Between picking up last minute presents and visiting guests and family, don’t forget safety precautions around the home to avoid preventable accidents, especially with small children. As you decorate your home for the holidays you may be unknowingly displaying household items in reach and sight of your young children. Children are curious and are constantly exploring and often have a tendency of putting items in their mouths. To avoid a potential accident in your home this holiday season, observe these four simple suggestions and keep your family safe from accidental ingestions and your days merry and bright.
- Safe clean up. Amid all the hustle and bustle of the holidays and the prep work needed to get things ready, it’s good to remember to keep young children out of the laundry room. Research shows that parents are continuing to store liquid laundry packets in-sight and in-reach of young children, allowing them to gain access of these convenient laundry products. These packets contain highly concentrated detergent and can cause serious injury or illness if exposed to the eyes or swallowed. To ensure that your little ones are safe, always store liquid laundry packets up high and away from children.
- Be bright about lights. When setting up your decorative lighting this year, be sure to replace any string of lights that have worn, broken cords or loose connections. Children may be mesmerized by the holiday glow which could lead to the accidental ingestion of a broken light. Always keep a close eye on your holiday lights throughout the season as some lights could break after you have done your initial holiday decorating.
- Plant precautions. If you decorate with holiday plants, keep them where pets and children can’t reach. Poinsettias may not be as dangerous as some people believe but they can make an animal sick and cause a rash in humans. Mistletoe and holly, however, can be more dangerous than generally known especially if ingested, so be sure to hang them out of sight and reach of small children and pets.
- Keep ornaments on the tree. Decorating the tree is a holiday tradition that is enjoyed by many. Don’t forget to make sure the ornaments are fully intact and securely fastened to the tree. Ornaments can fall and break due to people brushing up against the tree or the tree limbs drooping over time. Be sure to keep a close eye on young children around the tree as these ornaments could be a hazard if handled incorrectly or swallowed.
In addition to these tips, you can also connect directly with other parents on proper safety practices around the home at CleanandHappy.com, a community for parents to engage in conversations about child proofing, sleep, healthy eating and other like-minded parenting topics. Get started by logging on to www.cleanandhappy.com or download the app (available on iPhone and Android devices), engage in a conversation with parents just like you with the same goal of raising children in a clean, safe and happy environment.
Keep this advice in mind this holiday season and it can help make a safer, happier one for you and your loved ones. We wish you and your family a safe and happy holiday season!
