What You Need to Baby Proof Your Home

It’s incredible how quickly your children will grow and develop.  Now, it won’t feel like that during the first few weeks of their lives.  During that time, both you and your children will be struggling as you seemingly burn the candle at both ends and work to understand each other better.  But, sooner than you know it, your sleeping baby will be wide awake and moving around.  And, as you tire of doing absolutely everything for your children, you will obviously be encouraging any and all action they take on their own.  (Knowing, of course, that young children are never intentionally naughty; they are simply inquisitive.)  But, that does mean you will need to ensure your house is ready for your growing children.  And that means baby-proofing your home.

It All Starts with Safety Gates

Safety gates are one of those things that you’ve probably never imagined living with, but you will soon never consider living without.  Well, at least while your children are still small.  That’s because these are even more indispensable than doors when it comes to restraining your children – or restricting them to a certain room.  Why are they better than doors?  It’s because they don’t completely cut off one room from another; you can still have an open view of your home while employing safety gates.  (Plus, safety gates are usually more difficult for older children to manage than doorknobs which means you don’t need to worry about doors being opened without your supervision.)

Additionally, there are a few areas of your home that are really not suited to doors.  Often this is the case on either side of the main staircase in your home.  Here, safety gates are almost a complete necessity.  That’s just because this area of your home is so prone to accidents that it’s almost unbelievable.  Remember that you cannot use pressure mounted safety gates at the upper and lower levels of your stairwells.  These safety gates need to be mounted to the wall; that’s because of the pressure that a tumbling body can create.  Also, it is worth noting that even gates that are (semi-permanently) attached to the walls in these areas should not have a lower stability bar as this can be a serious tripping hazard. 

Double Check All the Doors and Drawers in Your Home

Your children are bound to be inquisitive.  If they see you open a drawer (which is pretty remarkable in their eyes), they will want to do the same.  Unfortunately, we keep things behind the doors and drawers in our homes that children should not have access too.  And yes, that even includes some of the most harmless objects such as pencils and spoons.  It applies even more to drawers and doors that hide items such as knives and razors.  So, all the cupboard doors and bureau drawers in your home should be protected with the use of safety catches.  These will allow you continued access to your belongings though it will baffle your children completely.

In addition to safety latches on your doors and drawers, you will want to make sure that you make use of appliance locks on your larger appliances.  Although there are some machines that have these built in, they are not yet standard on all appliances such as stoves.  You may never plan to leave your children alone in the kitchen (and you really shouldn’t), remember that accidents can happen in a fraction of a second; they don’t even need a full minute.  So, while you may have restricted access to the kitchen, you can never be too safe when it comes to the appliances, doors and drawers in your home. 

Worry about the Sharp Corners, Tall Bookcases and Hanging Art in Your Home

Although safety gates and safety catches will forestall most of the preventable accidents in your home, there are a few other issues that you should consider.

Sharp corners can be a real hazard for your waddling toddlers.  It’s just that once they get going, it is often difficult for them to stop.  Often their breaking mechanism is whatever they run into.  And if you have a coffee table with sharp edges or an oddly jutted wall, you may just find yourself perpetually worried about the damage your baby can do to himself.  Although you may not love it, you really only have a few options when it comes to protecting your children from these dangers.  You can cover these corners with foam that negates their danger; you can remove these objects until your children have better control over their movements, or you can restrict access to these areas completely.  It’s your choice, but you will need to make it.

You should also consider the tall, scalable pieces of furniture in your home.  This includes items like bookshelves, cabinets and dressers.  These items need to be mounted or affixed to the wall in some way if your child has access to them.  Although these may be fairly heavy objects, they can still topple as your children attempt to climb them.  If you cannot get attach these items to the wall, then you will want to make certain that your children are never left unattended in the same room.

Paintings, mirrors and other hanging artwork can also present problems.  Although your children are unlikely to be able to reach these objects, they can still fall off the wall.  That they haven’t already is no guarantee that they won’t when your toddler runs at full speed into the wall.  These items should be fairly unmovable or completely removed to make your home as safe as possible for your little ones.

Remember, if you have any questions about best practice, Lindam Safety is only a phone call away.  Alternatively, you may want to consider having your home baby-proofed by a professional.  It may be more expensive than you would like.  But, when it comes down to it, is there anything more important than your baby’s safety?  And, what wouldn’t you pay to make safety a reality in your home.

