Keep Kids Safe in a Busy House During the Holidays
It’s easy to get distracted when family or friends are over for the holidays. There are many people lending a hand, guests being merry, and multiple conversations going at once. Kids’ safety is always a priority, but it’s easy to understand how they can wander off unnoticed or get into an otherwise-restricted area of the house.
Below, let’s review some important notes to help keep kids safe in a busy house during the holidays. We’ve gone over some of these topics before, but it is helpful to have a reminder during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.
Keeping Kids Safe in a Busy House
Always make sure someone is watching the kids.
This may seem like a given, but when there are so many adults, it’s easy to assume that someone else is keeping an eye on the little ones. But when there are multiple kids, this can get especially tricky. To be safe, ensure that at least one adult is supervising the children at all times. Remember, if a child happens to go missing from sight, check for them by the pool first.
Secure the entrances.
It’s a good idea to have safety gates blocking restricted areas like stairs and the kitchen. These gates can get annoying for adults sometimes, but it’s much better to know that your children won’t be able to access dangerous places. So always make sure that the gates remain closed and locked.
Cook safely.
The same rules apply in the kitchen during the holidays as they do on any other day. You can brush up on some stove safety tips in our previous blog post. If you are cooking for the holidays, kitchen safety is a crucial detail. This room typically has has lots of dangerous elements, like hot stoves, boiling water, running dishwashers and sharp knives. Keep children out of this area whenever possible.
Be mindful of your decorations!
Decking the halls with boughs of holly is part of the holiday fun. Indeed, making your house look beautiful when your guests arrive is a priority for most people who are hosting a holiday event. However, be careful of where you place your decorations. As we’ve talked about previously, according to the National Fire Prevention Association, fire departments respond to about 160 home fires each year in the United States due to Christmas trees. In addition, December is the peak month for home candle fires.
Keep bags out of reach from children.
Ask guests to be mindful of where they put their bags. Many people may be carrying items that can be dangerous for kids to get their hands on, such as medication.
Keep childproofing products intact.
Things get busy when there is a house full of people, so be sure to keep childproofing products in proper use. Sure, it may be more convenient to unlatch cabinet locks and remove safety products from your stove and toilets for just the one day. However, as we discussed in the first item on this list, kids can escape from our view pretty easily. The last thing you want is for them to gain access to these danger zones. You may also want to make sure that your guests are aware of these safety products and how to use them.