Kids crawl at home. If you have a toddler, sit on the floor at their height and then see the world around. Look for all sharp ends, corners, anything that can fall if pulled, and fragile objects. Your perspective to safety is about to change. A child who is truly at home in his house is likely to be much more pleasant. The first step in making a home child-friendly is commonsense baby-proofing done by almost all parents.
If something presents a hazard to the child, remove it or change it. Dangerous situations should not be object lessons or training grounds for obedience. There are many benefits to an environment where children are welcome. Among them are the likelihood that the child who is free to explore in his home will become more alert, self-sufficient, and content to play alone with Mom nearby than a child who is confined to a playpen or walker in order to restrain him from the “adult house.” The former child is supported by his environment not frustrated by it.
Many families hold off on decorating until their children are older, making do with ratty post-dorm furniture for years after its expiration date because, well, the kids crawl will just destroy anything else. But even the youngest children benefit from living amid beautiful objects; they grow to appreciate and respect them.
So go ahead and create a home the family can enjoy.
- Your kids crawl grows faster than you blink. Buy furniture that put to multiple uses. For example a crib that can be change to a sofa.
- When buying toy chests, avoid buying the ones with a vertically opening lid. Such an opening has a danger of having the lid fall onto your child when he or she reaches inside to get a toy.
- Look for storage furniture (such as bookcases, cabinets and chests of drawers) with a broad and stable base and not legs.
- Look at the furniture construction. Durable and rated to carry your child’s weight, size or age Test the furniture in the shop—e.g. pull out the top drawers of a chest of drawers and apply a little pressure to see how stable it is; make sure that the drawers do not fall out easily.
- Avoid furniture with rough or sharp edges. This is an obvious hazard to your child.
- If you can not avoid such, by corner or edge guards from Home Store and install it before letting your child use the piece of furniture.
- There is lot of furniture safety brackets available in the market. It is wise to invest in these. TV anchors, Furniture straps, Window Guardian Stopper, Toilet Locks, blunt corners and drawer locks are some of the examples.
- Pressure gates can easily become separated from the wall if a baby or toddler pushes on them. Make sure to use gates that come with screws and bolts at the top and bottom of the stairs.
- Children are always curious. They have climbed onto window ledges, pushed out window screens, and climbed over balcony railings. Placing furniture away from windows and balcony railings will help reduce the based your infant falling. Make sure to install window stops or guards on windows above the second stores.
- Store poisons in a cabinet that is high up and lock using a lock or latch that can not open by a child. Place all medications in a locked box and put it in a place that is high up and out of your child’s reach.
- Having some child-proof safety plugs will mean that younger guests can’t stick their fingers into plug sockets.
