Baby Proof | Child Safety

The first step in keeping your children safe is to baby proof your home. Start in one room and then go on to the next. After that, head for the garden and garage.

May I humbly suggest that you get on with it and baby proof your home as soon as possible! Your children are too precious to waste time procrastinating.

To effectively perform a baby proofing exercise, you will need to get down on your hands and knees and try to see your baby or toddler's world as he or she sees it. Everything is new and exciting and must be explored by touch and taste.

In a child's mind, fingers need to be pushed into holes, such as the electrical outlets, which need to be baby proofed immediately. Containers of everything must be opened (if not already open) and then consumed and/or rubbed and smeared on faces and bodies and in their hair. Noses and ears also feature in this practice.

Did you know that already at the age of 4 months babies start grabbing things intentionally? To get an idea about how early to start baby proofing your home, Easybabylife.com provides information about baby development month by month.

Children are very enterprising little creatures. If your cat can get up onto the roof, then your toddler will find a way up as well.

Some time ago, my three year old grand-nephew was found on the roof of his grandparent's home. A contractor had very thoughtfully left a plank running from the upper driveway area onto the roof. The child negotiated this with ease and then proceeded across to the other side where the house overlooks a deep valley with magnificent views and a drop of several hundred meters. My brother and sister-in-law talked him into turning around and coming back, but at the cost of a great number of grey hairs

Unfortunately there are some things that you simply cannot baby proof but child safety procedures should always remain in the forefront of your mind.

"But my child is safe! I always think of safety first, and I watch my kids at all times."

Yes, I know you do, and so did I, as did my parents, but there is always that one moment when you take your eyes off of them, just for a minute.That is when your toddler, or a young visitor will get away from you at lightening speed and head for the pool, which you really believed was totally secure.

It is not only baby safety that you have to consider, it is the terrible knowledge that somewhere in and around your home there was something that you thought was safe, but wasn't, and a child was injured or died because of it.

Don't just baby proof, family proof your home. Go through the house room by room, Study everything through the eyes of a child, and of a teenager, and of an elderly person.

I have already done much of the research for you and there is more to come. For further information on Child safety and Babyproofing please consult the following pages:

• Baby's nursery safety

• Balcony Safety

• Bathroom Safety

• Cupboard, drawer and door safety

• Garden and outdoor safety

• Kitchen safety

• Walking-ring safety

• Window and glass safety

  
  
  

Much of what you read on these pages is common sense. To ensure that you are well prepared for when things do go wrong (as they will), I have included plenty of information on First Aid and what to do in an emergency.

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