How to Baby Proof Your Home
- Everyone knows about baby gates at the landings of stairs but few know about the door handle safety cover. This prevents toddlers from opening doors that they should not open. The plastic cover has to be squeezed together to open the door.
- There’s a cap within which you can roll up the cord to your vertical blinds so your baby won’t be able to pull it or wrap it around his or her neck.
- There are locks available for the inside of your kitchen cabinet doors. These are essential for the cabinets under your sink where you probably keep your cleaning supplies.
- Children and keys and electrical outlets are a dangerous combination. But there are outlet covers that are virtually impossible for kids to remove. Available at Baby’s R Us, Target, Wal-Mart etc.
- House plants that are on the floor should be moved to higher ground or you may see your little one’s dirt covered hands in his or her mouth.
- Keep brooms and mops out of reach from your child.
- Store your books and photo albums out of harm’s way from children.
- CD’s and DVD’s can be dangerous missiles in tiny hands.
- Keep the doors to your fireplace locked. There are plastic locks available to keep your baby away from ashes and wood that splinters.
- A good general rule is keep anything that you don’t want broken – knick-knacks, bowls – out of reach from your baby. This will also prevent your baby from chocking on things they can fit into their mouths.
A great rule of thumb is to put yourself in your child’s shoes. While it may seem silly, crawling around on all fours will put you into the world of a child. Anything you can reach, your child can reach too.