Walk down the child supply aisles of nearly any store, and you will have a vast selection of childproofing products well within reach of your adult fingertips. Plastic devices, door knob covers, latches, locks, corner cushions, and door stoppers are found aplenty. But the question is: do you really want to deck out your entire home with those little white gadgets gleaming on essentially every surface? If your slightly guilty-parent answer is “no,” don’t sweat it. There are ways to keep your kids safe in your home while still living in an adult-friendly environment.
A fundamental part of childproofing is simply de-cluttering. The fewer opportunities for trips, slips, and tumbles, the smaller the Band-aids® you have to keep on hand. Well, almost. By keeping your home organized and tidy, you reduce the risk of haphazard accidents. Keep your hallways and stairs clear. Have designated storage pieces and hooks installed up high at your entry points for shoes, umbrellas, and backpacks. Be vigilant about keeping surfaces clear of clutter in the kitchen, home office, and bedrooms by having designated homes out of sight and reach for small appliances, supplies, and accessories. Store books and magazines properly on upper shelves or in magazine files or decorative baskets. Keep toys from totally having the run of the place by collecting them in bins, baskets, or cubby systems and purging what your children have outgrown once or twice a year.
Also, consider ways to swap out child-hazard elements for something both kid friendly and visually appealing to go with your decor. To me, placing those corner cushions on the four points of a coffee table ruins the look of a perfectly good table. Try something more modern that serves the purpose but also eliminates a hard, pointed surface altogether in your living room seating area by using cluster ottomans instead. Whether leather or upholstered, these soft surfaces can fulfill the role of a table without posing a threat during a fall while they add a stylish touch to your furniture arrangement.
Make smart storage choices in your family’s home to do away with the need for all the latches and locks that ultimately just make your daily tasks a little harder to carry out. In the past, latching the double cabinets below the kitchen sink was a staple to keep harmful cleaning products out of the reach of children. But why wasn’t it commonplace to store things like cleaners and bleach in upper cabinets or in the laundry area instead? Today’s homes tend to offer more storage solutions with upper cabinets, more than one “linen closet,” and both shallow and deep heavy drawers below the sink and cooktop in lieu of cabinetry. Take advantage of your storage space and “move it on up” if you would rather your child not have access to a grouping of items. However, when it comes to electrical outlets, do go ahead and use the little clear covers to cover your bases low down.
Find the balance that will work for your family and your children’s stages of development. Keep them safe and you happy by blending storage and safety solutions in a fashionable manner. And provide your youngest children with plenty of appropriate stimulation at their fingertips to help keep them from steering into unlatched waters.
Appeared in the South Texas Family&Health Issue in the Valley Morning Star Friday, April 29th.
