Grandchild Proofing Your Home

Did you recently discover that you are going to be a new grandparent? You may be finding it difficult restraining your excitement, and enthusiasm. But please don't be worried if you're feelings are a little mixed. Such as a twinge of resentment, a sense of being prematurely aged by your new status it's a common though seldom admitted feeling.

Let it be a consolation to discover that according to the American Association of Retired Persons Grandparent Study "The average age of a first-time grandparent is now just 47 years old".

In our "ageing society" grandparents are one group that's definitely getting younger. Another common though little shared feeling is a sense of rivalry or competition between both sets of grandparents.

Don't worry these feelings usually pass with time.

GRANDCHILD PROOFING YOUR HOME

Many grandparents now assume a much greater and more active role in caring for their grandchildren, being the sole care giver either before or after school. Carefully lock up or make inaccessible all potential poisons and threats i.e. Cleaning products, medicines, herbal remedies and vitamins, knives, and other sharp objects tiny choke able objects that a little one might find interesting.

Use gates for stairs and to control access to various portions of your home. Inspect your home from a child's eye view crawl round your home looking for wires that can be pulled on or overhanging objects that can cause injury to a small child.

Can your pet be trusted? Your affectionate animal companion may be perfectly well behaved in the company of adults but will your pet tolerate the less restrained fondling of a toddler?

Replace outlet covers with ones that include a sliding safety catch, the little plug-in covers can all too easily end up in your grandchild's mouth.

Heavy furniture and fixtures

Large and heavy shelving units, chests of draws, and appliances can be big dangers. Attach whatever you can to the walls. Push large heavy items like television sets or lamps back from the edge of the furniture they're situated on. Always put bigger heavier items on lower shelves and in bottom drawers to make furniture less top-heavy. Babies start to pull themselves up on furniture just shortly after they start to crawl. Be sure to keep drawers closed when not in use as they make excellent ladders for curious grandchildren.

Cover all sharp corners on low down pieces of furniture such as coffee tables and hearth edges with bumpers to reduce the impact if your grandchild should fall.

Windows and Doors

Always open double-hung windows from above or have them fitted with child locks to prevent children from opening them, from below. Low windows shouldn't be allowed to open more than 4 inches. Window guards are available that can prevent windows from opening wider than 4 in. Some newer windows come with window stops already inbuilt. Lock all outer doors; install door stops or door holders on inner doors and hinges to prevent injuries to little fingers.

Secure ties on blinds and curtains. Window blinds can be a particular danger because a baby's neck can become entangled in the cords that control the blinds .It only takes a couple of minute's inattention for a child to strangle itself in such a situation

Drowning

Swimming pools .paddling pools garden ponds hot tubs, baths, toilets, and even buckets of water are all potential hazards. It is a fact that in the home most drowning deaths happen in the bathtub. Never leave your grandchild unattended in the bath not even for a minute to answer the door, not even if he/she is in a bath seat. Always supervise your grandchild whenever they're in the bathroom, install a safety device on your toilet lid to stop them from falling in. Infants and toddlers can drown in as little as an inch of water, Never leave water in the bathtub, never leave a mop bucket unattended, pour out the water as soon as you're finished. Take maximum care around pools and ponds if you have a in ground pool, enclose it with a fence that's at least 4 feet high, and a lockable gate and make certain it is locked after each use. Secure the covers on your spa or hot tub.

Fires

Experts maintain that smoke alarm can cut in half the chances of dying in a fire. Have a working smoke alarms in each room .Test them often to ensure they're working, and change the batteries twice a year. There are smoke alarms available now that use long-life (10-year) batteries.

Be Prepared

Add emergency numbers into the speed dial of your home phone and cell phones Keep a list of these numbers close to every phone in your residence and give a copy of the list to all relatives and frequent guests . Purchase a first aid kit if you don't already own one make sure its well stocked and nothing is past its expiry date.. Make sure babysitters and other caregivers know where to locate these supplies and how you wish them to respond in the event of an emergency

As your grandchild grows you will have to reevaluate these measures. Childproofing is a seemingly never ending process, challenging your ingenuity and your imagination and sometimes your patience, but never your love.

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