Oh dear! Even when you’ve locked all the bottom drawers, hidden sharp and fragile objects, and put bumpers on the table corners, your child has hurt themselves. They threw themselves onto the sofa, bounced right off, and landed on the floor with a thump - even after you told them not to do that! It’s got you wondering - How can I make sure my child is safe in the house?

It’s no secret that children are accident-prone. With table corners, creaky furniture, tall stairs, and unsteady shelves, even a house can seem like a minefield for a preschooler. But don’t worry, with the right preparation and awareness, you can make everyday life as safe as can be for your little one.

Before we explore a few preventative strategies, let’s look at why children are so accident-prone.

Why do children get injured so much?

There are 3 main elements that make up an injury or accident: the factors related to the child, the object that causes the injury, and the place in which it occurs. When parents keep their child safe, they have to be aware of all 3 at the same time.

Your child is continuously growing and exploring the world around them. Consider your child’s age and what they’re capable of. How fast can they move? How high can they reach? What objects are they interested in? These factors can change from one day to the next, and as a parent, you must be constantly on the lookout.

To this end, you must establish consistent rules around safety. Explain the reasons behind the instructions. For example, “If you run into the street without looking, you might get hit by a car.” But as clear as you make these rules, don’t expect your child to follow them straight away. It might take a few dozen retellings before your child understands. You’ll need a lot of time and patience.

It’s also important to look after your stress levels, as even the most vigilant parent will let their guard down if they’re under stress. These situations are when parents let their guards down the most:

Hunger and tiredness.

A mother’s pregnancy.

Illness.

A death in the family.

Tension between parents.

A change in the environment, such as going on holiday or moving house.

All families experience stress at some point, but child-proofing your home reduces the chance of injury. Let’s look at what we can do to make your home safer for your little one.

How can I childproof my home?

Here are the safety measures that you can do to ensure your little one is safe:

Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors should be turned on and in their proper locations.

Think about escape routes in case of a fire.

Gates should be placed at the top and bottom of the stairs.

Medication should be kept out of sight, and place your purse or bags away from children if they have medication in them.

Place soft covers or bumpers on all sharp corners and furniture.

Put child locks on all lower cabinets, so children cannot open them. To be extra safe, move unsafe chemicals out of reach entirely. Keep sharp cutlery in a separate locked drawer. Matches should also be locked away.

Make sure that no electrical cords are dangling over the countertops and tables, like the cords from a toaster, or kettle. If you can, unplug them when not in use.

All toys should be age-appropriate, in terms of being safe for a child to use independently.

Make sure that anything small enough to swallow, like batteries or coins, is kept out of reach entirely.

Make sure that you’re constantly monitoring your child when they’re in the bath. Never leave them alone, even for a second.

Place covers on all unused electrical outlets, or block them with furniture.

If you have hardwood floors, don’t let your child run around with socks on.

Test the stability of your furniture, lamps, and TV stands. Ideally, TVs should be placed on walls, and floor lamps should be kept behind furniture, to prevent it from accidentally falling.

You can buy window guards to make sure that they only open a small bit, to prevent anyone from falling out.

Make sure that your home is free of plastic bags, or they are kept out of reach from children. A child could potentially put it over their head.

Consider getting a child-resistant cover for your bin, so they can’t rummage around and find potentially dangerous items.

How do I child-proof my home?

Unii looks at how to make your home safer for your children.