How to Keep Your Family Safe Inside the Home


There are numerous things that parents worry about with their families around the house. They are concerned that their kids are getting adequate nutrition, and they might be worried that their children will have the best opportunities to succeed at school. Many parents might also be concerned about the dangers that their children might experience when they're on the playground. You might even be one of those parents, but have you ever taken an inventory of the potential dangers around your own home? If you're a homeowner with a family, you're wise to take stock of all of the areas that could use more work to make it safer.

Inspect the Outside of the Home

If you're looking for ways to make your house safer for your children, taking inventory of places where children could get hurt is a great place to start. It's common for parents to watch their children play on the swingset from the kitchen window, but if you haven't taken inventory of the potential dangers outside, there might be animals, objects and other hazards that your children could hurt themselves on. For instance, if you live in certain areas of the country, you might have animals, such as snakes, that could find their way onto your property. Make sure that your children are playing in an area that you can clearly see and without any tall grass that could obstruct your view.

It's also wise to check the area around the home to find potential dangers. For instance, if you have window wells, and if they're deep, your child could fall in. If this happened, your child might have a sprained or broken ankle. To alleviate your worry about this happening, put grates over the window well openings. They should be sturdy enough to prevent a child from falling in but light enough to easily lift off in the case of a fire.

Take Inventory Around the Inside of the Home

Especially if you have babies and toddlers, there are a thousand potential hazards around the house. Make sure that electrical outlets have plugs to keep tiny fingers out, and make sure that baby gates are put up to keep children who aren't ready to climb or descend the stairs off of the staircase. Even with slightly older children, make sure that you take the time to teach your kids what objects they are allowed to touch and which ones they aren't allowed to touch. If you feel that your older children are ready to use a knife, take the time to teach them how to use one properly, and teach them to always return any sharp objects to a place where younger children won't be able to reach them.

Other common hazards include stoves, steam from dishwashers, window cords, and medications in bathrooms. Take some time to understand your children's patterns and, whenever possible, lock up medications, keep things that you don't want your child touching high off the ground, and keep your children away from certain areas if you're concerned about them hurting themselves, such as the kitchen when the dishwasher is running.

Fire Hazards

If you're concerned about fire hazards, you're not alone, but there are some things that you can do to prevent house fires. For instance, make sure that you never leave a candle burning unattended or near an open window or something else that could disrupt it. Check electrical outlets and your electrical panel for any scorch marks. You can also purchase a fire extinguisher in case you have a small fire. And, of course, make sure that you have a smoke alarm.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Just like a smoke alarm, you should keep a functioning carbon monoxide detector in your home. It's a very simple way of preventing illness, injury, and death while in the home.

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