Your kids will crash, fall, slip as well as tumble. These are part of being a kid, after all. However, there are some options you could take in making sure that your kids avoid the more severe injuries which could result in disabilities or even death.
Here are 5 home safety options for your kids:
Make an emergency plan – Thoroughly inspect the home for any safety issues. Be sure that that every smoke detector is properly functioning. Make a review of the sound that the alarms make as well as what everyone should do if they go off. Your kids ought to get out right away and then call 911 from a nearby neighbor’s house.
Review emergency exits by having a diagram that outlines which ways are best to go from every room in your home. Keep a post of important phone number, like 911, a nearby neighbor’s, yours and even your workplace’s. You can also install a digital wireless CCTV to get more protection for your kids
Keep the sleeping areas in as bare a state as possible, especially if you have a baby – Getting suffocated is one of the leading causes of unintentional injury-related deaths, with 60% of them happening within a baby’s sleeping area. The nose and the mouth of a baby could be accidentally covered by even the softest of comforters, pillows or stuffed toys and these could limit his or her breathing.
Your baby’s blanket ought to only reach to the center of his or her chest so it won’t be pulled over the head. As the weather gets colder, dress your infant in warmer clothes instead of adding more blankets. You can also go for sleep sacks.
Take the same route home – Have your children take the same route going to and coming from school each day. If your kids walk, review every street they use. If they take the school bus, be sure that they take it daily. Knowing their way lets you predict the time it takes for them to get home as well as trace their steps in case something comes up.
Protection from inappropriate content online – Make complete use of safe-search filters with tools such as Searchlock, since these block explicit content on the Internet. You can also utilize kid-friendly search engines or kid-friendly web browsers. Additionally, you could set up a list together so you can cut down on the amount of searches your kid has to do.
Remember, though, that there’s no parental control that can substitute for how you supervise and educate your child. Talk about how there is stuff online that isn’t appropriate for kids their age. Tell them that in case they come across something that looks weird or makes them feel uncomfortable, they should close the site and call the adult who’s nearest to them.
Restrict the use of your home’s phone – Your kids shouldn’t answer it for just anybody, so you should set some rules. If you’ve got caller ID, tell them not to answer your phone if they don’t recognize the names or the numbers. In case you don’t have a caller ID, tell them that they should just let the call go to voice mail.
Also, important to note that living with caution does not mean living with fear. A realistic view of our world, which is sometimes problematic but mostly pretty amazing, is the healthy way to go.
Kathleen Gray is an author and freelance blogger and parenting advocate. She is a dedicated mom to her children who enjoys sharing actionable parenting tips via blogs.
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The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog contributor’s. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Writers may have conflicts of interest, and their opinions are their own.
