Preparing
Your Home for Grandkids
You are excited to finally have your grandkids over
for a visit at your home. All you can think about is all the fun games you are
going to play and activities you are going to do with them, and of course how
much you are going to spoil them when mom and dad leave. You are more than
ready to see them again, but is your home ready for young kids?
There are a lot of things in your home that are not
safe for children. After so many years of not having young children in your
home, it is easy to forget what is safe to have in the home and what might
cause a problem. If you think you might be forgetting a few things, or just
want to make sure you have the safest environment possible for your grandkids,
here are some tips to help get your home ready for little ones again.
Upgrade
your home security
The security system you have may seem adequate for
you, but it is a very different situation when there are small children in the
home. Upgrade your Abilene
ADT
security system to ensure that you and your grandkids will be safe no matter
what happens.
This may seem simple, but you may be surprised about
the amount of potentially harmful object that are in your home. Of course you
should always keep children away from kitchen tools like knives, but all of
your picture frames, knick knacks and other decorative items can be harmful to
your grandchildren. Store away these items when they visit, or place them in a
locked cabinet where they can be seem, but not touched.
Watch
out for choking hazards and chemicals
Try to put away all small objects before your
grandkids arrive. This includes things like pencils, paper clips, bobby pins
and all other small objects that we use daily. It can be beneficial for you to
also learn CPR and other first aid techniques for children beforehand, just in
case.
As always, lock away any and all chemicals in your
home. This includes not only cleaning products, but also shampoos, soaps and
other beauty products that might be used improperly by your grandchildren.
Keep
household items soft and padded
Furniture especially has a lot of sharp edges that
children can fall into. Try to keep all edges at your grandkids’ level covered
and padded. You could also move out extra furniture to create more play space
for your grandkids.
If you have hard floors, you might want to find a
good rug to throw down over the space where your grandchildren will be. This
will give them a soft place to play and also a softer place to land if they do
fall. Extra blankets will also work great for babies.
Get
all the necessary equipment you need
Most of the things you will need, like a
pack-and-play, strollers, car seats, etc., will be provided by the parents.
Check with the parents before the visit and fill the gaps of anything else you
might need or want to use. Ask your neighbors if you can borrow some gear for
the day or whenever you need it.
Image:
http://www.grandparents.com/family-and-relationships/caring-for-children/are-you-ready-for-your-grandchilds-summe
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