Simple, Easy to Follow to Steps to Child Proofing your Home

At first thought, child proofing can seem like a daunting task. The truth is that you can do it yourself, take your time doing it and ensure that your child is constantly protected in your home by following a few, simple ideas.
The first thing to understand is that every home and every child is different. Depending on the curiosity and level of exploration your child is prone to makes a statement on how and where to protect your child. Some parents have never had a climbing toddler that scaled book shelves or tried to climb out windows and therefore their child proofing efforts could be less thorough. Other parents have children that seem to be daredevils from birth and no place is safe from their child’s temptation and energy. Before you begin, take a realistic look at not only your home but your child’s personality and tendencies as well. The first things that throw up a red flag in your mind as hazardous should be the first places you child proof.

Understanding Child Proofing Basics

Certain things – no matter what kind of home or child you have should be no-brainers. You must have smoke detectors throughout your home. You must cover all electrical outlets whether they are low lying or not to be sure your child does not inadvertently shock themselves. You also must make sure that chemicals (cleaning supplies, cosmetics) medications and other poisonous items are out of reach and preferably out of sight. No parent should rely on their child’s ability to listen to the word “NO” in regard to toxic substances. The other huge hazard to children is water. The bathroom should be thoroughly childproofed. Start with setting the water heater at 120 degrees to ensure no one is accidentally scalded. Many parents also overlook the hazard of young children wandering out of the front door. Installing safety locks up high can ensure that your child doesn’t quickly learn to let themselves out while you are using the bathroom. Remember, it only takes a matter of seconds for a child to be seriously injured or even killed in the home.

Beyond the Basics – Childproofing Necessities

Once the basics are covered and you see how much more relaxed you feel, you will probably want to continue childproofing your home. Start with heavy and bulky furniture that poses a tipping hazard. TV’s, VCR’s, DVD players and stereos are always areas of interest for kids. Remove electrical cords so that your child will not pull on them or even worse put them in their mouth. (Yes, that happens all the time) Implement the use of safety gates to make areas of the home unsuitable off limits. If you have younger children, baby monitors are a great way to listen in on their activities even if they are playing with friends in their room. Every year thousands o f children are seriously hurt in their own kitchens. Remove hot spots, cover stove knobs to ensure they can’t turn on the stove; move small appliances away from kids reach and keep sharp items and breakable wares out of cabinets that kids can reach. The easiest thing to do is install cabinet and drawer locks.
Child proofing is not about restricting your child. If you have to extra child proof your home it does not mean that you kids are out of control of extra rambunctious. Child proofing enables kids to remain within boundaries, have fun and stay safe. The biggest childproofing measure you can take is to always ensure that your kids are properly supervised.