Child proofing tips

Anyone with small children knows that once they learn to crawl, all bets are off. You may think your home is safe for babies, but they will always surprise you with what they get into. Children are very curious by nature, which is good for their development, but bad when they get into dangerous stuff. Sometimes, it's more of an annoyance than a danger issue. For example, I can't leave anything on the kitchen table because it will either end up on the floor, or ripped up or drawn on if it is paperwork. This is also true for the counter tops. Everything must be pushed to the back and out of reach of little grabbing hands. From the age of 18 months to about age 5, this is just a fact of life.

Electrical devices are particularly interesting to children, which makes baby-proofing home entertainment components a challenge. A tv mount or armoire are good choices to keep electronics out of children's reach, but easily accessible to adults. CD players can be placed up on tall dressers or bookshelves, and we keep our telephone and answering machine up on the kitchen counter (just barely out of reach for my growing three year old!)

Another tip to avoid hazardous poisons is to use only natural cleaning products. I have cleaned everything in my home using a vinegar and water solution for three years now with no problems at all. If I need a bit of extra scrubbing power, I just add a sprinkle of baking soda, then spray with the vinegar solution. The results are just as good as commercial cleaning products, vinegar is a disinfectant, and I don't have to worry about keeping poisons out of reach. Of course, I still keep the vinegar and baking soda out of kid's reach, but if they accidentally found it I wouldn't have to panic or take a trip to the hospital. A great book to read on natural cleaning and other everyday products is "Home Safe Home" by Debra Lynn Dadd.