SAFETY, CHILDPROOFING, EMERGENCY KITS
Childproofing your home can vary from moving furniture in front of wall outlets to maximum lockdown.
If you have more than one kiddo, you will need at least one safe place to corral your mischievous critters while your back is turned. This can be a pack-n-play, a fenced-off area, or even a stationary entertainment center.
What you might need beyond that often depends not just on your home’s layout, but on your kids’ temperaments. If I’d had two kids with my daughter’s temperament, I might have gotten away with a gate or two and some basic childproofing steps. My son, however, was a different deal. If the possibility of injury existed, he discovered it. And while my daughter sat and watched the action, my son was moving fast.
We wound up babyproofing to the max. We had gates everywhere, cabinet locks, latches to hold some doors open (to prevent him from crushing his sister’s fingers in the door), latches to hold outside doors closed, special wall outlets, breakables hidden away, TV mounted high on the wall, stove shields. We even consulted a professional child-proofer since we were too exhausted to figure this all out ourselves.
Best tip from the child-proofer? Don’t bring plastic dry-cleaning bags into the house. All plastic bags are one of the deadliest things in the home. Our nanny taught us to pull plastic grocery bags into a string, then tie them in two knots before putting them away up high. If you buy paper goods in bulk, they often come in a large plastic covering. Take the toilet paper out of the plastic covering, tie up the plastic, and get it out of the house.
Remember there can be dangers just outside your door. Busy streets, ponds, pools, and drop-offs can pose a risk within a few steps. At some point, your child may want to wander outside without you.
Yeah, really, they get out! Let’s say you’re sleep-deprived or distracted by another child. A leaking washer? Something. One child gets the door open and wanders outside. What dangers will they encounter there?
You can guard against this with door knob covers or by putting inside latches up high on your doors that lead outside. You can use the type often found in apartments. It has a chain that hooks across the door opening. Or use a simple hook and eye latch to prevent them from opening the door.
Just be aware that determined kids will bring a chair to stand on, and learn to undo the latch. You can also use door alarms that buzz or announce which door has been opened.
Beware of door jams. This is a common spot for one kid to put their fingers in while another kid closes the door and crushes them. You can use the same hook and eye or apartment chain latches to hold doors open. Just change the placement of each part of the latch.
You may also want to block toddlers from the whole room. Again, the hook and eye or apartment chain latch can be used to keep rooms off limits, yet allow adults easy access. Great for bathrooms or any place you want to keep kids out of.
When my kids were born we lived in an earthquake country. Maybe fires, floods, blizzards, hurricanes, or tornados are visitors to your neck of the woods. You’ll want to update your emergency kit to accommodate your newest little ‘uns.
The first year you’re going to want to add things like diapers, formula, water filtration pumps, rash ointments, and sunscreen. But by the next year, they will be eating baby food and you’re going to need to completely redo your kit.
Check the dates on everything. You’ll find one of the longest-lasting products is backpacker’s dehydrated food pouches.
You can find various lists online of things to include in your kit. Make your kit. Update it as your kids grow. Don’t forget. Check out these sites to get you started on creating emergency kits and how to baby-proof your home.
Baby proofing information site: Childproofing Experts.com
https://www.childproofingexperts.com/childproofing-checklist-by-age/
Emergency Kits: Ready.gov
Kathleen Cawley is a physician assistant and author. She is a regular guest columnist for the Auburn Journal where she writes on parenting and childhood. Her book, Navigating the Shock of Parenthood: Warty Truths and Modern Practicalities — from a mom with twins, will be available in winter of 2022. You can find her on Facebook at The Shock of Parenthood and on Medium.
