One of the biggest concerns of parents is childproofing their home, especially once their children start to crawl and walk around the house. The safety of their child is their first priority, but parents can't tell where their children will crawl to or walk to next. One of the first things that parents should do is childproofing their home, and this should be done even before the birth of the baby.
However, childproofing your home can be tricky and complicated because you can accidentally miss some areas that may not be dangerous to you but it could cause harm to your child.
Childproof your home
Childproofing is not a task that can be completed in one day, it is a continuous process because the older your child gets, the more you see the potential danger in the corners of your home. Childproofing starts with the basic things like using the car seat properly, cleaning the nursery and making sure that there are no massive pillows or stuffed toys in their cribs to avoid suffocation or SIDS.
These are just the start because once your child grows up, the ways that you childproof your environment changes drastically. The first thing that you need to do as soon as you see your child crawl is to check every nook and cranny of your home. Here are some areas in your home that you need to pay attention to.
Corners and edges
Once your child starts to crawl and walk, childproofing the corners and the edges of your home should be the first thing that you do. It may not seem like a big deal to you, but the tables, window sills and fireplace hearths are very dangerous for children who are still learning how to walk around the house. You need to keep a close eye on them especially around those areas and make sure that you cushion the edges with corner bumpers.
Toilets
The one area in your home that is often overlooked is the toilet, but just because you forget about it, it does not mean that it should not be childproofed. Adults may know exactly what toilets are used for, but babies are not familiar with the dangers of toilets and how dirty they are. Children sometimes drop their toys and play with it like a mini pool. By using a plastic safety latch, you will not have to go through the process of cleaning your child up after playing with toilet water.
Storage areas
Putting alcohol, cleaning supplies, medications, antifreeze and other dangerous chemicals in cabinets and boxes are not enough to protect your child from finding it and putting it in his mouth. You will need a storage area that is properly locked and it should be in a place that you know your child can't reach or go to. High shelves do not work because children can climb on them and reach for the items, or worse high shelves can fall on them.
Stairs and doorways
One of the many fears of most parents is seeing their child fall down the stairs, this is why sturdy safety gates are a must. These safety gates should be installed at the top and at the bottom of the stairs to prevent your child from playing on the steps. The doorknobs should be covered with plastic covers because children may reach for them and hit their heads.
Outlets
Outlets are the most important part of your house that you should be childproofing. In fact, this should be the first on your list of areas to childproof. There are numerous reports of children getting electrocuted, and some of those accidents were fatal. You need to make sure that all of the sockets in your house have plastic covers on them, even those areas that you think your child can't reach.
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