Home Safety: How to Child-Proof Your Kitchen

People often consider the kitchen to be the warmest places in the home. Families often spend a lot of time there like cooking and preparing food. It is also one of the most challenging rooms in the house to childproof because of the dangers lurking in every nook or cranny in an average kitchen. The kitchen is considered as the most risky areas of the house when it comes to kids. Just about every item you use, even steel pipes in the Philippines, is unsafe for a toddler. However, with careful planning, you can make your kitchen safe and worry-free for you baby. Here’s how:

 

Courtesy: www.lenoircityhomesite.com

Develop Child Safe Kitchen Habits

Do not leave anything hanging over the edge of cabinets or any surface. Whether these items are dish towels, electrical cords, or utensils, these can be pulled on by your child, bringing everything tumbling down on top of him or her. Keep a close eye when you leave hot beverages to cool. Children are naturally curious so anything they see for the first time, they will investigate it. It is also a big no-no if you carry your child in one arm and a hot drink in your free hand.

Return objects to their respective cupboards or cabinets as soon as you finished using them. Objects like knives and chinaware can cause serious injury if left within reach. Be mindful of the kitchen items you left to dry. If possible, wipe sharp and breakable objects dry then store them safely instead of leaving them on the sink.

Supervise the Child

The best way to keep your toddler safe in the kitchen is by supervising him. If you are finding it difficult to watch over your child while cooking, then it’s better to find him another spot. Put him in his crib or in a play yard so he can go play while you do your own business and maintain him within your line of vision.

Invest in child-safety locks if you can. Keep detergents, bug sprays, cleaning products, and toxic household chemicals locked up in a high cabinet. This way, the children will identify with the latches that whatever is inside the cabinet is something they can’t have access to.

Keep Your Fridge Child Safe

Make sure to clean under the fridge to avoid the gunk build-up that will be easy for your child to grab. If it is installed, secure the ice and water dispenser. If you need to, install a latch on your fridge’s door to keep your child from opening the fridge.

However, there are some babies who can figure out how to unhook safety latches. If your toddler is one of them, store your items in a safe place. Better yet, opt for switching hazardous chemicals to non-hazardous ones like non-chlorine bleach, beeswax and mineral oil.

Remember, child-proofing your kitchen takes a good amount of vigilance. As youngsters grow, you have to work harder to keep your kitchen as safe as possible.

About the Blogger

Sue Ann Reyes is a hard working young professional by day and a Writer by night. She writes with style and sophistication. Passion and Imagination brings the best of her. Lifestyle, Food and Travelling is some of her interests.

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