It’s such an exciting time welcoming your baby into your home. And if your toddler is already running around in the house your days are filled with smiles about his or her antics. And most probably you’ve spent hours preparing the baby room to be just right for them. But what about the rest of the house, is it Child-Safe Home?
Unfortunately, a large percentage of injuries happen right at home. And truthfully many of them can be prevented with a few upgrades like new garage roller doors Melbourne vendors can install within a day or a change of mindset about your child and how you manage your days.
Don’t you want some more peace of mind about your kid’s safety? Here’s what you need to do for a child-safe home.
1. Don’t Underestimate Possible Risks
We don’t mean to make any parent paranoid about your child-safe home ’s interior, but a quick survey can help you prevent unnecessary accidents. Do a walk-through and see where there’s any possibility of your child getting hurt or a smart toddler coming up with a plan to do something risky, just because they can. For example:
- Your windows do require locks even if there are screens up. While screens are helpful in keeping out bugs, they’re not designed to withstand the pressure of a small child pushing against it.
- Secure all types of doors in the home, from bathroom cabinets to kitchen cupboards—especially if what’s inside will pose a risk. And don’t forget the toilet lid!
- Any furniture or feature that has a sharp corner or edge needs attention. You can either block off that area of the room so your child can’t reach it or use childproofing products like rubber covers for table corners.
Some risks may not be obvious, so try and think like a curious child bent on discovering as much as possible about the world around him or her.
2. Don’t Underestimate Your Child’s Abilities
So, we’re asking you to get inside your child’s mind in order to create safe spaces. Part of that is not to underestimate their thought patterns. Even though they’re still learning, be sure that they have very creative minds.
For example, almost anything will serve as a step for them, so remove all objects they can clamber onto to reach a high shelf or the kitchen counter. Whether it’s a potted plant or a piece of luggage you haven’t put in storage yet, they’ll try and use it on their expeditions of discovery in the home.
Also, as you probably have seen, their development can happen at an astounding pace. So, what they’re still incapable of doing today—such as crawling or climbing—may be very easy tomorrow.
Do some research about their developmental milestones so you know what to prepare for.
3. Control Movements
The answer here isn’t necessarily to prevent your baby from moving, such as placing them in swings or chairs that keep them in one place. As part of your child’s development experts will tell you that they should be allowed to move about and experience their environment. But controlling where they move is important for safety.
One way to prevent your crawling or walking baby from reaching hazardous spaces is to block their access. This is where products like baby gates come in handy. By simply preventing access to the kitchen, you’re already avoiding many accidents, without going to too much trouble.
Baby gates are indispensable at helping control your child’s movement. While your baby is still young, you might want to start adding guardrails to certain areas in your property, like your deck, porch, stairs (if they don’t have them yet), and other elevated features. Your baby will grow, learn to walk, and want to explore later. Now’s the right time to build a safer home environment for them.
4. Upgrade for Safety
Making child-safe home safer may cost you a few dollars, but safety is priceless. Especially if you have an older property, it may be time to upgrade some features.
For example, a new set of garage doors that’s guaranteed not to close on children or pets is valuable. Make it even safer with features like garage roller doors you can only open by entering a specific code. Since your child doesn’t know the code, they can’t accidentally lock themselves in or out.
You can also upgrade kitchen appliances such as a water dispenser. Purchase ones with child locks so the kids stay safe even if you’re busy elsewhere.
5. Be Present
Of course you can’t be there 24/7 and you can only do you best. But when it’s your turn to keep an eye, try to not be distracted by your phone or work.
Digital devices tend to capture our attention in such a way that we forget about time passing. Getting engrossed in a YouTube video or a discussion with a colleague could see minutes pass by and before you know it your baby has crawled to the edge of the pool. And multitasking can also prevent you from realising what your toddler is up to. Rather focus on one thing at a time and you’ll see you’ll get that work done faster during your child’s nap time, because you can give it your all.
6. Last Tip: Complete Those Tasks You’ve Been Putting Off for Years
Having a child can even be your excuse to get your house set up the way you want it to. If you haven’t mounted the TV or covered the fireplace yet, just because you’ve been busy, now is the time to do it.
So, safety improvements are to the benefit of everyone in a child-safe home! It’s time!
