When you have children you suddenly realize just how many hazards are in your home.  This post will focus on five home safety tips that might help you be more aware.  Hopefully just in time for when your child starts exploring your home more thoroughly!

Although I do think I went overboard baby proofing my house when mine were little!  Instead if I could rewind time, I think I would focus on the biggest home safety hazards.  Instead of trying to put a lock on everything… I had so much baby safety equipment it was unreal!

Get Down To Their Level

See the world through their eyes, what can they reach from their height!  Try and think what might seize your attention and make it safe!  Go around and do a home safety risk assessment.  Don’t have cords that dangle over the edge, they are asking to be pulled.  A hot kettle would lead to burn injuries, likewise a pan if it had the handle within reach!  Use the back hobs when cooking and keep everything else to the rear of counters.

Tidy House

Make sure you hover regularly.  Children love learning about the world by putting things in their mouth.  Although it’s a perfectly normal stage they go through, it can be a bit of a worry!  So, it’s important to keep the floor clean and tidy.  Otherwise all kinds can end up in their mouth.  If you have older children, see if they can get into the habit of keeping their toys with smaller pieces in their bedrooms.

Safety Glass

Make sure whatever glass you buy, whether its satin glass or obscure glass that it is toughened.  Children have been severely injured because they they run straight into a glass door without realizing it’s there.  Another option would be the use of safety film which can stop glass shattering when it breaks.  But it can be difficult to apply.  I think installing toughened glass at the onset for any internal glass doors makes the most sense.

Stairgates

This was our best safety equipment purchase.  We had permanent ones at the top and bottom of the stairs to prevent falls and a couple of pop up ones that we used whenever we needed to.  Like in the kitchen when we were cooking.

Safety Locks

I had a safety lock on practically every cupboard in my kitchen!  It made preparing dinner take so much longer.  Adding a safety lock to the cupboard you keep your cleaning products is a must!  But otherwise let children have a little freedom!  My eldest used to love getting out the pans and sitting on the floor with a wooden spoon playing the “drums!”.

But remember all these measures the most important thing of all is supervision.  Keeping a watchful eye on your child can be exhausting but its vital to keep them out of mischief!  They have no awareness of dangers everything is an exciting adventure for them.  You might also like to read my article on the importance of baby proofing.