Introduction
Childproofing your home does not have to involve a lot of expenses nor do you need to hire a professional. You can do most of the childproofing around your house yourself if you have an idea of what you are looking for and what sorts of dangers are present.
Instructions
Below are some very basic starter ideas for what you should be keeping in mind as you childproof your home. In some cases it is simply in the child’s best interest to ban them from certain rooms by closing and locking the doors. Also, do not forget the areas of your house such as stairwells and places outside that could be dangerous.
Step by step guide to childproofing your home
1.Evaluate the safety of each room – Go through each room of your house and evaluate the safety therein. Ask yourself if you need only to do a few things to make a given room childproof or if you would rather your child not enter that room at all. It is ok to have certain rooms in your home as areas where no children are allowed. Just make sure that there is a locking system in place or a cover over the door knob that prevents children form opening the door.
2.Outlet covers – Outlet covers are simple to install and incredibly effective in preventing the harmful effects of having your child wedge something into the electrical socket. Make sure that every time you use the outlet you replace the protective cover.
3.Cabinet locks – Cabinet locks are a little bit more difficult to install then are outlet covers but there effectiveness is undeniable. Cabinet locks and latches can be fitted for both cabinets and draws and keep children out of cabinets where there could be harmful chemicals, sharp objects, heavy pots, etc. There are also locks that can be purchased for the dishwasher, trash compactor, oven and toilet.
4.Sharp corners – If you have tables or counters that are low enough to hurt your kids if they were to run into them you may consider buying padded corner covers. These covers can be a little more expensive but if there is the danger of a corner in a high traffic area, this safety tool is well worth the investment.
5.Water dangers – Tubs, sinks, toilets and buckets of water are all dangerous for children as it only takes about an inch of water for them to drown in.
6.Look out below! – Check around your house for things such as pot handles and tablecloths that could be pulled on by your kids. With items such as these a swift tug could mean having plates, sharp utensils, hot objects, etc. fall on your child.
7.Take a hands and knees tour – If you have childproofed all the areas of your house that you can think of, take a hands and knees your of your house to make sure that you did not forget any areas. Measure how high your child can reach and make sure that everything below that level is either safe to play with or securely locked away. You may be surprised with the hidden dangers that you may find when you look at your home from your child’s perspective.
Other tips
As you start the process of childproofing your home, plan ahead so that you can have some time to really evaluate the safety of your home and the effectiveness of the safety measures that you are using. Some children can “outsmart” childproofing tools. Others find new dangers that you were not even aware of. Watch your children and adapt your childproofing methods when you need to.
Parenting viewpoints from parents in the trenches, because parenting doesn’t come with a manual. In addition to