Creating Child-safe environment in your home

Need to know how to make your home a safe haven for your children?

Parents and caregivers want to provide a safe place for their children to live and play but too often child proofing these areas gets put off. The good news is that child proofing is not difficult and can easily be completed in one day.

On your first visit to the store you will likely be overwhelmed by all of the products on the market designed to child proof or baby proof your home. Is every corner and crevice a danger? You can’t child proof the world, but as you continue to teach your children about safety you may find it useful to reduce the risk of injury in the home where the child is spending most of the time.

Some child proofing requires no devices, just common sense. Other areas definitely require the use of a child proofing device. Not all children are the same. If you feel a certain product would help protect your child from a situation they are more likely to get into, you may consider adding that to your arsenal as well.

Here are some basic steps for child proofing your home.

Move Cleaners, Medicine and Other Poisons

You need to move any poisonous substance out of the reach of your children. A common mistake? Keeping cleaners under the kitchen sink or bath products on the ledge of the tub. While you might think that child resistant caps will protect your children, you should be aware that the requirements for a child resistant package may mean that at least 80-85% of children couldn’t open them. That means your child might. All poisons and medicines should be stored in a high cupboard or locked area.

Block Stairways

Not surprisingly falls are one of the biggest causes of injury to young children. Stairways are particularly dangerous and should always be properly gated. Never use pressure mounted gates at the tops of stairs since your child may be able to put enough pressure on them to give way.

Despite having a gate it is important for parents to keep a close eye on children around staircases.

Keep Windows Safe

Lock windows or use guards to prevent them from opening too far. Screens will not keep your child from falling out of a window.

Make sure that blind cords are out of reach and the beds, cribs and other furniture are moved away from windows where a child could climb up and reach. You’d be surprised what they are capable of.

Outlets, Drawers and Cupboards

There is a huge assortment of products aimed at protecting your children’s fingers from being caught in door hinges, slammed in drawers or by closing cupboard doors. Test out several products in a children’s store that demonstrates how different products are used. The main purpose should be to prevent an accident but if you find the products difficult to use you may end up not using them at all.

Small Toys and Other Choking Hazards

Another major cause of hospital visits for small children is choking. Small toys, batteries, buttons, coins and other objects go straight into the mouths of babies and toddlers (and even some preschoolers). Prevention is the key. If you have older children they should be taught to keep small toys out of the reach of younger children. Keep a keen eye for objects on the floor where your baby is present.

Monitor New Dangers

You will need to be constantly aware of what your child can get access to. As you child grows and develops they may suddenly be capable of reaching or pulling down items you didn’t think of.

Don’t forget that most child proofing devices you can buy are temporary solutions to prevent the most disastrous accidents. Your children should also be taught how to behave and where to be especially careful. After all, your children will likely be in many homes that are not child proofed like yours and their safety will depend on understanding what’s not safe.

All the best, Xavier

About the Author

The blog dedicated to free resources, gifts and information for new and expectant parents as well as tons of information for your whole family. Visit http://topbabynames.blogspot.com today.

This article posted by Sillyasstoys.com, an online toy store for kids of all ages.

Children’s Online Toy Store, Sillyasstoys.com, Ramps Up to Compete with Walmart

Small online toy retailer touts valued added customer service

RICHMOND, VA, October 26, 2005 – Online toy store, Sillyasstoys.com (http://www.sillyasstoys.com), announces its plan to compete for customers with larger retailers, such as Wal-Mart, this holiday season. With consumer spending expected to be low this winter due to the higher costs of gas and home heating fuel, brick-and-mortar and online retailers are bracing for what could be a rough holiday season. Wal-Mart, whose aggressive pricing in 2003 allegedly contributed to the bankruptcy filings of KB Toys and FAO Schwartz, is once again dropping prices for this Christmas buying season.

In this time when many areas of the United States are in distress, independent retailers need to be supported. The small business owner is one of the main foundations of the community, and Wal-Mart’s aggressive pricing scheme intends to put financial hardship on these small business owners and, by extension, their communities. In essence, this tactic will undermine the small businessman’s livelihood and will damage the retail community that depends on making a profit during the holiday season. The war for Christmas toy dollars has been declared by Wal-Mart’s announcement. Now online retailer Sillyasstoys.com has entered the battle saying it is happy to compete with the big chains, not on price, but on the quality of customer service and variety of toys and games offered.

Great customer service and responsiveness, once a given in the retail industry, has become a rarity. In an effort to cut costs, large chains have reduced their customer service staffs, forcing shoppers to search for store workers or talk with outsourced customer service representatives who don’t know the products they are selling. “We recognize that many parents and grandparents don’t blindly select toys and games for their children. They often have valid questions and need advice,” says Dave Luebke, president of Sillyasstoys.com. “When you contact us, your call or email isn’t being sent to a detached, customer service rep; you are actually in contact with someone who knows the merchandise being sold.” The toy experts at Sillyasstoys.com not only know the inventory but also have play tested all of the toys. They are able to discuss how the toys work and offer gift-giving advice. “Product knowledge is one area that Wal-Mart cannot compete with us,” states Luebke. “We select the toys, we play with the toys, and we understand the toys. This helps us educate our customers so they can avoid purchasing toys that would be inappropriate for younger children.”

Sillyasstoys.com’s unique and unusual toy product mix is another area that Luebke thinks he can do battle with Wal-Mart. Luebke explains, “Variety is the key here. Sillyasstoys.com customers come to us for toys that they will not find in the bigger national stores. There is little overlap between us and a national chain. If you are only shopping at Wal-Mart or Toys-R-Us, you are missing out on a world of fun, educational, and just plain different toys and games that offer a consistently high play value. That is what we specialize in and what is missing in a Wal-Mart or Toys-R-Us. Sillyasstoys.com is a special place to shop for people who actually care to find something fun that will be remembered for years to come.”

About Sillyasstoys.com
Sillyasstoys.com (http://www.sillyasstoys.com) is dedicated to providing unusual and unique toys and games not found in mainstream stores. They strive to stock only the finest toys that pique children’s interests and excite their imaginations. Founder, Dave Luebke, is also the president of Dave’s Comics Inc., a brick-and-mortar comic and toy store located in Richmond, Virginia, which has been going strong for over 23 years.

Contact:
David Luebke
http://www.sillyasstoys.com
Phone: 804-282-1919

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