Child Proof Your Home

Home accidents can be avoided by child-proofing your home.

by Chuck Spencer

According to Safe Kids Worldwide accidental injury is the number one killer of our children, taking more lives than disease, violence and suicide. Safe Kids Worldwide goes on to say that 90 percent of these accidental injuries can be avoided through prevention and education. Safety is a constant concern for all parents, especially for those parents of newborns and toddlers.

These first years are of the greatest concern for parents because the children are so vulnerable. As adults we understand the concepts of illness, injury, pain and even death. As adults we are able to coexist with many of these hazards that exist in our homes, yards and cars that often times serve a vital purpose to our daily lives. Even armed with this knowledge and taking precautions we as adults still slip and fall in a shower, cut ourselves while preparing dinner, get burned pulling a roast from the oven or lifting the lid off of a steaming pot. Young infants and toddlers do not perceive danger as readily and in fact seem to be innately drawn to all that is bad.

For our youngest ones, hazards abound in so many forms. Some hazards are more obvious than others such as an open flame, a stairwell, a swimming pool, prescription drugs and cleaning agents. Others hazards like tooth paste, plastic bags, blind cords, coins, toilets and dresser drawers are not as obvious, but are potentially as dangerous.

As parents and guardians we are bestowed with the awesome responsibility of protecting and educating our children from all the hazards that abound. Today many families hire professional baby proofing services to help them identify, correct and address harmful hazards within their homes. Most of these companies concentrate on the installation of child safety products such as gates, drawer and cabinet locks, finger guards for doors, pool fencing, etc. There are so many different safety products available today it can be overwhelming.

Parents often do not know where to begin and often ask, "What is the priority?" or "Am I being over protective?"

A unique service provided by Total Child Safety, Southern California's premier baby proofing company, is their comprehensive In Home Safety Review. The process is designed to educate and inform parents, identify current and future potential hazards for their child and recommend ways to address their safety issues. The parents are guided through a room-by-room safety evaluation of their home with a professionally trained In Home Safety Consultant. The process usually takes between two and three hours and is designed to be a true safety consultation, as opposed to just getting a bid. Upon completion of the In Home Safety Review, parents are immediately given a printout of their safety needs in a concise room-by-room report. The report contains what hazards were identified, products or solutions recommended to address the hazards, helpful information and safety resources, and, ultimately, a bid to have the installation completed by Total Child Safety. Once parents have gone through this process they are better able to understand the safety issues they face and the varied ways to address them. As a result, they are better able to make an informed decision about their child's safety and how they want to proceed with baby proofing their homes. The parents are better equipped to evaluate which products truly meet their needs and which ones do not. They can decide which products they may wish to install themselves and which ones to have professionally done.

Our children are the most precious gift that life has to offer. It is our responsibility to guide, nurture and protect them. Parenting a small child is a daunting task. Taking preventative measures makes parenting more enjoyable and less stressful. When a home or room is properly secured your interaction with your child is more participatory in nature and less reactive. You can spend more quality time reading books and playtime than you do constantly shadowing your toddler's e very move and telling him "NO!"