By: Dana

Nothing is more exciting and nerve wracking then preparing for the arrival of a new baby. One moment your home or apartment is a perfect oasis for adults, the next moment it’s full of accidents waiting to happen. To get a good sense of what needs to be done in order to make your home child friendly; see your place through a child’s eyes. Get down to their level and see what kind of trouble a crawling infant or a climbing toddler can get into.

Quick and easy fixes can include, but are not limited to: locking up chemicals, replacing outlet covers with ones that include sliding safety latches, covering corners with softer bumpers, and putting up gates on stairs and other dangerous locations. One of the most important areas of your home to check are your windows and doors; especially those that are in easy reach of small, curious hands. Be sure the proper locks are installed on doors and windows, and that children cannot climb into any window openings. While many blinds and shades are made with convenience in mind, window coverings that have free hanging cords or strings can pose a danger to small children. Blinds and shades purchased after 2001 have been made with child safety in mind, and usually come with accessories to guard against strangulation or choking. If your shades or blinds are older, retro fit safety kits are available to make any shade, including romans, woven wood, roller, vertical and cellular shades child friendly.

You can order free retrofit kits and get more information regarding child safety on the Window Covering Safety Councils website at windowcoverings.org . When preparing your nursery try to keep the crib away from any windows and always put up child friendly shades, such as spring-loaded roller shades or cordless cellular shades. Of course, no amount of child proofing can protect your child 100%, so be sure to keep an eye on your inquisitive and adventurous young ones. Now that your to do list has gotten that much longer, start checking off these simple but crucial child safety projects now, so you can brace yourself for your very adorable, very demanding new member of the family.