Safe Kids In The House

Children love to explore. If you can recall your fun days as a child, then you know what this means. But as an adult, even a parent, you are aware that sometimes this curiosity can lead to danger if proper measures are not taken to protect the children.

It is the adults' responsibility to keep hazards as far away from children as possible so below are some helpful tips in making your house safe for kids:

- Take a child's point of view.
To identify what's dangerous to a child, you need to be like one - literally. Assume the height of the little ones. (Get down on your knees and crawl if you have to!) See things from their vantage point. You might have overlooked some things that are accidents waiting to happen.

Also, go further and think like a child. Remember that children respond to bright colors and noises. For example, cleaning products usually come in attractive, colorful packages and bottles. Left in the open, a small child may assume this to be a toy and play with it. The same goes for tools and kitchen utensils.

- Install the appropriate safety gadgets.
Exposed power sockets should have socket covers on them. Install gates at the top and bottom of the stairs. Make sure large, tall furniture and appliances stand stable and won't topple over.

- Keep dangerous objects out of sight and out of reach.
As children mostly act on visual impulse, keeping hazardous objects and materials out of sight greatly prevents activities that would otherwise involve them. Knives, needles and tools should be put away in drawers. For bigger children, consider getting locks. The same goes for dangerous chemicals such as pesticides and cleaning agents.

- Designate "keep-away" areas.
When you simply cannot put away objects that pose potential danger to the kids, designate an area or room in the house that children should not go into. But do not simply say, "Do it because I told you so" because this will only spark their curiosity and may lead them to disobey you.

It is preferable to explain to the children why the area is dangerous. Tell them what could happen to them if they disobey you and that you are keeping them away because you care for them.

The old adage "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" rings very true in this case. While these seem to be a lot of work, the effort you put in now may just translate to a safer home for children and more peace of mind for you.