A new addition to your family is a wonderful thing. It means more opportunities for memories. It also means that you need to make some immediate changes to your home. Once your little one is crawling, she is likely to get into anything and everything. It is amazing how many updates need to made to your cabinets, doors, windows and even appliances to prepare for a toddler.

It will take some time and cost some money, but as all of your friends with children have probably already shared, having kids is not cheap. It is worthwhile to spend the money to know that your child can play in every part of the house and still be kept out of harm’s way.

Childproofing Additions

• Safety latches- Kids will get into cabinets and drawers where household cleaners, scissors, and all other sorts of potential dangers await. You can purchase safety latches that require an extra step to open drawers and cabinets. They can be installed fairly easily, but remember to put them on all appropriate openings.
• Corner bumpers- Children will inevitably run in the house and fall. If their head comes into contact with the edge of a counter, you will be on your way to the ER for stitches. Avoid this trip by purchasing plastic bumpers that will cover the edges of counters, tables or anything else, and affix them properly.
• Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors- These are safety elements for the whole family that many people do no install until a child is born. If your house does not have working units that identify both substances, you must invest in them. They need to be hung strategically around the house so that all areas have a detector. Some units run off batteries, while other are wired into your home’s electrical circuits.
• Furniture and appliance anchors- Kids climb on things and jump off of them. For a kid it’s fun; for an adult it is dangerous and sometimes even annoying. Protect your children from the potential injuries incurred when an appliance or piece of furniture falls on them by anchoring the object to the ground or wall. This will require some tools and basic craftsmanship, so if you aren’t that handy you may want to have a professional handle this aspect of childproofing.
• Pool fence- Living in Florida makes having a pool feasible. Whether you add it yourself or have someone else do it, a pool is a family-friendly home addition. But it can also be dangerous for homes with small children. Have a safety fence installed around your pool to keep little ones away. A quality pool fence will require that it be attached to your porch or deck at some point. Having a handyman do this for you will ensure that the job is done right and that the end result looks good. You will hate looking at a mangled deck that resulted from an inexperienced person trying to drill a fence in and then realizing that they did not calculate space correctly.
• Outlet covers- This is an easy one–just purchase a set of plastic pieces that you can insert into electrical outlets so that your child cannot insert their fingers. Make sure to buy enough for the whole house.
• Slip-resistant tub- Bath time can turn into an accident very quickly, in as little time a sit takes for you to go retrieve a new bottle of shampoo, in fact. Slip-proof your tub. You can buy adhesive pads or mats that install very easily. If you like the idea of a long-term slip-resistant tub, you can have it resurfaced to add traction.

Keeping your kids safe is a parent’s number one priority. Take the time to childproof your home. If you do not have time or want to know that it is done right, feel free to contact us at the Handyman Connection. We can make any of the changes that we listed so that you know your child is safe. We can have a handyman inspect your home and install childproofing tools in Tampa, Orlando, Fort Meyers, Bradenton and many surrounding areas.

Sources:
eSSORTMENT
U.S. Product Consumer Product Safety Commission
Good Housekeeping

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