As a parent or guardian, your child’s safety is your number one priority at all times more so when they are young and are just starting to move around. Everything feels like a potential danger and you are always on the lookout.
To start with, it is advised to move around your house on your hands and knees so as to bring you to a child’s level. This will give you a good vantage point to see what may be a possible threat to your young one.
Other than that, we have put together a list of a few guidelines to help ease some of your worry. These, however, are not substitutes for close supervision.
Table of Contents
GENERAL GUIDELINES
- Ensure that medicine, soaps and sharp objects are always kept away in a locked cabinet.
- Keep all cabinets locked so that your child doesn’t accidentally get the caught in between the doors.
- Ensure all electrical cables are stored properly so that your child does not tamper with them.
THE BATHROOM
- Fill the bath just enough to cover your baby’s legs.
- Use warm, not hot water (do elbow test or use a thermometer to make water 35 degrees C to 37 degrees C.
- Never leave your baby in the bath unsupervised, not even for a few seconds.
- Put a non-slip mat in the bath.
- Put safety guards on toilets to make sure that children can’t get in them, and on any cabinet or drawer that contains medicine or any other hazardous items.
THE KITCHEN
- When in the kitchen, use the back burners which are the farthest from your child’s reach to avoid burns.
- Don’t hold your baby while cooking at the stove.
- Turn pan handles toward the back of the stove.
- Keep matches and lighters in a locked cupboard, away from your baby’s reach.
- Store Knives and other sharp objects in locked cabinets or drawers away from your child’s reach.
- You can use a simple hair tie ensure cabinets stay closed.
PREVENTING BURNS
- Don’t carry hot food or drink around your baby at the same time.
- Keep hot food and drink away from the edge of tables and counters.
- Avoid sipping hot drinks while holding your baby.
- Turn off appliances when you have finished using them.
- Keep hair dryers and hair straighteners out of reach and put them away once you have finished using them.
Do keep in mind that these tips are nowhere near exhaustive. There is a lot more that can be done.
If you found these tips helpful please let us know we would love to hear from you.
