Keep the Little Ones Safe: Home Improvements to Protect Our Children
Keeping our children safe is a top priority. Whether it’s safety from physical dangers such as cars and sharp corners around the house, or influential dangers from the internet and television, we have a duty to protect them. However, home safety usually isn’t on our minds.
It’s unfortunate, but we can get into a false sense of security if we haven’t experienced a burglary ourselves or if no one in the immediate area has suffered from an incident. We leave the windows open, we forget to use all the locks on the doors, and perhaps we don’t even install security systems to deter thieves.
Unfortunately, there are times when we have to leave our children at home or we need to put them in the hands of a capable babysitter. We can’t always be there to watch over our children, and the few times we are away we can be stressed, anxious and worried for their safety—so much so that it might affect our daily lives and as a result, reduce our quality of life.
Stop worrying about your children and take control of your life by adding some home improvements to your home. There are hundreds of tips and tricks you can follow to give you peace of mind, but here are just a few of them to get you started.
Upgrade Your Windows
Windows are extremely dangerous for both children and yourself. Not only can children accidentally climb out or fall out of windows, they’re also an easy access point for thieves. Make sure that you close and lock all the windows when you’re leaving children at home, or install safety latches so you can let air in without opening the window too much. You also want to install some window security screens around the home. These screens can protect your house from being broken into because they’re sturdy and resistant to everything from bricks to gunshots.
Make Sure Furniture is Firmly Secured
Children love to climb around the house and explore. Unfortunately, many children have been injured or killed as a result of badly designed shelving. This is an unpleasant situation, but you need to ensure that every piece of furniture in the home is secured and won’t tip over, and that items (heavy or not) won’t fall off the shelves. Be extremely careful anytime you do a home renovation or improvement job, and never skimp on safety extras such as corner guards. If needed, keep their playroom and bedroom free of large pieces of furniture and opt for easy to access storage.
Get to Know Your Babysitter
If you need a regular babysitter, then ensure you know them personally and that they won’t teach your children bad manners or get them involved with strange or questionable hobbies. Your children need to like your babysitter and the sitter needs to be good with children. Don’t hire a babysitter that your children don’t like, and keep an eye on their behavior before and after they’ve been with a babysitter to ensure nothing suspicious is going on.
