Grandkids Visiting? Here’s How to Begin Childproofing Your Home

Whether your grandchildren are visiting for a few hours, a day, or a week, it’s important to spend some time childproofing your home.

Here are a few steps to get you started now, so you can avoid any accidents later.

Kitchen Safety

The kitchen is the heart of the home, but it also harbours a heap of hazards! Chemicals, hot surfaces, and falling objects—just to name a few. Keep the kiddies safe by installing good quality childproof cabinet locks on all cabinets in your kitchen. But don’t rely solely on these locks—also move any harmful chemicals and unsafe objects into overhead cabinets that are completely out of reach. When you’re cooking up a storm, use the back-most burners, and never leave hot food and drinks close to the edge of your benchtop.

Bathroom Safety

Bath time can be a real hoot! But did you know that just five centimetres of water can be hazardous to young children? So, never ever leave water sitting in your bathtub or hand basin, and always supervise the little ones around water. Also, consider installing a childproof lock on your toilet to stop little fingers lifting the lid.

As for your bathroom cabinet—install a childproof lock and remove any hazardous items (especially medications!), storing them in an out-of-reach area.

Loungeroom Safety

You’ll probably spend the majority of your visit in the lounge room, so let’s make it childproof! Start by cleaning up any clutter, and putting loose objects out of reach. Install childproof socket covers on all power points, tidy up unruly power cords, and remove tripping hazards (rugs, etc.). Take the time to consider how many batteries are present in your lounge room. Could a young child remove the back of your TV remote and ingest the batteries lurking inside? Pop a silicone cover over any remotes and store them up high, just to be safe!

Be Prepared

Accidents do happen, as much as we try to avoid them. So, be prepared by gathering important contact info and keeping it in an easy-to-access, easy-to-remember spot. Among this info should be the phone number of the child’s parents, their regular GP, a nurse-on-call, and the poison control hotline.

Note: this is NOT an exhaustive list of safety measures that should be undertaken when childproofing your home.

Could you use some help childproofing your home? Here at Simply Helping, we offer flexible in home care services including cleaning, gardening, and home maintenance! Click here to learn more and contact us today!