Please follow the link below to visit our Lindam website for further information:

http://www.lindam.com/

Baby Proofing Your Home

When you’re expecting your first baby, everything is exciting.  There is simply so much to learn, do any buy to be ready for your bundle (or bundles) of joy.  And, although you may not realise it yet, you should get as much done as you possibly can before you head off to the hospital.  Not only will the entire household be exhausted afterwards, it will seem as though you have no time once there’s a baby in the house. 

That’s why it’s sometimes called baby proofing, instead of child proofing.  Because, although you don’t really need to do any proofing until your baby can move around on her own, you should revamp your home while you child is still a tiny baby.  Or, even better, beforehand.

The Stairs – This is absolutely the first area you should consider when baby proofing your home.  Other rooms of your home can wait – even the kitchen if it has a door – but you will need to protect your baby from the stairwells of your home before he can sit and roll by himself.  Remember, accidents can happen on both levels of your house (or all levels if you have a particularly large home).  Positioning a safety gate at only the top or bottom of your home leaves your baby vulnerable. 

You must ensure that there are safety gates at both levels.  Additionally, you should choose a gate that is affixed to the wall (rather than a pressure feature) as you never want this gate to become dislodged.  And there should be no bottom stabiliser bar as these can cause you and your baby to trip. 

The Kitchen – After the stairs, this is the most important part of your home to secure.  For children under the age of four, this is the room where the most serious home accidents occur.  And, it’s little wonder; there are sharp things, hot things, poisonous substances and running water.  If you stop to think about it, this room will start to resemble a battle zone.  Of course, you cannot do without a kitchen for the next few years, so you’ll need to make sure you’ve got every corner of this space covered.

Ensure that you have appliance locks for every one of your large appliances.  Move smaller gadgets, such as microwaves and toasters as high or as far back as possible.  Make certain that you have door and drawer latches on everything that opens – and begin using them immediately.  And remember, never leave turn your back on a child in the kitchen; accidents can happen too quickly. 

Bathrooms – Except for the possibility of a master ensuite setup, you are likely to have a door on every bathroom in your home.  And that’s fortunate because this room is just as dangerous as the kitchen can be.  All of the same troubling threats can often be found in the bathroom, and this one also offers toilets and bathtubs to climb and fall off of.  While you will likely leave the doors to your bathrooms closed, you should still baby proof this room – just in case. 

Just as you would do in the kitchen, makes sure that lower level of doors and drawers have locks or latches, and make sure to use them.  You will probably want to invest in a toilet seat lid, as well.  Not only is this a drowning hazard, a falling lid can be quite dangerous.  And, always make sure to drain the bath as soon as you’re finished.

Lounge and Living Areas – Although the most serious accidents affected children under the age of four years occur in the kitchen, the lounge is where the largest number of accidents occur.  It’s hardly surprising when you consider that more time is likely to be spent in this room, and, of course, it is not always as easy to tuck objects away in your lounge as it is in the kitchen.

Make certain that any climbable furniture is pushed away from the windows and that they will not tip backwards under the weight of n inquisitive child.  Add bumper pads to the edges of coffee tables and other furniture.  Ensure that photos, mirrors and others wall-hung objects are firmly affixed to the wall.  Large, free-standing furniture, such as cupboards and bookshelves may also need to be attached to avoid toppling forward.  And yes, it is finally time to do something about all those cables behind the tele. 

Doors, Drawers and Other Hazards

Throughout your home, you will want to make sure that doors and drawers that can be locked are locked.  Any drawers that cannot be locked will need additional latches – even if they are empty.  These drawers can be pulled out completely which can be a hazard on its own, and something you will truly need to avoid if there is anything (even a pin or paperclip in them). 

Doors that provide access to the garden or garage must absolutely be closed and locked at all times.  If you have solid doors that are left open son occasion in order to ventilate your home, then you will need to invest in additional security gates to protect these areas.  Unless your garage never has a car in it, you should not allow your child access to this area unless you are carrying her to the car.  This space can be just as frightening as the kitchen when it comes to keeping your children safe. 

Remember to take a look around at all the plug points in your home; it’s probably been a long time since these looked interesting to you, but they will be fascinating to your baby. 

And, don’t forget, you will want to get started early on the task of baby proofing.  The first few months of your baby’s life will simultaneously fly past and drag on in a state of half slumber.  If you do have any questions, make sure you ask them; there is nothing more important than your baby’s safety, and you’ll not want to take any chances with that – and neither would we.  

For more information about baby proofing your home then please visit the Lindam website - http://www.lindam.com/category/safety-accessories.html

How Important are Child Safety Gates?

