| When your kids are little, you worry about keeping | | | | away any heavy or glass items; lock up anything that |
| them fed, dry and warm. They sleep most of the | | | | is small enough to be a choking hazard; hide any |
| time, and when they don't, you know exactly where | | | | cables so that your child can't wrap them around the |
| they are and what they're doing. It's when they start | | | | neck or pull something off the furniture and onto |
| crawling and then unsteadily walking that you feel like | | | | their head, even if it's just a mini mouse. |
| you should have eyes around your head and at least | | | | Once you take care of the visible dangers, move on |
| two more hands to keep them safe. Since it's not | | | | to the ones you can't see or don't notice since |
| possible, though, the best you can do is childproof | | | | they're not obvious for adults. Put up stair gates and |
| your house and have band aids ready just in case. | | | | window guards, remembering that a child could try |
| To protect your child you can hire an expert | | | | and fit between the rails so that space also needs to |
| company that will come in and point out what areas | | | | be protected. Use anchors for furniture that could tip |
| of your house are most dangerous for your child, and | | | | over and avoid any furniture on wheels either by |
| then put on safety locks, protectors and gates. If | | | | removing them or getting additional blockades. |
| you'd rather not spend an enormous amount of | | | | For the protection of your child, as well as your own, |
| money on specialists and childproof your house | | | | make sure the fire and carbon monoxide detectors |
| yourself, you can easily do it and purchase any | | | | are working properly and that there is at least one |
| necessary devices in kid or home improvement | | | | fire extinguisher in the house. Also keep a list of all |
| stores. | | | | emergency numbers handy and as soon as possible |
| Start with obvious things like childproof door locks, | | | | teach your child to dial 911 and give all the necessary |
| especially on the doors leading outside or to the | | | | information over the phone. |
| garage; cabinet door, drawer and closet blockades; | | | | Childproofing your house is about your kid's safety, |
| toilet lid locks; finger guards for all the doors. If you | | | | but also about your well being. When you know your |
| have big windows or glass sliding doors, make sure to | | | | child can't fall off the stairs, choke on your ring or |
| put stickers on them aside from locks, so that the | | | | break your pen tablet you'll feel much better when |
| child won't walk through the glass. If you have blinds, | | | | you have to leave them for a moment when going |
| make sure the strings are out of reach by getting on | | | | to the bathroom or signing for a delivery, and your |
| your hands and knees to check how low they could | | | | child won't get stressed out when you yell trying to |
| go. | | | | grab that falling crystal vase because instead of |
| Once you're down on all four, look for any items that | | | | sitting on the coffee table it will be safely locked in |
| are low enough and could be dangerous. Remove | | | | the kitchen cabinet. |
| furniture with sharp edges or use soft guards; put | | | | |