{"id":2315,"date":"2017-09-18T14:56:30","date_gmt":"2017-09-18T21:56:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/?p=2315"},"modified":"2017-09-18T14:58:53","modified_gmt":"2017-09-18T21:58:53","slug":"childproof-new-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/childproof-new-home","title":{"rendered":"How to childproof your new home"},"content":{"rendered":"

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You\u2019ve found your new home and are thrilled with the anticipation of moving in. You\u2019ve got ideas about decorating, landscaping, and furnishing your new home to your exact specifications, but what about childproofing?<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0<\/span>Centers for Disease Control<\/span><\/a> reports that each year about 9.2 million children sustain an accidental injury resulting in a trip to the emergency room, with an additional 7,300 dying from preventable injury. Taking steps to childproof your home will ensure that the whole family can enjoy it safely.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Childproofing inside your home<\/h3>\n

Your child experiences the world from a vastly different perspective than you do \u2013 namely, from a much lower height. Getting down on your hands and knees and investigating from that vantage point will give you a better idea of dangers below knee-level.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the kitchen and bathroom, this may be cleaning solutions or appliances with cords. Move them to higher ground or install<\/span> childproof cupboard and drawer latches<\/span><\/a>. Replace electrical outlet panels with those that slide over outlets when not in use. Install childproof clamps on your toilets so a curious toddler can\u2019t climb or topple in, and make sure all medications are locked up, out of reach, or have childproof caps.<\/span><\/p>\n

Around your living room and bedrooms, install bumpers on sharp corners of tables or chairs \u2013 this could be as simple as wrapping them in foam rubber and securing with packaging tape. Check your taller furniture, such as armoires and TV cabinets, for stability. Make sure they can\u2019t be pulled down by an unsteady toddler learning to walk. Bolt heavy furniture like bookcases and headboards to walls whenever possible, and use electrical tape to tamp down and secure any extension cords running along the floor. <\/span><\/p>\n

If you have floor lamps, consider storing them until your child is steady enough on their feet to be able to navigate around them. Lamps, plants, and knickknacks should all be secured or removed. If you have curtains or blinds with long cords, tie them up out of reach. Infants and toddlers can become entangled in curtain cords and blinds. Avoid placing your baby\u2019s crib near a window, and install locks on any window that can be opened.<\/span><\/p>\n

In your laundry room, secure washer and dryer machine lids so a child can\u2019t climb in and become trapped. Place detergents, bleaches, and solutions out of reach of curious hands and mouths.<\/span><\/p>\n

If there are parts of the house you don\u2019t want your child to access, a closed door is safer and more secure than a gate. If you do buy a baby gate, make sure it\u2019s certified by the\u00a0<\/span>Juvenile Products Manufacturer\u2019s Association<\/span><\/a>, keeping your child\u2019s stage of development in mind. A gate that screws into the wall is the most secure option, as tension gates might work to contain a crawler but become a hazard when your baby starts climbing and walking.<\/span><\/p>\n

Childproofing outside your home<\/h3>\n

Examine the exterior of your house for the same pitfalls as its interior \u2013 accessible outlets, unsteady furniture, sharp corners, cords, lines, or hoses that could cause injury. If your home comes with a pool or hot tub, install a locking cover, childproof pool fencing, or a fixed gate that prevents child access to the area. Fortify balcony and deck railings, and shore up spaces between slats that your child could squeeze through or get a head or other body part stuck in.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you have landscaping or a backyard garden, make sure your plants and flowers are not\u00a0<\/span>toxic or poisonous.<\/span><\/a> \u00a0In the garage or carport, keep chemicals and paint on high counters or in secured lockers, or prevent access to these areas altogether. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Have an expert childproof your home<\/h3>\n

If you have the means, you can hire someone to childproof your house for you. The\u00a0<\/span>International Association for Child Safety<\/span><\/a> maintains a database of Child Safety Consultants and can connect you with a professionally certified child safety expert in your area. \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When it comes to staying safe, your vigilance is your child\u2019s best protection. By taking the time to childproof your home and implement these safety measures, the space should be more secure for all residents and visitors to the home.<\/span><\/p>\n

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This post was written for Realty Executives by Estelle Weber, a freelance writer living in Los Angeles. You can read more of her work <\/span>here<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You\u2019ve found your new home and are thrilled with the anticipation of moving in. You\u2019ve got ideas about decorating, landscaping, and furnishing your new home to your exact specifications, but what about childproofing? The\u00a0Centers for Disease Control reports that each year about 9.2 million children sustain an accidental injury resulting in a trip to the … Continue reading How to childproof your new home<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[419],"tags":[529,432,446],"yst_prominent_words":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2315"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2315"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2315\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2317,"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2315\/revisions\/2317"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2315"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2315"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2315"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=2315"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}