need to have these in the home, but they need to be kept out of reach of children. If you can’t place them at height, then having them in a locked cabinet is the best option. You don’t want to run the risk of anything being grabbed when it doesn’t need to be.

• Prevent falls from height

Little children, especially when they are learning to crawl and walk, will move from area to area and want to be on the move all the time. They won’t see any dangers, which is why parents need to have everything in place to prevent any accidents. Tall bookcases or wardrobes need to be secured to the wall. They can fall over easily on a little one if they climb up the first few shelves. You should also look to get baby gates for stairs, to avoid them going up the stairs when you’re not looking, or equally down the stairs if they have a fall on the landing. 

• Protect from heat sources

There are a number of heat sources in the home that can hurt a little one. From touching a fireplace to a hot radiator, to opening an oven or grabbing a kettle, there are a range of hazards to look out for. You can get covers for radiators, as well as for fireplaces, to keep them at a distance from flames or heat sources. Anything else, like kettles or matches needs to be kept out of reach.

Contributed Article.