As a parent, one of your priorities is making your home the safest place for your kids. With everything you must worry about, knowing that your children are safe in your home should not be one of them. You want to ensure your home is protected, clean, and free of anything that might cause your children harm. By taking simple steps now, you can avoid an emergency later. Here are eight quick things you can do right now to make sure your home is always a safe place so you have one less thing to worry about.
1. Put Fresh Batteries in All Your Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Don’t wait until your detectors start beeping in the middle of the night to change the batteries. Change them now and then set a reminder in your calendar to do so in one year.
2. Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet
Get rid of anything that is expired or prescriptions you don’t need anymore. Keep all your medications in a place where children cannot access them easily. It’s also a good idea to keep the Poison Control Center hotline posted nearby in case of an emergency (1-800-222-1222 or their website https://www.poison.org/).
3. Keep Your Air Filters and Air Ducts Clean
You can replace some filters on your own, but if you can’t access them or would prefer a professional to do it, then make an appointment with your local heating and air-conditioning company or contact an air duct cleaning service.
4. Install Child-Proof Locks on All Exterior Doors
There are all types of styles available to keep kids from opening doors. You don’t have to spend a lot of money. Sometimes, all you need is a basic, metal flip lock placed high enough on the door frame so little hands can’t reach it. It also has the added bonus of being one more way to keep intruders from entering your home.
5. Keep All Cleaning Supplies and Other Chemicals Out of Children’s Reach
You can do this by keeping these materials on a high shelf or using different child-proof locks on all your cabinet doors.
6. Have a First Aid Kit
Keep a first aid kit in a central location, like the kitchen. Familiarize yourself with all the things in it so that you’re prepared at a moment’s notice.
7. Child-Proof All Electrical Outlets
Tiny hands love to put tiny things into tiny holes. Keep simple plastic covers on all unused outlets to avoid unpleasant shocks.
8. Always Monitor Children Around Water
It doesn’t matter if it’s around the pool or in the bathtub; there is always a risk of drowning. Research has shown that drowning remains in the top 5 causes of unintentional injury-related death from birth to 5 years old. Never leave children unattended around water.
With these eight quick ways to make your home safe for your children, you can rest assured that your home is a safe place where everyone can relax.
Published by: Martin De Juan