Keep Your Children Safe and Happy at Home

Safety in the home is important for the well-being and happiness of your children. By taking precautions and being watchful, you can minimize dangers in your home and prevent accidents.

1. Secure Toxic Substances

Make sure that all medications that come into your home have child-safety caps. Keep all of your household cleaners and sprays out of the children′s reach or in a childproof, locked cabinet. Read ingredients carefully so that you know what products in your home could pose a danger to your child.

2. Prevent Burns

Always check the temperature of young children′s bath water, and never leave them alone in the bath. Keep pot handles turned to the inside of the stove, not hanging out over the edge where children could grab them and never leave matches or lighters lying around where children can reach them.

3. Be Aware of Potential Hazards

Keep fire-starters, sharp knives and plastic bags out of the reach of young children. If your children are babies, creepers or toddlers, you should baby proof your entire house. This means covering electric outlets with safety plugs, keeping small items the baby could put into his or her mouth up off the carpet, temporarily padding any sharp furniture edges and using baby gates in front of steps and stairs.

4. Educate Your Children about Strangers

When your children are old enough to start school, teach them about strangers. If your children ever answer the door, whether or not you are at home, they should know what to do if there is a stranger at the door. First, there should be a way for your family members to see who is at the door before they open it. This could be a peephole or a window with a view of the porch. Chain locks on all of your exterior doors offer added protection. Emphasize to your child that under no circumstances are they to open the door if they don′t recognize the person on the other side.

5. Keep Your Teen Safe Too

Keeping your children safe doesn′t stop when they hit their teens. If there are prescription drugs or alcohol in the home, keep them where your teens cannot get at them. That goes for the car keys too – at least until they are old enough to drive and know what they are doing. The teen years are a time for exploration, so don′t put temptation or danger in their path.

6. Have an Evacuation Plan

Your family should have a plan in case of fire. If your home is two-story, you should have a way to exit the upstairs if the staircase is out. Even young children can be taught to dial 911. You should have your home and your garage monitored by smoke alarms. And have a designated place in your yard or street where the family is to meet if they exit the house from different locations.

7. Know Your Safe Areas

Every family member should be aware of the safe areas in the house to go to in case of a hurricane, earthquake or tornado. If your area is prone to any of these natural disasters, educate your children about the warning signs for these events and be sure they know what to do if the event occurs.

By using a little foresight and taking a few precautions you can prevent many of the accidents than can happen in the home.