As with any guest post, the views and opinions don’t necessarily reflect those for The Autism Dad blog.

Guest Post by Jack Carter

Child-proofing can seem like a hard task, but it is so incredibly important. If your youngster is quickly realizing the fascination of switches and just about everything else; it is time to child-proof your kitchen like there is no tomorrow! But where do you begin? Read on to discover the easiest and effective ways to child-proof your kitchen and eliminate the risk of accidents.

Keep Things Out of Reach

Luckily, this isn’t too much of a task when children are small. The most important things to keep out of reach include hazardous chemicals and sharp objects. If you have cupboards above the fridge, put the most dangerous items here – your child won’t be able to climb up there anytime soon! Other things to absolutely keep out of reach include medicines, alcohol, houseplants (some can be poisonous).

Locks

Child-proof locks are a genius invention and can save you from a world of trouble. It is understandable that you can’t just neglect your lower-down cupboards, so purchasing these clever locks will be an investment that you won’t regret. They are easy to install yet difficult for children to figure out. 

Watch Hot Beverages

This can be easy to forget but it is vital. As soon as you are finished with an electrical appliance, unplug it and store it in a safe place. If your child gets the appliance wet or gets too close, they are at risk of being electrocuted or starting a fire. 

Be extremely careful when it comes to leaving your hot drinks unattended. A curious child can easily knock over your mug and seriously harm themselves. If you are dealing with hot drinks, it is best to ensure that your child isn’t in any sort of harm’s way and can’t easily get to your boiling beverage.

Unplug Appliances

This can be easy to forget but it is vital. As soon as you are finished with an electrical appliance, unplug it and store it in a safe place. If your child gets the appliance wet or gets too close, they are at risk of being electrocuted or starting a fire.

While it’s important to keep everything out of reach, we have to think about the worst-case scenarios, especially if it causes fire or an appliance to cut out. While we can order parts online if the fridge breaks down, does this help at that moment? If there is a problem that we can fix right away, this will cause a lot less stress. Having a backup plan is always helpful, especially when there are so many hazards in the kitchen. A system will always help, such as putting an item away when you’re done, but preparation is always key!

Use Safe Material

Kitchens are prone to being filled with breakable objects, which is extremely dangerous for anyone, but children in particular. Replace any china or glass objects with plastic alternatives and you will never have to worry about your child smashing expensive items and hurting themselves. Using plastic is far cheaper and safer than any other alternative and can be used for a variety of purposes. Simply Plastics provide a variety of plastic sheets which can be cut to size for whatever you had in mind.

Cover the Stove

You may think the stove is completely out of child’s reach, but you will be surprised to see the measures children go to in order to check out an interesting new object. Monitor the stove at all times when in use and, if doable, remove the knobs and put them back on when you need them. This will eliminate any temptation your child may have when it comes to fiddling.

It is vital to understand the importance of child-proofing your kitchen as your little one grows up. Keep them out of harm’s way and create a safe and inviting environment for all to enjoy!

For additional information on babyproofing your home, check out this post by Mom Loves Best. 🙂