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Child Proofing Tips For Your Home
As I mentioned in part 1, proper supervision, securing dangerous items and common sense is the best safety combination you can use. Making a child’s environment a safe one is is half the battle! These child proofing tips will help you get started.
I recently “childproofed” a kitchen for a customer. While doing this, I found the best way to approach this job was to get down low to the floor and look around from the vantage point of the toddler. In this way, I noticed areas that we, as adults, tend to over look.
In this post I offer you some suggestions for child safety in the kitchen. The average kitchen has many things that a young child just loves to grab, hopefully we can address most of them.
Child Proofing Tips:
- All electrical appliances should be out of reach and un plugged.
- All kitchen utensils should be stored after use, especially those with sharp blades or points.
- Secure the trash barrel in a container with a secured or hard-to-open lid, or store it under the sink and install a child-resistant latch on the door.
- Secure aluminum foil, waxed paper, and other wraps boxed with sharp cutting edges.
- Teach your child at an early age the meaning of “hot” and that the stove, whether on or off, is a off limits. Hot liquids, not fire, are the most common cause of burns to children.
- Cook on the back burners and keep the handles of post and pans pointed in. When cooking, keep pot handles turned inward so small children can’t reach them.
- Remove the stove control knobs may be an option.
- To prevent children from opening the refrigerator door, you can install a refrigerator lock at the top of the door
- Consider installing a child proof lock on the dishwasher. Always load knives and sharp objects pointing downward so they are not as hazardous when the door is open. Only pour in dish washing detergent just before you run the dishwasher.
- If your child can reach the garbage disposer switch, there are a couple of methods to keep him or her from flipping it on. Replace the cover plate with a locking outdoor switch cover or replace the switch with a key switch (like the ones used for lights at schools). Both of these are available at electrical supply shops.
- Be sure your trash compactor won’t operate when the door is open and that it can be turned on only with a key. Put the key where your child can’t get it.
- Keep plastic bags out of reach. They are a suffocation hazard for young kids
- Use a high chair with a harness and always use it.
- Cleaning solvents and other sprays and liquids represent a major risk, store them high and lock them up.
- Most hardware stores or home stores carry locks that will secure cupboard doors and drawers. You may also consider using a safety gate for your kitchen door, especially when cooking.
- Teaching the child the meaning of “no” is always more important than any gadget.
- Never leave a small child or toddler unsupervised in the kitchen. Gate off area if possible.
Stay safe!!
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