Your home must be a place of safety and security for your children, but it is also important to make sure that you take as many steps as possible to keep them safe, healthy, and happy. It is, therefore, quite common for parents to learn how to make their home safer.
There are several simple things you can do which will aid in the overall sense of safety in the household for both you and your kids; read on below for seven ways on how to make your home safer:
1. Remove All Poisonous Items From Reach
Those with young children need not look far before they realize just how many poisons lie around the house — cleaning products, bleach, pesticides, and medications — these substances lie close at hand and can be deadly if accidentally ingested.
It is advised that you start by making a list of all poisonous items which are accessible to children and then find ways to put these out of reach. If this isn’t possible, make sure they have securely locked away.
2. Install Smoke Alarms With Strobes
Fire can be one of the biggest dangers for your child, so it’s important to ensure that you have every protection possible in place. Installing smoke alarms with strobes will provide an immediate warning if there is a danger of fire anywhere near your children, allowing them time to flee the building safely before the fire department arrives.
Strobe lights will also draw attention from passers-by or neighbors who do not even know there is a fire but are likely to call 911 on seeing the lights.
3. Keep Your Windows Locked At All Times
An open window can lead to a potentially dangerous situation, so it’s crucial that you lock them at all times when your children are not in the room. If they’re old enough to climb up and open windows themselves, it might be necessary to install child safety locks on those who cannot reach the windows yet.
If you have an outside balcony or stairs, these should also be kept locked at all times too. It is also advised to upgrade locks on your doors and contact hardware selling companies like Banner Solutions to inquire about the best lock types for your home.
4. Ensure Your Drains Are Safe
One of the biggest risks to children is becoming trapped in a drain. Ensure that your drains are properly covered at all times and that you regularly check them for any sign of damage or cracks.
This includes both indoors and outdoors drains, particularly those which cannot be easily seen from outside.
5. Keep Electrical Items Out Of Reach At All Times
As many as one-third of all house fires begin because of faulty electrical items such as wires and plugs, so it’s important to ensure they’re out of reach at all times when there aren’t adults around to keep watch over them.
If you have kids who like to explore using electronic games or DVDs while unsupervised, try getting them into good habits by putting the console out of reach until you can supervise. This will make it easier when they get older to leave their electronics alone while they play outside or do other things.
6. Make Sure Stairs And Balconies Are Secure
Your child’s safety should be your priority at all times, so it’s crucial to ensure that your stairs and balconies are not only adequately strong but also safe to use.
If they can get a foothold or handhold easily, you may need to have them resurfaced, while balconies should have a sturdy wall on the side where it is accessible and railings along each side. Children may climb over if they try enough times, so make sure their access is blocked off in some way too.
7. Place Your Furniture In A Safe Location
When you place your furniture, be wary of how it can best accommodate young children too. If a piece is placed under a wall-mounted TV, for example, then a child who tries to climb up it may become trapped or hurt themselves in the process.
Ensure that all sharp corners and edges are covered as well as electrical outlets and cables — these things should never be left exposed where they can be grabbed by small hands.
When it comes to the safety of your children, you want to make sure that they are always in a safe environment. However, this can be difficult when there is so much for them to explore and get into trouble with. These simple ways can help ensure their safety at all times!
