5 Tips for Childproofing Your Home

Take measures to protect your child from common dangers around the home. Here's some tips to childproof your home!

Article taken off hgtv.com

5 Tips for Childproofing Your Home

When childproofing a home, areas of particular concern should be cabinets, appliances, electrical outlets and bookshelves. Here's what to do about those potential trouble spots:

1. Cabinets are the most important areas to secure, as they are often used to store cleaning products and other hazardous materials. Secure these by attaching latches to the doors and frames.

2. A bookcase can tip over, so use an anchor harness to secure it to the wall. Attach one end of the harness to a wall stud with a screw, and then cinch up the adjustable strap to snug the bookcase to the wall.

3. Secure refrigerator doors shut with an appliance latch. The latch mounts to the fridge with adhesive tabs. Clean the area where it will attach before sticking it in place.

4. Insert plastic protectors into all sockets that are within reach of young ones.

5. For keeping toddlers away from anything they shouldn't be exposed to, a baby gate is a must. To install, hold the gate in place where you want it and mark points on wall for mounting. The gate should be mounted to studs. If you can't find studs, use plastic anchors.

How to Childproof a Christmas Tree

The Christmas tree - a source of joy and wonderment for parents and kids alike. But we know what kids are like around anything that's shiny, dangling or colourful. When you say, "Don't touch it. It's hot.", what they hear is, "Go on touch it. It's mighty fun." Ahh, children. We, as adults should know better than to tempt them so, or at least learn to childproof the Christmas tree. Have a safe Christmas!

Article Taken off eHow.com
Christmas is heaven for children but it can be hell on parents and other adults. Ease your mind - and safeguard the kids in your life - by preventing problems before they happen.

Step1

Assess your child realistically. How old is she? How far can she reach? (from the floor? from the couch?) How high can she jump, when she really tries (and is she likely to)? Is she old enough to understand words like "no," "hot" and "sharp" and the concepts behind them?

Step2

Place the tree in the safest spot you can find - a corner works well (it works even better if you can move any furniture your child might be tempted to use as a stepladder to a safe distance).

Step3

Move all breakable ornaments (and any unbreakable ones you think your child might be tempted to eat) higher up the tree than you think your child can reach.

Step4

Move them a bit higher.

Step5

Remove any particularly valuable or prized fragile ornaments and use them somewhere safely out of reach (to decorate the mantelpiece, for example).

Step6

Tie the tree securely to a wall, column, or heavy piece of furniture if you think there's a danger that your child will jump on it, climb it, hang on it or otherwise manhandle it (this is not a bad idea in earthquake country anyway).

Step7

Use bricks or cinder blocks to weigh down the legs of the tree stand.

Step8

Don't forget to check the outlet - a shield should be available for times when the tree's not plugged in.