As a parent, your main concern for your children is their safety. And while you might have been very vigilant about babyproofing your home before you little ones arrived, as they get older, you may find yourself being more relaxed about protecting them from every hazard in the home.
But because so many injuries that children sustain happen within their own homes, it’s vital that you continue to do everything in your power to keep your kids protected at home even as they grow up. To help you in doing this, here are three tips for keeping your kids safe from injuries while at home.
Properly Store Medicines and Cleaning Supplies
When your children were babies and toddlers, it was important that you kept medicines and cleaning supplies away from them so that they didn’t accidentally ingest them. But as your kids get older, the reasons for keeping these things properly stored will start to change a little.
While you might not be concerned with your older children accidentally taking medicine because they think it’s candy, HealthFinder.gov shares that you should still keep certain medicines away from your kids to keep them from taking too much of a medicine or from taking a prescription that isn’t theirs. Because of these dangers, you should also still keep the number for your local poison control in a very visible place.
Know Which Areas To Be Most Vigilant In
There are certain areas of your home where your kids are more likely to get hurt. Once you know what these areas are, you can better know how to mitigate problems that could arise there.
According to the National Safety Council, the most dangerous places in a home are the bathrooms, any place where there’s heat or flames, wherever toxic substances are kept, and around the stairs. To keep your kids safer in these areas, survey your home for potential disasters that might happen and then come up with your own plans for how to keep those disasters from happening. It is important to equip yourself completely to handle any situation in which your children are involved in an accident, such as tripping, or suffering burn injuries. In the event that your child’s hand is burnt, for instance, you can find out more on how to handle it beforehand and keep all the necessary aid at home. If you’ve bandaged the wound properly, take them to the doctor at the soonest opportunity, and you can take necessary precautions to make sure that they don’t experience this again.
Limit Distractions In Hazardous Areas
Another reason why kids are more likely to get hurt at their own home is that they get too comfortable and allow for distractions to let their guard down. To prohibit this, you might want to consider how you can limit distractions in hazardous areas.
According to Amanda Knowles, a contributor to SafeKids.org, this should include keeping distractions to a minimum when your kids are playing outside, taking baths, or participating in an activity where they could otherwise get hurt.
To help your children be safe and feel safe within the walls of their own home, consider using the tips mentioned above to increase their safety and your awareness.
