This is a Guest Post by Suzy of http://www.surebaby.com
Child-proofing your house can be an exercise in patience and premonition, as there are so many ways that toddlers can hurt themselves. While you could cushion every corner and keep your child on a leash, an overly-protective parenting approach will likely prevent the development and exploration that you want to encourage in a little mind. Instead of turning your home into a padded room, focus on obvious dangers and try to think like a curious toddler to determine where you should direct your attention when child-proofing your house. To get started, pay attention to these three important areas:
- Secure and control doors, drawers and cabinets. Toddlers are curious, and curiosity can lead to dangerous situations in the blink of an eye. Cabinet and drawer latches are some of the most important child safety accessories, as they will close off hazardous spaces. But keep in mind that if you want to ensure a good fit, you need to get the right kind: different latches are made for different fixtures and spaces, so the toilet seat, kitchen cabinets, refrigerator and front doorknob will require slightly different latch designs.
In addition to cabinet latches, you'll need something to prevent doors from swinging open or slamming closed. Door slam protectors that clip over the corners of the door will ensure that little hands don't get trapped, and you can replace old door stops with larger, sturdier models that provide a bit more insurance against doorknob dents and injury to hands and feet.
- Cover and secure electrical areas. You don't need a book of parenting tips to tell you that electricity brings big safety risks in all its forms, even if it seems to be contained and out of reach. Your little explorer will undoubtedly be drawn to the glossy plastic and small holes of electrical outlets, not to mention the hanging cords and blinking lights of your entertainment system. Begin by fitting plastic covers and shock shield clips for the electrical outlets; you may want to splurge on the heavy duty covers that will resist the tugging of little fingers.
As for dangling cords and electronic devices, you'll want to anchor everything securely. Bolt the television and any other tipping hazards to the wall, use a power bar cover and house all of the electronic cords safely in a plastic cord cover. As for kitchen electronics, remove any knobs that are in arm's reach so the appliance cannot be activated without your knowledge.
- Take safety measures in the bathroom. While water may seem harmless compared to electricity, it is actually just as dangerous. From slips to burns to drowning, water is capable of injuring in many ways, but you can avoid the inherent dangers of the bathroom with a slip-resistant bath mat, a padded faucet cover and a thermometer for the water temperature. Of course, constant supervision is crucial for child health and well being, and you may want to buy some accessories like shampoo eye shields and a bath seat to make bath time more bearable.
