Parenting is difficult, especially when you have younger kids like toddlers or even babies around. Not only do you have to keep track of their needs by the minute, but you also have to make sure that they’re safe from any potential hazards, both outside and at home. While many expectant parents might think that the home is the safest place for a child, this isn’t necessarily true. In fact, accidents are one of the leading causes of injuries and even deaths among children in the United States, with about 9.2 million people, aged 0-19, sent to the emergency room for treatment and 12,000 people dying due to unintentional injuries every year.
This is because houses contain different objects that can easily become a hazard for children, such as electrical sockets, the sharp ends of furniture, medicine, hot items, laundry products, and any items that could fall on a child or even suffocate them. And even if you keep a watchful eye on your kids, you never know when accidents can happen. With this in mind, parents need to keep their children safe at home, no matter how smart or aware of his or her surroundings may be.
Fortunately, there are ways we can protect our children from getting into these kinds of accidents. Add these to your next DIY home project and not only will you keep your children from going into places they shouldn’t be, but you’ll do so without sacrificing your house’s design.
Locks and Latches
One of the first rooms new parents need to childproof is the kitchen. Children love playing with things that open and close, such as doors and cabinets. While the first thing you might worry about is your child getting his or her fingers pinched by doors and drawers, you should worry more about them getting to what’s behind the doors or inside the drawers. Kitchens are the home of a variety of tools that, while helpful with cooking, is an accident waiting to happen.
Prevent your precious one from getting their hands on any kitchen tools like knives, peelers, or graters with the help of a cabinet latch. One of the most common types of cabinet locks, they help keep your cabinets closed off from the hands of your toddler or baby and need to be pressed down to unlock the drawer or cabinet doors. If you’re worried about how it might look, cabinet or drawer latches are invisible from the outside, so you won’t need to worry about making your guests feel uncomfortable with the number of locks you use on your kitchen cabinets.
Door Knob Covers
Aside from the possibility of getting those little fingers stuck or pinched, doors to certain rooms can be a hazard if they lead to certain rooms like the garage, or if they lead to a staircase. If you’re not careful, your child could end up opening the door, falling down the stairs, and injuring himself or herself in the process. While locking them before and after your leave may seem like a good idea at first, there are times when you may forget to do so. Instead of locking and unlocking them over and over again, use a doorknob cover that will make certain rooms inaccessible without your permission.
Gates and Fences
Gates and fences are some of the most common ways to keep your children away from certain rooms and areas that could pose danger to them. For instance, without a gate, your baby may crawl up or down the stairs, miss a step, and accidentally fall down the stairs and get injured. To avoid this, you can set up baby gates in certain areas that could pose a threat to your little one.
If you have a pool at home or have been planning to have one added to your next home renovation, this can also be potentially dangerous for your child, especially at times when you may not be keeping an eye on them. For toddlers who have outgrown the baby fence, adding a black pool fence made of aluminum will not only give your backyard a sleek vibe but will also protect your children from running into the pool when you’re not looking.
Corner Protectors
If you’ve ever hit your side against the sharp edge of a table, you’ll understand just how much it hurts for a full-grown adult. For children, on the other hand, may accidentally bump their heads against the kitchen island, coffee table, or other pieces of furniture. Some furniture is designed to have sharp features, and while this can be a great addition to your home, your child may end up poking his or her eye out if he or she were to trip while walking or running.
Outlet Covers
Kids love to put things inside containers and boxes, among other things, which is why electrical sockets tend to interest them. The idea of plugging something into the wall is fascinating to them, and it may lead to them trying to put different things into the plug socket, which may lead to a disaster for both your child and your home. Consider installing self-closing outlet covers which are not only safe for your children but are also easier to use and are more secure compared to push plugs and other electrical outlet protection alternatives.
Not only that, but you also won’t have to worry about anything tacky sticking out of your electrical sockets, since the mechanism of the cover is inside the socket rather than outside it.
At a time when people are renovating their homes to make them more stylish and to accommodate their specific needs, families with children also need to keep childproofing in mind when renovating or remodeling a home. It’s important that your home is secure enough that your child can explore on his or her own without the risk of being injured. Doing so will not only help keep your children safe at times when your eyes aren’t on them, but you’ll slowly be introducing the concept of safety that you can teach them when they’re a little older.
