Whether your baby is starting to crawl or you have young nieces, nephews or grandchildren who visit often, you quickly realize how many household items can actually be quite dangerous. That glass coffee table in the living room begins to look like an accident waiting to happen, and suddenly you notice how many harsh cleaning products are stored in low cabinets within a toddler's reach.
Install Extra Latch for Doors
As soon as kids are tall enough, they quickly learn how to open doors and nothing looks quite as attractive as exploring the yard outside. Quash a potential flight risk by installing an additional latch high out of reach on all exterior doors. A slide lock is sufficient and affordable. You can find them at your local hardware store for just under $10.
Fix Cords in Place
Television areas and workstations can be a mess of disordered electrical cords and prove a threat to little ones who could easily get tangled up and accidentally strangled by the cords. Instead, wrangle all television cords and computer cables with zip ties or Velcro straps to create a congenial, neat bundle. Keep lamp cords and cords from other items protected by securely affixing them to the base of the wall or floor with electrical tape.
Install Home Security
No matter how safe you think your neighborhood is, home security systems can make them safer. According to the Washington Post, homes with alarm systems are three times less likely to be broken into than houses without security systems. Turn on the entry and exit alert feature to be alerted by a chime whenever an exterior door in the house opens or closes. Another important point to make, not only should parents be careful with what is on the other side of the door when someone comes knocking, it's essential to have a family security plan to teach our children to be safe. Intruders will disguise themselves as law enforcement agents, delivery staff, and so on.
Toxic Houseplants
An alarming number of common houseplants are poisonous. According to professionals at the University of Nebraska, plants are the third culprit in poisonings among U.S. children, just behind medication and household chemicals.
- Heart-leaf Philodendron
- Poinsettia
- Hydrangea
- Lily of the Valley
- Wild ferns
- English Ivy
Instead, plant experts at the University of Nebraska recommend replacing toxic houseplants with safe non-toxic varieties such as jade plants, zebra plants, gardenia, false Aralia, Galatea or creeping Charlie.
Reorganize the Cabinets
Now is time to reorganize your cabinets if you keep cleaning products or other dangerous items like knives or razors in lower cabinets, in your kitchen or bathrooms. Your little one easily could reach in and seriously injure himself or herself. Instead, rearrange the contents of your cabinets so you can put potentially dangerous items up on high shelves that are out of reach for children.