Peter D. Bowden
Residential
Designer

Curiosity may have killed the cat, but kids are no different. A toddler or small child, unattended even for just a moment, is an accident waiting to happen. Nevertheless, kids do sneak away and no one is perfect. Here are some ways to minimize accidents – and worry!

Always keep sharp knives in a wooden holder and out of reach of young children. Do not keep them in a drawer, mixed with other utensils.

Keep children from grabbing hold of boiling pots on the stove by turning their handles inward.

Designate a three-foot “child-free zone.” Keep children and pets away from the stove while cooking to prevent burns and scalds.

Toddles can’t grab and pull tablecloths down if the edges are folded up on top of the table.

Keep small children out of kitchen cabinets by placing a yardstick through the handles. Or, purchase a cabinet door lock. Ditto for the refrigerator.

Never leave a child alone in the bathroom.

When preparing a child’s bath, always fill the tub with cold water first, and then add hot water. Keep children away from faucets.

Put red tape on the hot water faucet so your little one can tell the difference between “hot” and “cold.”

Prevent your child from walking into a closed, sliding glass door by placing a piece of colored tape on the glass at the child’s eye level.

Tape lamp cords tightly around a table leg to prevent crawling toddlers from pulling a lamp off a table and onto himself. Hint: Transparent tape will not harm the wood.

Spare your child’s fingers by placing a cork or non-slip, wood block at either end of the piano’s keyboard. That way, if the lid drops, it lands on the cork.

Prevent your little ones from burning their tongues on hot soup by using an ice cube. Have them stir it through the hot soup and when it’s melted, they will know the soup is safe to eat.

Tie a small bell to the outside door so you’ll know when your little one is trying to sneak outside while your back is turned.

If you smoke, purchase child-resistant lighters.

Keep matches, lighters, etc., out of reach and eyesight of children, preferably in a high, securely locked cabinet.

Teach children that cigarette lighters and matches are not toys, but tools for ADULTS, ONLY. Tell children to let you or another grown-up know about matches or lighters left lying around.

Never give a lighter to a child as a toy.