Safety - Childproofing Tips
Read these 17 Safety - Childproofing Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Mom tips and hundreds of other topics.
Use this great advice - mommy cards
Try this advice for moms - have cards printed with your name, home phone number, cell phone number, and work number. Any time you leave your child with someone, you'll be sure to hand them all the information they'll need in case they have to contact you. Order from "customexpression.com". When you travel with your children, whether far from home or on day trip, place one of your "mommy cards" in their pocket in case you get separated.
Tips for Moms - Kitchen Safety
Try using this great idea - cook using only the back two burners on the stove. Practice turning pot handles towards a side or the back rather than at your body.
Great tip for moms - Storing Plastic Bags
Use this safety tip every time - plastic bags (grocery bags, dry cleaning bags, etc.) can cause suffocation if a child plays with it. Tie plastic bags in knots when throwing them away.
Caring for Babies - Don't close your eyes
Think about this great idea - the entire concept of childproofing is not intended to replace you, the guardian, but to free you to safely turn your back long enough to answer the phone or stir a pot. Unfortunately, that is just about all the time it takes for an accident to happen.
No More Sliding Out of the High Chair
Fold a non-slip rug with the non-slip side up and place it on the seat of a high chair. This will make it more comfortable, and less slippery.
Caring for Babies - Childproofing Strategies
Use this great tip for moms - it is never too early to get ready for your baby rolling, crawling, and falling around your home. Any to-do list can never completely eliminate the need for watchfulness, but the peace of mind that comes from preparing well is priceless. Everything does not need to be done in a day. Start low and go slow!
Better to have this completed a day early than a day late!
Caring for Babies - Is Your Baby's Crib Safe?
Corner posts should be the same height as the end panels, and NOT extend above the end panels. Cribs with cutout designs in end panels must not be used, as a child can strangle by becoming entrapped in cutout. The mattress must fit snugly so that two adult fingers cannot fit between the mattress and the crib side. When a child first climbs out of the crib or is 32"-35" tall, he or she has outgrown the crib and should sleep in a bed.
New Mother Tip - Tips Down
Imagine a 9 month old pulling himself up using the open door of the dishwasher for balance. If he or she grabs at those shiny utensils, which part is tips up? Can the basket be re-located to the back? Try loading at least the knives sharp edge down. Using this great advice will save many unnecessary "boo-boos"!!
Use the best resources available
You may want to consider hiring a house proof specialist when you are ready to childproof your home. Don't forget that you may injure a few feelings of well intentioned friends and experienced family members who consider themselves just as well informed as the experts ... they probably are.
Tip for Mom - Playground Equipment
Use this safe mommy tip - make sure surfaces around playground equipment have at least 12" of woodchips, mulch, sand, pea gravel, or safety-tested rubber, or rubber-like materials. The protective surfacing should extend at least 6' in all directions from all equipment. For swings, the surfacing should extend (in back and front) twice the height of the suspended bar.
Great Advice About Bike Helmets
Bike helmet tips: Buy a helmet that bears a label saying it meets established safety standards. Wear the helmet flat atop your head; do not wear the helmet tilted back at an angle. Make sure the helmet fits snugly and does not obstruct your field of vision. Always wear the helmet with the chin strap firmly buckled. No combination of twisting or pulling should remove the helmet from the head or loosen the buckle on the strap. Do not use a helmet after it has been involved in an accident. Damage to the helmet may not be visible to an untrained eye. Even very small cracks in the helmet may greatly reduce a helmet's effectiveness in preventing injury.
Starter Kits
If you decide to do something about anything regarding childproofing your home, your options are endless. Your local hardware store will certainly carry a variety of gadgets and whatnots to get you started.
Childproof Kitchen
Things to look for when child proofing: Is the floor clean? Is it intact? Are the baseboards intact? Do the rugs and mats slip and slide freely? When was the last time the carpet last cleaned? Are there any potted plants on the floor? Where are the pet cages, water and food bowls, litter boxes? Are the book shelves fixed to the wall? What are the contents closest to the floor? How heavy are the books? Are there loose papers ?
Stimulating Attractions
What will attract any child are sparkly, bright, shiny, reflective surfaces and things; bright primary colors (red, yellow, blue); and anything that moves (the resting cat's twitching tail). Similarly, noise will also attract the curious ones. When assessing a room for child readiness, do it twice: Once with your eyes wide and again with your eyes closed. Identify the potential danger areas and be ready to intervene whenever necessary.
Tiny Tidbits
Starting from birth, all important things in a child's life go into the mouth. This is natural. The baby's first, unco-ordinated efforts soon give way to great arm sweeping pulling of everything towards the mouth. The next stage will be witnessed by intentional hand grasping of large objects and putting them in their mouth. The last refinement of motor skills involves the child being able to pick up very small items e.g. dropped and thought lost pills, and flaking paint chips, and putting them in their mouths. When childproofing any room, look for even the smallest morsels of anything and pick it up!
Water temperature
Most dishwasher manufacturers recommend a specific temperature range for optimal cleaning. When the water temperature is adjusted, it usually affects the entire water supply to every tap and/or appliance in the house. Imagine the possibility of an unsuspecting baby hand turning on the hot water only. How hot is it? If children are not frequent visitors to your home now, you have lots of time to adjust the thermostat. Or delegate it!
