Make your home safe for children
Cover power outlets with childproof caps.
What you need to know:
You might have the latest in furniture or electrical fittings but are they safe enough for your toddler who is learning their way around the house?
Every room in your home can pose a threat to toddlers. However, if you know how to baby proof your house, you are off to a good start on making your home a safe place.
Christine Asiimwe, a nanny at Nanny’s Nest, a day care says that this is not only for the benefit of your children but also the children of your guests.
Cover power cables
She says make sure you secure your hanging cables such as those from your lamps, TV, telephone and computer. “Children can pull on these cables and possibly pull any item on top of them, or they could bite them and get electrocuted,” Asiimwe warns.
Asiimwe says, parents should always ensure the use of cable rolls or coils to gather up any loose connection in the wires in a cable or secure them with zip ties, or electrical tape.
Andrew Mbabazi, an interior designer from Erimu Co. Ltd, adds it is important to cover electrical outlets with baby proof caps so that no little fingers, food, toys or other objects get close or make their way to them.
Attach heavy items to the wall
Mbabazi says securing any furniture that has any prospective of tripping like bookshelves should be attached to the wall. He says one should also ensure that such items are stuck to the wall to prevent them from tripping in the event that a child climbs on them.
Substitute coffee sets
You also need to protect them from corners and sharp edges in the sitting room. “You can work to replace or eliminate corners in your living room by substituting couches in place of coffee tables, says Mbabazi.
Cover sharp edges
In the struggle of beautifying the sitting rooms, one does not need to fill it up with sharp edged tables, you should also consider the young ones around you by putting soft extra-large edges to add cushions to sharp edged table. He adds that you can also use pipe padding, which can be cut and fashioned around sharp edges.
Keep the floor clean
Asiimwe says, ensure you keep your floor clean by removing all choking items, life threatening objects and breakables out of their sight. Look for items that could easily break and cut a child.
Keep these items out of reach of children or in another room and away from your child. Always remember to remove any poisons that could possibly be ingested, such as air fresheners and poisonous house plants.
