Babies are a source of joy to most households, and when I got my first child, I was more than elated. Nothing can describe the feeling of what toddlers bring to our families. However, as my child began to grow, I was slightly concerned. He started exploring things in the house and was unaware of the dangers lurking. As a responsible parent, I had to act to guarantee the safety of my kid. Here is how I restructured my entire house.
Stairs
The number one source of danger to kids has to be the stairs. The injuries that stairs cause to the careless user needs no explanation. Even to adults, stairs pose a great risk. I have broken a leg while rushing down to work! I was lucky; it was just a small accident. Severe injuries and deaths have been reported from staircase falls.
Driven by concerns for my child, I made some adjustments to the stairs in my home. At the base of the entire stairs, I added a soft rubber mat. The mat covered sharp edges and posed little risk to my crawling toddler. On individual stair steps, I added a slip-proof mat. As my kid grows, I consider educating him on stair safety and installing non-slip grips on the handles.
Electrical Outlets
Electricity is considered a basic need in our modern societies. I can’t imagine life or even survival without electric power. Despite its importance, electricity is a significant hazard to our lives. The majority of adults are aware of this and practice caution when dealing with electricity and certain problems that you encounter may require the helping hand of a professional electrician (check out a popular one here) to complete any tasks that may be deemed as too dangerous to do by yourself. And as adults, you know what these issues are. For kids, it’s a completely different scenario. They are usually curious about electric outlets and less concerned about their safety.
Among the vital causes of children’s accidents is electrocution. It seems kids cannot resist the urge to insert all manner of things into electrical outlets. I resorted to installing power outlet covers and using furniture to obstruct power outlets. Another great option that I may implement is reinstalling the outlets to a height unreachable by toddlers. Perhaps options like this are best exchanged with a professional company like https://kalahari-electrical.com/smyrna/ so you know how to make your house child friendly.
Bathrooms
We all know the dangers of wet tiles. I have been a victim of slipping in my bathroom. I haven’t yet had a major scare, but I won’t wish the same experience on my baby boy. That’s why I completely revamped my bathroom to make it less slippery.
I started by hiring a contractor to install anti-slip tiles. This was followed by placing rubber mats on the bathroom floor. I also added rubber and soft cushions to the corners and rough edges of sinks and the toilet. I lowered towel hooks to a height accessible to kids. Finally, I took care of all the pipes that were leaking water in my bathroom. My fellow friends (who happen to be parents to toddlers) advised me to hire a skilled handyman from firms like Dependable Rooter & Plumbing (https://dependablerootersac.com/plumber-citrus-heights/) for these kinds of tasks. Now, just as a precaution, I tend to stick around whenever my kid is using the bathroom.
Kitchen
My kitchen has always been out of bounds for my kid. Unfortunately, I have been unable to restrict entry to the kitchen area strictly. Many times, my kid wants to hang around and play with utensils.
For this reason, I place knives, forks, and all sharp objects in a locked kitchen drawer. Microwaves, ovens, and heating accessories are always off unless I am physically present at home. I also don’t allow my kid into the kitchen when cooking.
Shelves, Cabinets, and Tables
Toddlers are adventurous, but climbing on shelves, cabinets, and tables is beyond adventure. It can be extremely dangerous for kids to play around with these household items. I had to stitch my son twice for head cuts inflicted by my table corner.
After the last accident, I installed cushions around tables, chairs, and items that have sharp corners. All my cabinets and shelves are securely mounted to the wall. They won’t fall in case my playful kid climbs on them.
Living Room Play Area
A thing with kids is that they play almost all the time. I almost gave up on keeping my sofas, chairs, and the entire living room pristine. I would clean and leave the room pretty, only to turn around and find the place in a mess. A friend suggested about kid’s playhouses and how it’s been keeping her kids occupied. I thought I’ll try them too, and sourced it from a shed manufacturer who custom made it for us. Now my boy spends most of his time playing inside his little castle and sometimes drags me inside with him!
You can try these tips to maintain a safe environment for your toddler. Let the kids run around and explore! And as parents, let’s take good measures to prevent them from falling.
