Toddler Safety Tips
Written by Jana Angeles
When you reach the toddler stage, all hell breaks loose! (just kidding). Otherwise, it is a stressful time for parents who have no experience whatsoever raising a child, let alone someone the ages between two and four years old. Toddlers are always up to some trouble and if you suspect that the house is awfully quiet, they might be up to something no good and the chances of that are very high.
One of the key priorities a parent should have is to keep their children safe, no matter where they are. So, it’s essential that parents are aware of the hazardous items that are in their household and to keep them out of their sights, if possible. There are some things parents should do to keep their toddlers safe and to avoid any misbehaviour that could turn into a potential nightmare. Here are some tips that can help you keep your toddler safe:
Keep poisons out of reach
Make sure to store away any hazardous liquids or keep them out of reach. Things like bleach, liquid soaps and other nasty chemicals can cause harm to your toddler if they get into their eyes or they accidentally swallow them. It can lead to further consequences of needing immediate emergency assistance or can cause harm to their bodies. You need to be careful where you store these. Don’t let these liquids be within reach.
Remove anything that is a choking hazard
When your toddler is playing, they might become curious to experiment with everyday objects around the household. They can start to pretend that the lego piece is a lolly that they can comfortably consume, or pretend to be an astronaut by putting a plastic bag over their tiny heads. As a parent, you don’t want your child to experience any of these, so take extra precaution when supervising. Don’t leave plastic bags hanging around and get rid of objects that your child might swallow or choke on.
Childproof your home
This is a no-brainer but whenever possible, childproof your house. This is a good idea to do if you want certain areas blocked off (ie, the kitchen and the bathroom). Installing boom gates can be a great barrier for your child, especially if you know particularly areas of the house have dangerous items that a toddler cannot touch. If your child is quite clumsy, don’t forget to put safety edge corners on tables and anywhere else you feel they may be prone to bumping their heads.
Look out for potential areas where they may be prone to falling
If you recently purchased a new shiny carpet or you have wooden floorboards that are brand new and glowing, it can be easy for your child to run around and have a bad fall. It’s important that you’re aware of the areas that they may stumble and fall, since having one can lead to nasty bumps on their forehead and unwanted bruises all over their body. It’s also important to take note of any dangerous wiring that could be near the television or the computer desk. Be wary of these and take the appropriate safety precautions in making sure your child has less falls!
Keep them away from hot objects and supervise at all times
When you’re cooking or boiling some water in the kettle, it’s best to leave your child outside of the kitchen. Unfortunately, toddlers are quite energetic and curious, and if you turn away for a second, they’re already up to trouble. Toddlers like pushing buttons, turning knobs and other things.
If you fail to supervise, it could lead to unwanted minor or major burns and can cause a lot of stress for you and your child. If you need extra help with supervision, either get a family member or a babysitter to look after them while you’re doing these day-to-day household activities. It’s not worth the risk to have a toddler with injuries that could’ve been prevented in the first place.
There are plenty of ways to keep your toddler safe, but the tips mentioned above are all just common sense. If you know that your child will most likely injure themselves because of a particular object in the household, don’t keep them near it. Babyproof your house to the best of your ability and identify areas which need improving. Keeping an eye out for your toddler’s safety is a top priority in parenting.