When you’re expecting your first child, it’s easy to believe that someone will be looking after your baby at all times, that she’ll never be left alone, and that you will be model parents all the time.  It doesn't happen like that.  It doesn't mean you’ll be a bad parent or that your child will be left to fend for herself.  No, of course not.  But expectant parents simply have no concept of how busy a toddler can be – or how tired they’ll be.  At some point, you’re likely to nod off without warning and certainly without wanting to; that’s just part of the incredible challenge of parenting.

Now, consider your home without safety measures one more time before you dismiss the need for baby proofing and security barriers.

Troubling Statistics

Still not convinced?  Then consider that 500,000 children under four years old are injured in the home in the UK – every year.  That’s right; these children are injured in the place that we deem it safest to be.  It’s a little frightening.  And, keep in mind that these are reported accidents, and when an accident is reported, it’s severe enough to warrant attention, not a bruised knee.  Who knows how many unreported accidents there are every day.

35,000 of those reported accidents are children falling down stairs (and remember that’s falling hard enough to cause concern).  Another 30,000 children head to the A&E because they’ve managed to get their hands on poison (usually the pretty bottles kept under the sink).  And, although the most serious incidents happen in the kitchen, the highest number of accidents happen in the lounge or living areas. 

None of these incidents is intentional.  No one expects, or wants, their children to be hurt.  And, by and large, these children don’t have negligent parents either.  These parents just didn’t consider how quickly they would nod off or how fast super toddlers can get into mischief when they turned their back for just a minute.  Please, don’t become part of these statistics.  Please give your children the safety they deserve; invest in safety gates and everything else you need to provide a safe, secure home.

Trouble Areas in Your Home

While your entire home needs child-proofing, there are a few areas in any house that really need to be considered strongly.

Stairwells – Consider yourself lucky if you live in the UK and you don’t have to contend with stairs in your home; most people do.  (Although you may want more space than your one-level flat provides, you may just want to hold off until your children are stair-safe.  Trust us on this one.)

Kitchen – If the most serious accidents happen in this place, you’ll obviously want to take note of that and plan against it.  Remember that kitchens are notoriously filled with small, bright, interestingly shaped objects like knives and drain cleaners.  It’s a no-brainer; this room is unsafe for small children.

Living Rooms – This is the room with the most accidents, and it’s not hard to guess why.  There’s furniture to climb on (and fall off of); there’s an entertainment centre with fantastic looking wires in the corner and there’s that tempting bookshelf to climb.  This area says cosy to you, but spells disaster for unattended children.

Bathroom – Most bathrooms have multiple levels of threats, beginning with the toilet.  After that, there are medicines (and usually harmful cosmetic products) and razors; not to mention hot water burns or the danger of anything electrical coming into contact with water.  And remember, it’s more difficult to lock off the bathroom than it is the garage. 

Where Do You need Safety Gates?

This is one of the most frequently asked questions from new parents, and rightfully so.  Properly secure safety gates are not cheap.  They can’t be if they’re meant to do the job.  Understandably, young families are concerned about their budget, especially with a new consumer in the house.  You want to provide enough safety without overspending.  But, no one can say for certainty exactly where you should have safety gates in your home without doing a full assessment of your home in person.

Having said that, there are areas that you should strongly consider candidates for safety gates - even before you bring in the professionals.

Top and Bottom of the Stairs – This is absolutely crucial until long after your child scan safely navigate his way up and down the stairs.  And remember, you need a set at the top – and the bottom – of each stairwell.  The only exception is on a level that your child never accesses.  For example, stairs leading down to the cellar may only need a gate on the ground floor.  But, if you take your child down with you, you’ll still need a gate at the bottom.  Keep in mind that these gates need to be physically attached to the wall.  They cannot use the pressure method, or they will fail when you most need them to work.

Close the Kitchen – If you have an open plan kitchen and lounge area, you’ll need to invest in expandable security gates that can truly cover some ground.  This is one area that children should not have any access to unless they have direct supervision.  And, you will probably want to invest in safety latches and appliance locks even if you have used a safety gate to close off the kitchen. 

In the Lounge – Okay, you’re more likely to want a secured play area in the lounge rather than the hassle of closing it off altogether.  But, you do need to make sure you’ve got a quality product, especially if you plan to move it around or carry it with you from time to time.  Anything less could be as much of a threat as the dangers already present in your home.

Remember the goal is to avoid being a negative statistic.  You want to ensure that your children are safe, secure and happy – even if you nod off while sitting on the couch.  There’s no price you can put on life, so don’t take chances; especially when all you need is a few safety gates.

