Child Safety during the Festive Season - written by Amor Herbst
Child Safety during the Festive Season
With the Festive Season fast approaching, everyone is bustling with arrangements to accommodate relatives, discussing Christmas lunch menus and desperately searching for that perfect gift.
Having a house full of relatives for a few days does demand a bit of thought to keep them super comfortable, but equal planning needs to go into Child Safety this December.
No matter how Childproofed your home is to keep your mobile baby or young tot safe, your house guests will NOT be used to locking gates, keeping doors closed, toilet seats down and kitchen appliance cords out of reach. Your home will effectively become a brand new environment for your little one – here’s how to cover the basics!
When guests arrive:
When guests park their cars in your driveway, car windows should be closed (or reasonably rolled up to prevent a toddler from climbing through it when standing on a chair) and similarly car doors should be locked at all times. Small children have been known to miraculously open unlocked car doors, climb in and accidentally release hand brakes or turn keys still in the ignition.
Remember to know where you kids are when guests arrive or leave – no-one has the ability to see a young child hiding behind a vehicle when reversing.
Gates and doors:
If you’re used to locking certain outdoor gates to prevent your little one from slipping out unsupervised, your guests are not! (Especially guests with more independent children and childless guests.) Print a simple ‘festive’ sign on your home computer “Please keep this gate closed for young Timmy”. Add little Timmy’s colourful handprint to really bring the message home.
As always, be extra vigilant if you have a pool and continue with your Pool-safety routine.
Being the Host:
Whilst the festivities are underway, you’ll no doubt be running around the home finishing your prize lunch, fetching ice for Uncle Jim, cleaning a spilled drink and picking up wrapping paper everywhere – all this while trying to keep a watchful eye on your offspring. Ask your partner to step in – it’s very important to communicate effectively so that you know for a fact that if you are not watching your child, your partner is.
Self Service:
Prepare a small table or sideboard with snacks and refreshments for your guests – put your partner or a close relative in charge of replenishing stocks – this way Uncle Jim can fetch his own ice and you can be more mindful of your own children without constant interruption.
If you have baby who is not yet on a solid food diet or you are serving snacks that your young child is/might be allergic to, add another “Little Timmy” sign to your snacks table if you fear that someone might give your 8 Week Old a corn puff or Lactose Intolerant Tot a cream swirl. If the “Don’ts” outweigh the “Do’s”, rather opt for a more positive sign to say “Timmy is welcome to biltong sticks and oatmeal cookies, by order Santa Clause”.
Place a plastic bin (or even your laundry hamper lined with a garbage bag) near the Christmas tree for wrapping paper and small packaging parts – this will prevent your living room floor from transforming into a mine-field as well as control the possibility of a baby choking on small packaging parts.
Patrols:
This might seem a bit exorbitant, but if you are planning a rather large family event you might have to do a quick ‘patrol’ every half an hour, to ensure that your child’s ‘safe zones’ are still in fact safe. Your Partner can patrol the outdoor areas around the house (remember to check the pool thoroughly, even if it is secured with a net) whilst you check bathrooms, bedrooms and gates. This shouldn’t take more than a few minutes, but will certainly spare you a lifetime of heartache over the loss of a child, or a trip to the emergency room that could have been prevented.
The Festive Season is intended to be enjoyed by all and to bring family and friends closer together for a celebration of peace and love – giving a little thought to maintaining a safe environment whilst doing so, will ensure that you have pleasant memories to share afterward.
Written by Amor Herbst
