They say a mom never stops worrying about their children and we have good reason! The minute our kids are able to walk independently, we can feel constantly on edge about where they might get to, panic-stricken about every step and every corner of the home that could cause them injury or discomfort. It’s never easy but the best way you can put most of these fears to bed is with a temporary home makeover – child-proofing style!
Kitchen
The kitchen is brimming with potential hazards from the nasty chemicals under the sink cupboard to the perils of a hot stove. You can try and stop your child from entering the kitchen altogether with safety barriers, but if this isn’t possible, protect your little one’s wandering hands from the hob by fitting stovetop barriers. These can be found at Wal-Mart and most online DIY stores. These can also prevent spattering from grease and boiling water – a great all-rounder for safety and cleaning purposes!
Bathroom
First things first: always ensure the bathroom floor stays dry. Check for water spills after each use to prevent your child from slipping. Get a non-slip bath mat or rug for the floor (the larger the better so that if they do fall or trip, they have a relatively soft landing). Also, ensure any plug or socket outlets are covered with a protective casing and keep any electrical appliances such as hairdryers on a high shelf out of reach – or better still, keep this in your bedroom.
Front room/Hallway
Children love to run about and while this is a healthy and beneficial to their growth, it’s not so good for the times when they get carried away. Take precaution in wide open spaces throughout the house such as the living area or hallway by fitting corner padding to the walls and any place where sharp edges can be found.
Bedroom
In all bedrooms in the house, make sure any curtain or blind cords are tucked away safely at the top of the rail as these can be a choking hazard. Also, as with the hallway, you may want to consider fitting corner padding to sharp edges of bedroom furniture such as nightstands and chest corners.
Lastly – as this applies to all rooms in the house – limit the amount of wires and cords around the home. Use a cordless phone and a wireless radio if you can. Also, try setting up your home internet with a wireless connection to prevent an entanglement of Ethernet cables that your young child could easily chew or trip over.
For ultimate peace of mind, parents should take the ultimate precaution by installing safety hinges and locks around the house. A child’s curiosity can take them into dangerous places and because you can’t always be on the lookout for them 24/7, you might want to consider fitting safety hinges to windows, doors and stair gates to ensure your children stay secure at every turn.
