In this article we explore the notion of baby proofing your kitchen drawers and cupboards. Before we get into the actual baby proofing side of things, let’s first examine why you should consider baby proofing your drawers and cupboards.

Drawers can be dangerous because a child can pull the entire drawer out onto themselves. But it’s not just the drawers that are dangerous. It’s also what we store in them. For example, detergents, cleansers and other dangerous chemicals that can be spilled or ingested by a child, plastic bags that can lead to suffocation, or sharp utensils like knives, forks or scissors that could cause injury or be shoved into an electrical outlet. There’s also glassware that can be easily smashed as well as the ever present choking hazards in the form of small objects like bottle tops. And as your child gets older, they may learn that drawers can double as a handy set of steps to higher storage areas, which can lead to injury if they fall.

Here are some of the things you can do to help prevent your baby or toddler gaining access to your kitchen cupboards and drawers.

• Put baby locks on all drawers and cupboards that are within reach of children. Baby locks come in an array of different forms and are available from many outlets and even online from stores such as Amazon. They require little more that a screwdriver to install. When your child gets older and starts to climb, you may want to consider putting locks on higher cupboards too.
• Store all dangerous chemicals such as soaps, detergents, cleansers and disinfectants in a place that is well out of your child’s reach. Don’t assume that a child will never figure out how to open a locked cupboard door. Even young children have problem solving capabilities. It’s better to keep these substances where children can’t reach them.
• Store glassware and other breakables in a high cupboard that is out of reach of children. Ensure that the cupboard sturdy and is secured to a wall so it can’t topple over.
• Regularly check that all locks are secure and working properly. Also keep stock of the contents of each drawer and cupboard if you can. If you notice a dangerous utensil is missing, your child may be the one who has taken it.

It may be impossible to keep your kitchen completely safe for your children, but the above steps are a move in the right direction. As always, attentive supervision of our children is first and foremost when it comes to keeping kids safe no matter how much you have baby proofed your kitchen.

When it comes to child proofing, the kitchen is one of the most dangerous rooms in the house. Children can sustain burns and scalds from hot liquids, stoves and ovens, and other appliances. They can find knives, scissors and other sharp utensils in cupboards and drawers. There’s the possibility of getting trapped after climbing inside the refrigerator or slipping on food and liquid that has fallen on the floor. And they can also get under your feet while you’re preparing hot meals or carrying sharp utensils, making the kitchen unsafe for you as well as them.

This article is part 1 of a 5 part serious that will delve into some of the dangers in and around the kitchen with suggestions about things parents and guardians can do to help make the kitchen safe for children. Part 2 will discuss what you can do to keep your cupboards and drawers safe, part 3 will discuss the dangers around stoves, ovens and other appliances, part 4 will be devoted to refrigerators and part 5 will discuss the danger of overhanging bench tops.

The task of baby proofing your kitchen and indeed your home is an important one and it never really ends. As children grow they learn how to overcome obstacles and figure out how to get though barriers we have erected. They don’t understand, especially if they are very young, that those barriers are there to keep them away from danger. So it is always important remember that no matter how much effort you spend in child proofing your kitchen and your home, there is no substitute for attentive supervision and a bit of common sense.

The Internet is something parents may not think much about when it comes to kid’s safety. To most young children, a computer is not much more than something they can play games on. There are a countless number of websites that kids can go to for games. And while most of those sites may be safe enough, your children can still wander through cyberspace and end up on a site they should not be visiting.

Our 4 year old daughter has already started to use the family computer and access the Internet. She likes to play games and watch animated videos and the like. But we certainly don’t allow her to surf the net unsupervised. Our 8 year old daughter is a bit more proficient and sometimes wants to use the computer for more than just games and videos. So we have now begun to sit down with her to supervise and teach her about the net.

Without supervision and an education, how easy would it be for a young and innocent child to reveal personal and confidential information about themselves or their families at a website they stumble upon. What if they were to sign up for a “gift” or “service” that is not intended for minors? What if they found their way to a website that contained objectionable and offensive material or was loaded with viruses and trojans? Not to mention the possibility of being contacted by a skilled predator who knows how to ensnare unsuspecting children in their lure.

Some things children can be taught are:

• Never provide their personal details, such as their name, address, telephone number, the school they attend, or even details about their parents or siblings without first checking with their parents or guardians.
• Never agree to meet in person anyone they’ve met online, no matter how often they’ve been in contact.
• Never open or respond to an email that’s from someone they don’t know, especially if it is unexpected, seems scary, offensive or just plain weird. Refer it to their parent or guardian instead.
• Inform their parents or guardians about anything they come across that frightens or unsettles them in any way.
• Never send a picture of themself, or of any other family member, to anyone over the Internet.

