Saturday, August 18, 2007

Child Safety Around the Home

Child Safety Around the Home

Your Child's Safety is #1

Ensuring safety for your child is a parent's utmost concern and responsibility. In these high-tech times of fast-paced lifestyles, paying extra attention to your child's well-being may sometimes prove challenging, yet never-the-less crucial. From babies and toddlers to the teenage years, here are some important tips to help you maintain peace of mind for your child's welfare.

Childproofing Your Home

Use Safety Latches and Locks for cabinets and drawers in kitchens, bathrooms, and other areas to help prevent poisonings and other injuries.

Use Safety Gates to help prevent falls down stairs and to keep children away from dangerous areas.

Use Door Knob Covers and Door Locks to help prevent children from entering rooms and other areas with possible dangers. Door knob covers and door locks can help keep children away from places with hazards, including swimming pools.

Use Anti-Scald Devices for faucets and shower heads and set your water heater temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit to help prevent burns from hot water.

Use Smoke Detectors on every level of your home and near bedrooms to alert you to fires.

Use Window Guards and Safety Netting to help prevent falls from windows, balconies, decks, and landings.

Use Corner and Edge Bumpers to help prevent injuries from falls against sharp edges of furniture and fireplaces.

Use Outlet Covers and Outlet Plates to help prevent electrocution.

Use a Carbon Monoxide (CO) Detector outside bedrooms to help prevent help prevent CO poisoning.

Cut Window Blind Cords.

Use Safety Tassels and Inner Cord Stops to help prevent children from strangling in blind cord loops.

Use Door Stops and Door Holders to help prevent injuries to fingers and hands.

Use a Cordless Phone to make it easier to continuously watch young children, especially when they're in bathtubs, swimming pools, or other potentially dangerous areas.

On-line Safety for Children

Be aware of your child's online activities and be sure to maintain rules of usage, especially if they frequent chatrooms. It is important to instruct your children:

to never arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone they met online
to never upload (post) pictures of themselves onto the Internet or online service to people they do not personally know
to never give out identifying information such as their name, home address, school name or telephone number
to never download pictures from an unknown source, as there is a good chance there could be sexually explicit images
to never respond to messages or bulletin board postings that are suggestive, obscene, belligerent or harassing
that whatever they are told on-line may or may not be true

Child Safety Trips

Make sure your child learns his or her address and phone number at an early age.
Teach your child how to call 911 in case of an emergency.
Do not leave a child unattended while shopping, visiting with neighbors or friends, or running errands. Under no circumstances should you leave a child alone in a vehicle.
When home alone, children should never open the door for strangers.
On the telephone, your child should never let anyone know they are home alone. Discuss responses such as : "Mom/Dad is busy right now."
A child should never leave school or daycare with anyone except a parent or guardian.
When shopping or in a crowd, children should be taught who to go to if separated from you.
Make sure your child knows to scream and run if approached in an alarming way by anyone.
Your child should know to make you aware anytime he or she feels uncomfortable with anyone.
Make sure your child always checks with you before going anywhere with anyone. Have them inform you of where they are going, whom they are going with and when they will be home.
Keep a record of your child's personal and medical information on hand in case of an emergency. Always include a recent photograph.
Remember to teach children that police officers are their friends, and that they are there to help them.
If children find a gun or bullets - do not touch it! Tell an adult.
Never leave children unattended near operating stoves or burning candles, even for a short time.
Teach children not to touch matches or lighters they may find. Instead, they should tell an adult immediately.
Choose babysitters with care. Obtain references from family, friends, and neighbors. Ask your children how the experience with the caregiver was, and listen carefully to their responses.
Be careful when you put your child's name on clothing, backpacks, lunch boxes or bicycle license plates. If a child's name is visible, it may put them on a "first name" basis with an abductor.

Read more about water safety
Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) Average Prices and Graph

For more information please contact A. Mark Argentino

A. Mark Argentino, Broker, P.Eng.,
Specializing in Residential & Investment Real Estate
RE/MAX Realty Specialists Inc., Brokerage
2691 Credit Valley Road, Suite 101, Mississauga, Ontario L5M 7A1

BUS. 905-828-3434
FAX. 905-828-2829
E-MAIL: mark@mississauga4sale.com
Website: Mississauga4Sale.com

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