For more tips and information about safety gates and child safety, please visit www.lindam.com 

How to make sure Your Garden Party is Safe for Toddlers

It’s the season for garden parties and barbecues. If you’re planning on inviting your friends and their families over for some backyard fun, you are probably busy planning the event, creating a menu and getting your garden in order. But, one thing you shouldn’t neglect is toddler safety.

When you invite friends with small children and your home is toddler friendly, your friends will be able to sit back and relax and enjoy your party. Not to mention the kids will have fun while staying safe, so everyone will have a great day.

Making sure your garden party is safe for toddlers is actually easier than you might think. By taking just a few steps you can make sure your party is a success for even the littlest guests.

Start with your Home

First, start with your home. If your party is starting inside before you move outside, or if you and your guests will be going inside and outside, it’s important that your home is safe for toddlers. This doesn’t mean that you need to childproof your entire home, but it does mean that you should take some steps to prevent accidents.

Start by using baby gates in entryways so your guests don’t have to wonder if their child is inside or out. These are a simple way to keep small kids inside until you are ready to go outside with them and can supervise them.

Then, move on to other things by making sure dangerous items like cleaning supplies and cooking utensils are stored up high where toddlers can’t reach them. It’s also a good idea to move valuables, fragile items and anything else you don’t want a toddler getting into somewhere else. Your guests will supervise their kids, but toddlers are curious in new environments and can be tempted to explore on their own.

Provide Entertainment

Keep toddlers busy to keep them happy and out of trouble. If you have kids yourself, this could be as simple as bringing some toys outside and laying down a large blanket where kids can play.

You can also get more creative and provide more hands-on activities for kids. For example, fill a shallow container with water and add some toy boats, cups and spoons and let little ones splash away. Or, set up a child’s table with lots of paper and Crayons and let the kids get creative while their parents socialise.

Some people actually set up entertainment inside for kids to keep them busy during outside parties. You shouldn’t leave toddlers alone, but if you are hosting older kids or can arrange for a babysitter, this is a great option. Set up a baby gate to keep kids contained in a playroom or safe area and provide toys, colouring books, games or even a movie. This keeps kids safe and lets them play with and socialise with each other, which makes the day fun for them too.

Make your Garden Child Friendly

If your friends’ kids will be joining you outside, do what you can to make your garden child friendly. For example, remove all garden tools and put them away where kids can’t reach them to avoid accidents. Move potted plants to areas where kids aren’t likely to knock them over and cover your pool if you aren’t using it. Make sure someone is always supervising the barbecue so kids can’t hurt themselves and if you have a fenced-in yard, shut all the gates.

Kids like to run and explore, so it’s not very reasonable to expect them not to run around and see what your garden has to offer. If there are some areas you would rather kids don’t use, you can politely let your guests know that those areas probably aren’t best for their kids. Remember, you aren’t babysitting and your guests should be responsible for their children and keeping them safe. It’s your job to make the environment friendly and as safe as possible.

Keep Kids’ Needs in Mind

Finally, keep kids’ needs in mind as you plan your garden party. When kids have the things they need and have safe options things will go smoothly. Start with the plans for the party by making sure you have things that will keep kids interested. This could be as simple as setting up a few outdoor games or bringing some colouring books out to the patio.

Then, think about the menu and make sure you have a few kid-friendly options. Add some finger foods, juice or even sandwiches if you need to so that kids will have a choice that interests them.

As you set up the party, ask yourself where the kids will be able to hang out comfortably. Make sure there is plenty of room for them to run and play, but also ask yourself if they can participate. For example, if you are serving dinner, set up a kids’ table so toddlers can be comfortable and have a place to eat that’s convenient for them.

Another way to keep kids’ needs in mind is to consider the day and time of your party. Young kids usually get tired early and are harder to entertain and keep happy at parties that go late into the night. It’s also usually a bad idea to host a part on a weeknight if the kids who will be coming attend school.

You can also keep parties shorter so parents with children won’t be stuck trying to keep their kids happy all afternoon. Another option is to have an open-house style party, where you serve food at a specific time but make sure your guests know they are welcome to come and go as they need to.

The best way to make sure your garden party is safe for toddlers is to plan for kids. Know the ages of the kids attending and prepare your home and garden so it’s ready for them. Then, keep their needs in mind as you plan the party so the kids will have just as much fun as the adults.

If you’d like more great parental advice then please head over to the Lindam blog - http://www.lindam.com/child-safety-news/