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The Deadbolt Necessity: Safety

Deadbolt

Image by BlueRidgeKitties via Flickr

It’s the stuttered strain of a hinge, the rattle of a handle. A front door is being… opened, and panic suddenly consumes you. The hour is late and no one of good intentions should be slinking into your home. You hurry to stand then, creeping into the hallway (grabbing an umbrella from the corner as you go, regretting the weakness of a weapon). There’s light peeking in from the crack in the door. It’s been pushed only a little. And you wonder how an intruder could slither in through such a tiny entry.

He couldn’t — but your child could. And you find him standing on the porch, unaware of the worry he’s caused.

Toddlers are shaped by impulses. They follow whims that can’t be defined or explained, are unconcerned with the consequences — and this can cause them to slip from their cribs and approach the front door, wanting to see what waits beyond it.

This is dangerous. It is estimated that two million children are harmed each year because of unsafe environments: and the lack of proper locks on the doors contributes greatly to these numbers. Deadbolts therefore are necessary. Parents must secure all entryways with these devices — which require specific keys to work and offer the necessary resistance. They cannot be reached by young children and can’t be simply undone (like traditional handle locks).

The need for deadbolts is absolute. All doors — including those that lead to the basement, attic or garage — should be offered one. This will keep children from escaping the house for midnight explorations and provide the necessary protection.

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Filed Under: General, Safety Tips Tagged With: , ,

Gaining a new Perspective: Baby Proofing

Hi!! Im almost Crawling

Image by mrplough via Flickr

The world is defined to familiar miles, the distances conquered daily. Your life is a series of little journeys — with paths carved from your home to your cubicle and back again. It’s an all too easy thing to move through the morning, and all steps seem free of danger. There are no worries to discover within your routine. It’s instead perfectly easy and perfectly safe.

That sense of safety disappears, however, when your child begins to crawl — and suddenly finds a wealth of worries scattered along your carpet.

The perspective you offer each day is one of maturity… and height. Your eyes remain focused on the the tall inches, with no concern for the ground below. Children, however, lack that ability. They are instead defined to their knees, must scurry about the floor to achieve their goals; and often they can find cords to pull, carpets to upend and little fragments of trash you’ve dragged inside. Nails, screws, glass, paper and more can all be seen — and then even swallowed.

It’s necessary therefore that parents kneel, allowing themselves to crawl as their children do. This will ensure that the view is unobscured and any potential dangers can be found. All outlets can be covered; all cables can be removed; and every inch of carpeting can be scoured for what vacuums may leave behind. Sliding across the ground will offer security.

Children lack the ability to censor impulses. They will scramble toward any temptation, unaware of the dangers. It’s vital therefore that all parents — including you — be aware of the possible threats and remove them.

 

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Filed Under: Home Improvements, Safety Tips Tagged With: , ,

Living Room Safety: Baby Proofing

A living room

Image via Wikipedia

A living room is meant to inspire relaxation, to offer solace from a too hectic world. The arrival of a child, however, has turned it instead into a source of dread — with every corner examined and every furnishing deemed dangerous. You’re terrified to allow your toddler to cross the threshold.

You don’t have to be.

Securing your living room is a simple thing, requiring only basic procedures:

Outlet Protection

A gape in the wall, an easy opening: outlets tempt children daily, with little fingers forever trying to press inside. This is worrisome, however, and can result in injury. It’s recommended therefore that parents take preemptive measures against what’s certain to occur — with safety caps. These ingenious devices can be placed into any standard outlet, keeping it closed when not it use. They can’t be removed with a toddler’s strength and ensure that holes can’t be touched.

Cord Removal

It’s the slow sway of a cord. Curtains are moving in the breeze, too strange to resist. Children will be enthralled by motion, will wish to grab easy to reach cables. And this can result in disaster: collisions, strangulation or even death. It’s important therefore that parents remove all low hanging cords.

Slip Resistance

Little feet pad quickly across the floor without grace or hesitancy. Children run at too daring speeds, and this often proves to be too much for carpeting. Throw-rugs will slip beneath the assault of toddlers, causing spills and bruises. Slip-mats are therefore necessary. These are placed beneath fabric and will ensure that they remain in place.

These methods will allow you to transform your living room into a happy environment.

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Filed Under: Parenting, Safety Tips Tagged With: , ,

Chemical Storage: Safety Tips

It’s the slow creak of a door, the hesitant twist of a knob. The sound winds its way through the kitchen, interrupting your dinner preparations. You frown, glancing down to find the source, wondering what could make hinges wince. The answer startles you — your child is settled on the floor, opening cabinets and reaching toward the cleaning supplies. Chemicals are suddenly sought, their properties understood as new.

You’re already running, scooping your toddler up before he can grasp the first bottle and hurrying him away.

Children are defined by their curiosity. They distinguish the world through touch, learning all facets with their paint-stained fingers. It’s essential therefore that parents anticipate this and respond by storing chemicals responsibly.

The common precaution with cleaning supplies is to simply tuck them beneath the sink. A closed door is assumed to be enough of a deterrent. It isn’t, however. Instead it will serve only as a temptation, with children forever toddling toward it (and eventually even undoing the lock that’s wrapped around the knob). This is not safe.

It’s necessary instead to place chemicals on high shelves. All should be stored in the top cupboards, where children cannot reach them. This is the only preventive measure that is certain to work, with height acting as a barrier that can’t be overcome (be certain that youths can’t scramble onto counters. Avoid any step-ladders or easily scaled chairs in the kitchen). A safety lock is also recommended to complete the precaution.

Chemicals are understood as dangerous — to you. Children, however, will need time to recognize this. All supplies must therefore be stored properly until the lesson is learned.

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Filed Under: Parenting, Safety Tips Tagged With: , ,

Softening Corners, Gaining Safety

Baby-global

Image via Wikipedia

It’s a scream most unexpected, an echo that shivers through the walls (defying stone, rafters and installation). You scurry after the sound, racing down the hall. Fear plagues every step; tragedy is expected. There can be no source of a shriek beyond your child, after all, and you’re terrified that he’s been injured.

He has — but not to the extent you assumed. All sobs were formed from a simple bruise, with him clutching at his temple and demanding your sympathy. You offer it immediately, even as your eyes cobble together the clues: soft skin had grazed a sharp corner, and the result was pain.

Such a result must be rectified — now.

Children wish always to explore, to master their surroundings with waddling steps. Too often, however, do those steps lead them to rough edges and tightly carved cabinetry: which can harm fragile bodies, offer cuts and broken capillaries. It’s essential therefore that parents baby-proof their homes with corner guards.

Corner guards, as their name implies, are items that can slide snugly onto the ends of furnishings. They are shaped from rubber, felt or similarly soft materials — which makes them ideal protectors. They obscure all angles and render them harmless; and this enables children to move about the home as they wish, rather than having to be trapped to circular spaces.

Corner guards are vital for every household. They should be utilized in all rooms and should remain in place until youths are able to distinguish depths. Their coloring will ensure that they blend with all decor, however, and won’t mark them as distractions — merely as natural elements.

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Filed Under: General, Safety Tips Tagged With: , ,