In today’s society, children learn about computers and the Internet at a fairly early age. There are many resources that parents can use to learn about kid’s safety on the Internet, and the sooner we learn, the sooner we can teach our kids.

With Christmas and the holiday season fast approaching, many of us no doubt have children’s toys high on our gift list. Toys are meant to be fun to play with, but they also need to be safe for kids.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, during 2008 there were 19 toy-related deaths and about 172,000 toy-related injuries to children under 15 years of age treated in hospital emergency rooms. Almost half of these injuries were to children under 5 years of age.

To ensure our children remain safe during the holiday season, there are a few simple things parents can do when buying and giving toys.

• Keep up to date with toy recalls. Consumers can visit the CPSC website for recall information. You can also register with the CPSC and receive email notifications about recalls.
• Buy toys that are appropriate for the age of your child and keep toys appropriate of older children away from younger ones.
• Don’t give toys that contain small objects to children under 3. If an object fits inside a toilet roll, it is a choking hazard to a small child.
• Discard wrappings and packaging, particularly plastic, as soon as it has been opened.
• Remove long strings and straps that may pose a strangulation hazard to young children.
• Avoid letting young children play with un-inflated or burst balloons because of the choking and suffocation hazard they present.
• If any batteries need to be charged, it should be supervised by an adult because some chargers pose a thermal burn hazard to children and may lack a feature that prevents overcharging.

As always, supervision is paramount when it comes to kids safety. And with Christmas being a busy time of year involving family get-togethers, effective supervision can easily become lax and ineffective. Keep your kids safe and have a wonderful Christmas and holiday season.

If you’re shopping around for a car seat for your child, particularly if you’re a first time parent, or about to become one, you might be feeling a bit overwhelmed about the number of car seats available. Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

Many parents are facing the same dilema. Remember that you don’t need to make a hasty uninformed decision about which seat to buy. Like it or not though, parents are required to make use of a car seat when transporting babies, toddlers and even older children. No cargo is more precious so important to make the right decision.

Here are some questions to consider when choosing a car seat:

• What are my legal obligations regarding the installation and use of a car seat?

  In most countries it is illegal to transport your children without having them adequately restrained. And for good reasons. Small children’s bodies can sustain significant injury during a crash because their bodies are not strong enough to handle the impact in the way adults may be able to. You should check with your local traffic authority for specific information about your obligations regarding car seats and child restraints. It is best you get this information from your authorities rather than rely on some other source.

• Does a higher price mean greater safety?

  Do not think that you need to buy the most expensive car seat in order to get the most protection. Quite often the reason why a car seat is more expensive than another is because of extra features, some of which may not actually add to the safety aspect of the seat itself. For example, a cup holder or an extra pocket or two are just add ons and clearly do not contribute to extra safety. It is true that certain seats perform better than others, but all child seats nowadays meet the minimum safety requirement. The most important factor is that the car seat is installed correctly.

• What certification should I look for in a car seat?

  Car seats that meet the safety requirements should be labelled appropriately. Take a note of the certification that the car seat carries. If you don’t know what it means, do some research to find out. Your local traffic authority is a good place to start. Beware if you are going to use a hand-me-down or a buying second-hand seat. If you know nothing about the seat or its certification, it may be best to avoid it.

• Is the seat suitable for my child’s weight, height and age?

  Children come in different shapes and sizes. Some grow faster than others, some grow slower. But there are three basic types of seats: rear-facing seats for babies up to at least 1 year of age or 20 pounds in weight; forward facing toddler seat for children up to around 4 years of age or 40 pounds in weight; and booster seats for children up to around 8 years of age. These numbers are a guide only. There is no reason why your child can’t remain in a rear-facing seat until they’re closer to 2 years of age. In fact some safety experts suggest that parents should consider leaving their infants in a rear facing seat for as long as possible. Of course if your child has outgrown the seat they are in, it may be time to sit them in one that is a better fit.

• What is the seat’s use-by date?

  Check if the seat you intend installing has not exceeded it’s expiry date or is not more than about 6 years old. The older a seat is the less likely it will meet current safety standards. And the material used to manufacture the product may have degraded over time to a point where the safety of the seat is comprised. If in doubt, check with the manufacturer or your local authorities.

• Has the seat been recalled?

  If a car seat has been recalled, it is because there is an issue that brings the safety aspect of the seat into question and you simply should not use it. Check with the relevant authorities and manufacturers about recalled products. You may even be able to register with certain authorities, such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, to receive notification about future recalls.

Always remember we are responsible for the safety of our children. No price should be too high to ensure that is the case.