This post was sponsored by Smith & Noble. All opinions are mine alone #SafeandStylish #WindowSafety
Make your home safe for babies and toddlers with these eight easy tips.
I had always heard the term “baby proofing” before I had kids and never thought it was a big deal for me. I will do a good job watching my kids and they will always be safe. Boy was I wrong. No matter how well you watch your kids they are always going to get into something. Little did I know that as my boys grew from babies to toddlers the amount of things they got into and the serious harm that could happen tripled. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t say “Get your finger out of there” or “Hey, don’t put that in your mouth”. But I have learned a lot. And today I want to share with you the top eight things you can do to keep your little ones safe in your home.
1. Put covers on your outlets. There are a lot of options here from inexpensive plastic ones that go in each plug all the way up to covers that cover the entire outlet. But you definitely want to have covers on any outlets your little ones can reach. Kids are curious and they are always trying to see what they can fit into small spaces. When I was younger I remember my brother being shocked because he put one of my mom’s bobby pins in an outlet. So just to be safe cover those outlets.
2. Glue (or remove) the plastic ends to door stoppers. I don’t know why these little things are so much fun but both of my boys played with these as babies and they still do today (they are 2 and 3). Aside from unscrewing the door stops they also like to pull off the small rubber stopper and chew on it. This is a huge choking hazard. I recommend using super glue to attach these to the stoppers vs. removing them permanently. That way they can’t cut themselves on the metal and the stoppers don’t poke holes in the walls when doors get swung up (because with kids doors get opened hard all the time).
3. Put up baby gates and the top (and bottom) of stairs. You don’t have to have these up 24/7 but if you’re up stairs with your kids put them up and if you have babies and your downstairs put them up. I’ll never forget the Christmas my 1 year old got a Mater Power Wheels and made a wrong turn and toppled down the stairs. Scariest mom moment ever. (He was fine just got scared, but I was scarred for life).
4. Keep cleaning supplies on top shelves. Especially the laundry and dishwasher pods. Cleaning supplies are notorious for being brightly colored and kids correlate bright colors with yummy treats. Keep all cleaning supplies (whether they are bright colored or not) on top shelves away from little hands. And it’s best to always have the number for poison control handy so if your kids do get into something you can call quickly. P.S. don’t feel like you’re a horrible parent if your kid does get into something it happens to everyone!
5. Cabinet and Drawer Locks. I don’t know what it is about small, dark spaces but kids always want to get into cabinets. Whether it’s get the fun looking “candy” (see #4) or it’s playing hide and seek, cabinets can be a real hazard for little ones. My favorite cabinet locks are the ones you install on the inside that you have to push down to open.
6. Buy furniture with rounded corners (or get protectors for sharp corners). Babies and toddlers are constantly growing and that growing can affect their balance. Not to mention the need to run as fast as they can through out the house without looking where they are going. It’s best to keep anything they can hit their heads on or scrape themselves on covered up. The plastic corner covers have been a life saver with my three year old.
7. Keep windows closed or buy screen locks for windows children can reach. Imagine this scenario…It’s a beautiful spring day, you open the windows to let some fresh air flow through the house. You’re playing in the play room with your one year old when you smell something stinky. Yep there’s a poopy diaper. You go in to the next room for 10 seconds to get a diaper and wipes. You come back to the play room to see your 1 year old pushing on the screen and hanging half way out the window. Make that a second story window. Yes that happened to me and it was a real eye opener. No matter how quick you think you’ll be it just takes 2 seconds for our little explorers to get into trouble. So if you are going to be leaving a room close the window or, even better, buy screen locks so that way you can’t remove the screens (unless you have a screw driver).
8. Remove cords from blinds and/or buy Cordless Blinds. Over 10 children every year die from strangulation from window cords. That’s a scary number and I can totally see how it happens. There is something about those little ropes that scream to kids “Pull on me! Hang on me! Wrap me around your neck!” My boys have done it and it scared me half to death. That is why I love Smith & Noble Cordless Window Treatments. Not only do they eliminate one less worry for me but they also look good too. With everything from roller shades to wood blinds and even drapes and valances there is a style and color to fit any budget. Plus, right now they are offering $50 off any order to replace unsafe treatments for new ones. Go here to get your discount code.
Are you looking around your house now seeing all the possible dangers and getting overwhelmed? Don’t worry, you don’t have to replace these things all at once. Watch your little ones, see what they like to get into and do and start with those things first. Still feeling overwhelmed? Hop on over to Smith & Noble right now and enter to win $1000 worth of custom window treatments!
Do you have a scary, heart jumped out of your throat mom moment? What changes have you made in your home to make it more safe for your little ones?
Kendra Wright says
We keep a emergency kit in our car. My husband had poured some ibuprofen in a bag to keep in the kit. My 2 year old got into the car and was just playing around with his brother while I was in the house making dinner. I was checking on them, and they were only in there for like 3 mins, When I went out to get them out he had found the kit and eaten some of the ibuprofen. Thankfully I guess if they are older then one, over 10 ibuprofen isn’t too dangerous, but it scared me and now we don’t keep medicine in our car.
Emily, Our house now a home says
These are all so important. I have a tendency to assume my kids know better and have become relaxed with a lot of this. But, I need to be sure to stay on top of it all the time. My kids deserve it.
Cathy says
These are all important tips. Thanks for sharing and reminding us of what we sometimes forget about. Cathy
April R @Uncookie Cutter says
This is a great post! Doesn’t make me miss those scary times, though! And what a great giveaway, thanks for sharing!
Ruthie says
These are all great tips! I never thought about the cords on blinds but I will from now on!
Tiffany says
Great tips, Sydney! Just reading through this post makes me tired. :0) My babies are teenagers, so our baby and toddler proofing days are over. Now, we have student drivers! Thanks for sharing and have a great day!
Heidi says
When we bought our home, it didn’t have window treatments yet, so I got to pick them out. The entire upstairs (where the kids sleep) has cordless blinds. We love them! Thanks for these great tips!