Child Safety Knowledge

When your baby is old enough to roam your home, you will need to begin the child-proofing process! Parents are not generally aware of the many dangerous things that babies can get their hands on, so remember to think of the little ones when designing the look and function of every room.

If there is a room that you don't want your children to enter, set up a gate to guide their explorations elsewhere. Gates are also perfect at the bottom and the top of stairways.

Replace tables and coffee tables that have sharp corners, or purchase some corner protectors. Rounded corners will prove to be much less harmful when bumps and bruises occur.

Be careful about what you throw away in every garbage can. Razors, sharp metal edges on cans, cleaning supplies, and leftover medicine are all common dangers.

Always be aware of where your medicines are stored - in a purse, a nightstand, or kitchen counter, for example - because the will of a toddler to get to something can be outstanding. Always store your medicine in a child-proof container.

Secure all bookshelves to the walls and ceiling because they are extremely tempting to climb.

Teach your children that the stove is hot and is not to be touched unless under adult supervision. While cooking, turn handles toward the back of the stove to keep curious kids' hands away. Also inform kids that steam equals a hot temperature.

Keep kids from being underfoot while you are cooking. Dangerous spills will be less likely to occur if you can't trip over the kids, and access to sharp kitchen utensils will be reduced.

Be aware of what is in your dishwasher. Glass items and sharp knives are much closer to a child's level in this location.

Lock up your cleaning supplies! Safety devices like door catches are available at many retail stores.

Never store anything that is potentially poisonous in anything other than its original container. (For example, hot grease in a peanut can or used motor oil in a coke bottle. You'd be surprised.)

Lower the temperature of your hot water heater until you are comfortably able to place your hand under the faucet while running hot tap water only. Consider asking grandparents and other caretakers to do the same.

Never leave plugged-in electrical cords hanging over the counter. Whether it is a mixer or a hairdryer on the other end, the result could be awful.

Have your home inspected for lead paint, or learn how to do that yourself. Children are willing to put anything in their mouths.

Consistently check your floors for splinters, pins, or other sharp objects. Remove choking hazards, breakables and valuables from all reachable places.

Because bathrooms are dangerous, place a hook and eye latch at the top of the bathroom door. Ensure that everyone in the house always uses this.

Never leave little ones unattended during bath time, and use acute judgment when letting older siblings watch them while in the tub, even if only for a minute.

Use bath mats or textured decals to stick to the bottom of the tub to reduce slipping.
Great idea: Distract your toddler with some clever pre-planning. Fill a lower bureau drawer with old clothes, toys, wooden spoons, and other interesting items. Your child will love discovering this treasure trove of new and wonderful things and will be occupied for hours.

And don't forget to protect your own treasured items from sticky little hands. Shelve your favorite books higher, and find slipcovers for your expensive furniture. Think ahead to moments when you will want your toddler to stay away from something and be creative with your solution. It will save you and your toddler the stress of keeping him or her away from various rooms and items.

To ensure that you have caught all of the baby dangers in your home, try getting down to your little one's level. By getting down on your hands and knees and inspecting what they see from their height, you may be able to ward off various hazards here and there.

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