Keeping a Curious Child Away from the Dangers of Your Home

Image Courtesy of Chris&Rhiannon via Flickr, Creative Commons

 

Babies are born with a natural curiosity to figure out how the world works. Because being inquisitive drives the eagerness to explore and discover, the more curious a child is, the more he learns. But parents don’t really have to push their children to learn. In fact, research shows that it is a child’s internal desire for knowledge, not external pressure, that motivates him to seek out new experiences that leads to greater success in school in the long run -- and this what helps them become lifelong learners.

 

The world of a young child is full of things to discover. As soon as our babies learn to crawl, walk, climb over, touch, taste, smell, poke at and take apart all on their own, they become exposed to exciting new experiences. However, many don’t realize that our own houses are full of potential dangers for our children. This is where child-proofing your house becomes a parenting priority.

 

Child-proofing is taking practical measures to prevent injury and ensuring that parents understand the potential dangers in their home. Because children are the most outside-of-the-box creative and curious thinkers, they often use items in ways in which they were never intended to be used; this often leads little ones into harm’s way.

 

Below are some tips to ensure child safety on every room and area of the house.

 

Start Before the Baby Arrives

 

According to child safety guru Kimberlee Mitchell, the best time to start child-proofing is during pregnancy. Many parents consider child-proofing later than before the baby arrives, and find themselves panicking as soon as their precious little one learns to tinker with everything.

 

While still pregnant, you should already allot some of the family budget with emergency basics. Buy a fire extinguisher that's rated for grease fires. Read the instructions and practice once (outside), then refill or replace it. Another priority is to install smoke detectors on each level and room of the house, especially the kitchen. Stocking on first-aid supplies ahead of the baby is also a home preparedness tip that cannot be overstated.

 

Get Down on Your Hands and Knees

 

It may sound like a silly advice, but KidsHealth suggests literally crawling around the house to see the environment from a child’s perspective. The most effective way to ensure your child’s safety is to take a baby's-eye view of your home. Doing so can help you figure out which spaces and places your child might get into.

 

Of course, as soon as the child starts to walk or climb, it’s important to re-evaluate and check what could be interesting from his or her new perspective. The gate we put at the top of the stairs to protect our 1-year-old may become a potential climbing structure when he or she turns two.

 

Install Safety Gates and Doorstops

Photo Courtesy of WebMD via Pinterest

 

Safety gates are child-proofing essentials; they allow us to get some air by opening outside doors while keeping our child in. They can also be used to contain our kids within designated rooms and keep them from off-limits areas, like the kitchen and they can be installed to block access to stairways.

 

Use doorstops or door holders to prevent hand injuries. Children are prone to getting their small fingers and hands pinched or crushed in closing doors.

 

Put Away Potential Hazards

 

Medicines, including non-prescription ones and vitamins, should always be stored properly. It is also important to keep very potent prescriptions, such as sleeping aids or heart drugs, under lock and key. Cleaning supplies can also be a potential poison and should never be within any child’s reach.

 

Use gates to limit your kid’s access to areas of your home that might contain knives and other sharp, pointed objects. Keep an eye out for tiny items  that your baby could choke on, such as coins, marbles, beads, and paper clips. These should never be found on the floor, low tables, drawers, and cupboards.

 

However, no matter how carefully you have put potential hazards away, your visitors most probably don’t adhere to your standards. Be mindful of any items that people normally carry with them, such as medications.

 

Cover Outlets and Double Check Furnitures

 

Electrical outlets that are accessible to our children should always be protected with outlet covers, or be replaced with outlets that include a sliding safety latch. If there are extension cords around the house, it is also important to cover any exposed outlets with electrical tape.

 

Any large or heavy drawers, dressers, bookcases, and appliances pose a danger to our kids, and should be bolted to the wall as much as possible. Items on top of these furniture should also be pushed back to keep them out of our children’s reach. Moreover, furniture corners can be dangerous -- just think about the last time you hit your shin on that coffee table! Sharp corners and edges should be covered with bumpers to drastically reduce any pain in case of impact.

 

Secure Windows and Curtain Ties

 

Windows should be secured to prevent falls, and screens are not enough. Window stops or window guards, which screw into the side of a window frame, can be installed for child-proofing purposes. Furniture should also be away from windows to prevent children from climbing up and reaching the windowsill. More importantly, cribs should not be placed near windows.

 

Curtain ties and window blinds cords are potential hazards to children. They can be entangled in a baby’s neck and strangle him or her in minutes. Use cordless window coverings whenever possible; if not, either cut off the pull cords or use cord shorteners/wind-ups to keep them out of children’s reach.

According to SafeKids.org, more than 4 million children end up in the emergency room each year as a result of accidents. But constraining our children’s curiosity (that is, "don’t touch”, “don’t climb”, “don’t take that apart”, “don’t get dirty”) will simply lead to reduced discovery and learning. With these preparedness tips and an unwavering amount of parental supervision, you can help provide your kids the freedom to actively explore, enjoy, and nurture their curiosity without compromising their home safety.