Whether it's for holiday family gatherings, watching grandchildren, hosting an overnight kid party, or just having friends over with their tots, most people have kids in their homes from time to time regardless of whether they have young children of their own. That means extra safety precautions are called for to ensure that kids are safe while visiting. Here are safety tips to consider before opening that front door to youngsters!
Assess Where Cleaning and Dangerous Products are Stored
Before young guests arrive, go through common areas such as bathrooms, kitchen, and even bedrooms (unless locked) and make sure that all items that could be potentially dangerous are safely stored and out of reach. Remember that common items such as nail polish remover are often in brightly-colored, enticing shades, which could attract youngsters. Cleaning supplies, medicines, pesticide, and other potentially dangerous products should have child-resistant caps, and preferably kept in locked cabinets.
Keep Original Labels on All Products
Before you rush to throw away labels or original boxes, remember that those labels often provide vital first-aid information in case of emergency. If possible, keep all such materials in their original packaging for easy reference if needed.
Store Food and Non-Food Items Separately
While most families have a common storage place for certain products, be sure to keep food items and non-food products separate. This means your pantry should only have food items and not be home to cleaning supplies or medicines. This helps to protect family health in the event of a leak in a product or any confusion as to what the product is for.
Close Appliance Doors/Lids
Hide and seek remains an all-time favorite kid activity, and appliances such as front-load washing machines can provide kids with a temptation to enter. Be sure all appliances have doors closed, and are inaccessible to kids. If you keep a refrigerator or freezer outside the kitchen area, make that location off limits to kids (the refrigerator in the kitchen is most likely to be the best supervised by adults).
Keep Doors Locked
While it may not be feasible to install safety locks on every door to the outside, keep doors locked and consider ways to ensure kids do not enter or exit your home. Some home security systems have a chime or alert that can be turned on while kids are present as another way to monitor kid activities.
Two-Story Houses Require Extra Planning
If you live in a two-story home, consider not allowing kids upstairs without direct adult supervision. Too many accidents occur from kids falling down stairs, or worse, playing on banisters or railings, often with tragic results. If you do allow kids upstairs, keep close tabs on them at all times and be firm with establishing rules of the house.
Safeguard Swimming Pools and Hot Tubs
Tragedies involving hot tubs and swimming pools are often the result of kids not living in the house being tempted by the water and slipping outdoors unnoticed. That's not to say accidental drownings don't happen at homes with kids--of course they do, but curiosity and excitement over a pool when visiting someone else's home may increase the danger even more. Keep hot tubs covered and make sure that access to the backyard or wherever the pool (or even decorative ponds) is restricted. If your young guests will be staying overnight, consider adding child locks and other additional safety measures.
Be in the Know of Food Allergies
Finally, be sure to check with any families you will be hosting if there are any food allergies you should know about. If so, keep this in mind when preparing any foods (read labels thoroughly), and if in doubt, ask first before offering a child any item to eat. Peanut allergies are particularly tricky; peanuts can lurk in something that isn't immediately obvious. Gluten allergies can provide another challenge. Further, either keep your pantry locked or put away any of the offending foods while a child with allergies is visiting. Just to be sure, know where the closest medical facilities for kids are located.
