As mums we all want to give the best to our children: the best nutrition, the best toys + stuff, + a child-friendly space for them to thrive in, with areas safe for them to wander around + play in. Your home, much like mine, has probably transformed into one big play area for your little children, they needed a bigger space, after all, to practice toddling + crawling, walking + exploring, afterwards. It must also be a common scenario to see toys + other play things everywhere in your house. I used to fuss over them much when I realized there is no way I can keep the house spic ‘n span as much as I’d like to, as long as there is a toddler around. I gave up on OC-ing about my home + putting security screws on every item imaginable + directed my sight at keeping our little space as safe + friendly to my little man as I possibly can.
I claim to be no expert + my son has had one too many boo boo’s at home from bumping here + there + falling from the bed + the sofa + yeah, I will never forget that time when he accidentally got hold of a glass sitting at the spot in our dining table where he can easily reach. He got one big cut in his thigh out of that incidence + the scar is still prominent up to this day. It always breaks my heart every time my child fall or hurts himself. If I could, I’d probably put him back in my womb where he will be safe from harm, but alas, I see no way he would fit in there ever again!
Here are a few toddler-proofing tips you might want to keep in mind:
- remove vases, frames + the likes out of your children’s reach. If you cannot help it, make sure overhead displays are a lot higher for your children’s tiny arms to reach + grab, + don’t forget to install tamper proof screws whenever possible to prevent accidents + untoward incidents from happening
- make sure the screen door has a latch or lock that your child cannot easily reach
- install safety gates at the foot of the stairs or where you deem fit {I am using our main door as a make-shift safety gate against our stairs. When we are upstairs I see to it that the bedroom door is never left open}
- it might seem impossible to keep an eye on your tot 24/7, so designate a safe spot in your home, where there is no danger of anything falling onto him or him grabbing anything breakable, where he can play, read, relax while you go about with your activities for the day {read: chore + more chores! :)}
15 Comments
having a toddler at home is really a headache, it’s really different if you’re a mom because you always find ways to manage it. great job there!
it sure is! imagine taking care of another person 24/7, it is actually a very tiring + demanding job, but I love it nonetheless! 😉
like you, i stopped being an OC wife and mom because it stress me so much so one motto in life is don’t sweat the small stuff. i also did that when my son started to crawl, child proofing is a must.
true! that should be every mum’s new mantra: don’t sweat the small stuff! good luck on your mum job! 😉
sis, nice to know you are near my place. I live in Calumpit.
It is so hard to take care of children today, though I still do not have my own. We have nieces and nephew in the house. Sometimes you need to have extra patience for them.
My princess is just 7 months old now but I am having a hard time keep on following her whenever she crawls around. Our living room became a wide playroom now yet there were some stuff that I cannot remove in the living area. this child proofing tips really a help and as you said I prepare my self to start to stop being an OC mom.
glad to be of help. it is so true, sometimes we get so occupied worrying about little things we forgot what motherhood is really all about. so next time, instead of fussing over your little one, simply make sure you create a safe space for her where she can freely roam around to learn + discover! good luck on being a mum! 😉
Even with my best efforts, accidents do happen. It comes with the toddler years.
Nice info and suggestions for a father like me having a 2-year old son.
Oh I can relate with you. My son got a burn accident almost three months ago and it broke my heart. It was the worst day ever of my life. From then on, we are always extra careful with everything at home and we see to it that he is safe no matter what.
Mommy Maye
Toddlers really love to explore! I remember when my kids were still at that age, my one and only instruction to my yaya was to make sure that her eyes were fixed on her alaga, and I didn’t care whether the house was clean or not, for as long as my kids were fine.
oh! I remember those fun days when our kids are mobile 🙂 safety device really helps like locks 🙂
My almost toddler also loves playing in our cabinet. Kaloka if we have to keep an eye on them 24/7 so it’s better to just remove the vases and dangerous stuff so we can relax a bit. But now he’s favorite is going on top of the bed and walking there. Always gives me a heart attack every time. hehe
a lot of things would have to be changed and sacrificed when you have a toddler at home! our house is like a minimalist/bachelor’s pad because of less furniture and not much of knick knacks. and we bought a play yard that was later on transformed to gate the TV area just so she cannot climb up!
yeah, we really need to toddler proof our homes especially if we have no one who can help us watch what our kids are doing:)