Many of you will have found yourselves in a similar situation. You’ve got friends coming around with toddlers in tow, and you’re nervous about the safety of your home. You may be about to bring a new member of the family home and are worried about their safety in the future. When your new additions are still small enough to be bounced on your knees, you are able to protect and keep them safe at all times. However, when they start venturing further away from your ankles and are able to crawl at what seems like the speed of light, it’s time to consider child-proofing your home. Don’t worry unduly because there are a number of things you can do.

Supervision

Your child is going to be growing and developing at an amazing rate. What may not be a hazard one week can soon be within reach. That is why you should supervise your children as much as possible and be constantly aware of any hazards. Take a look around your home regularly and reassess the risks, before either preventing them or removing them. Here’s a checklist that will help.

Reducing the Risk of a Fall

You’ll never be able to stop your child falling at least once, possibly more. They are the most common cause of injuries for every age group. However, there are things you can do to help them keep safe. For example, installing safety gates across the top and bottom of stairways and balconies. Keep upper storey windows locked or use window guards. Install night lights so all members of the family can get around the house at night safely.

Heating

If you have aluminium radiators in your home you don’t need to keep yourself awake worrying about changing them. It is possible to purchase attractive covers or make them yourself and protect young children’s fingers from touching the hot surfaces. Thermal limiters or 24/7 programming controls can also be used.

Electrical Safety

Always use the services of a qualified electrician when repairs need to be done, appliances need to be replaced or installed. Covers for sockets are inexpensive and easy to put in place. Don’t encourage your children to plug in and unplug electrical appliance, without supervision. Power chords should be kept out of reach of young children and packed away when not in use.

Emergency Equipment and Important Telephone Numbers

There should be smoke detectors on all floors of your home along with fire extinguishers and an extra one in the kitchen. All these should be regularly tested, and batteries replaced every six months. If you’ve got gas appliances, either for cooking or for heating it is advisable to install carbon monoxide detectors in your home. Always have a list of emergency telephones numbers on your mobile phone as well as next to your home phone.

Having young children in your home means you have to be vigilant at all times. Being a parent is a big responsibility, but there are ways you can reduce the risk of injuries. There are going to be the odd scrapes and falls. This is part of growing up. However, it is your duty to prevent any serious accidents or injuries as best as you can.