Step Two
Step 2: Child-proof the Kitchen
The average kitchen might seem relatively child-friendly, with its tile or acrylic flooring (easy clean-up) and lack of small, easy-to-reach items.
However, since there are also stoves, knives, and strong chemical cleaners in a kitchen, one should never leave a toddler unattended there.
Here are some important items to remember:
- Secure any household cleaners in a locked box.
- On the stove, keep the handles of pots and pans turned toward the wall - away from the edge of a stove where a child could reach.
- Plastic bags have caused many suffocation accidents: Keep these tucked away and out of reach.
- Install childproof latches on any cabinets and appliances within reach. For a quicker, improvised measure, tightly tie any cabinet handles together with wire, twine, or nylon line.
- Be extra careful with kitchen drips and spills: A slippery patch can send a toddler sprawling to the floor.
Tips:
Pay attention to the child's changing age and size when making preparations. A safety barrier that's sufficient for a toddler may fail to constrain a two-year-old.
Put up screen doors to keep pets out of rooms where the child may sleep.
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