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Childproofing Mistakes: 7 Hidden Dangers to Watch Out For

Modified on August 3, 2020 at 5:28 PM

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Try to avoid these common childproofing mistakes if you want your growing child to be safe in and around the home. Yes, you can get safe baby gates but there are still plenty of childproofing mistakes you can make.

All new parents know that the difference between an infant and a newborn is huge. Your child may still look like a baby, but their new mobility has made them into a walking danger machine fully intent on causing trouble. 

This means that it’s time to childproof your home. No longer is it safe to have unlocked cabinets and outlets without plugs. You’re on toddler time now, and for the foreseeable future, you’ll be trying to get ahead of any potential hazard.

There are a few childproofing mistakes that plenty of new parents have made in the past, and we’re here to help you avoid them so that your precious bundle remains safe and happy.

Keep reading to learn more about childproofing mishaps and how to avoid them.

1. Being Unaware of Pot Handles

Before the baby was born or you had an infant who was barely able to roll over, let alone make their way to the kitchen, it was easy to play a little bit fast and loose with your cooking. 

Maybe you leave the stove on “low” accidentally. Perhaps you leave the handles of the pots and hands facing outwards even though you know that you shouldn’t. After all, you’re only hurting yourself, right? And you’ve been cooking for a while, so you know how to avoid a rogue handle.

Well, now that your child is mobile, you need to make sure that those handles are safely out of their reach. Even if they can’t fully reach the stove, they might be able to loop their pesky little fingers around the handles (especially if they have rings for hanging), and suddenly, you have a mess, or worse, a burned baby. 

Turn all handles inwards to avoid the problem. 

2. Forgetting the Toilet Seat

You might know that the toilet isn’t something to be played with, but your toddler has no such idea. They just know that it’s something that they don’t know how to use and that it looks suspiciously like the bath (where you likely play with water toys).

When you install locks on your toilet seats, you’re making the space safer for the toddler and avoiding a huge mess later. While it’s unlikely that the baby will fall into the toilet and get hurt (or worse drown), it’s also not impossible. 

Keep the lock on there until the child is potty training. At that point, they need to know that the toilet is accessible and safe. 

3. Leaving Pet Food Accessible

This one can be tough, especially if you have a dog. 

Your pets may be used to grazing or returning to their food whenever they’re feeling hungry. When you have a baby on the move, you need to keep that food either up on the counter or behind a barrier. 

Pet food isn’t likely to make your baby sick, but it can very easily be a choking hazard. It’s often harder than the easily-dissolvable baby cereals, but it looks similar, so your child may go in for a bite.

While cats will likely still reach their food with ease, your dog will have to learn to eat at mealtimes. 

4. Forgetting Electrical Hazards

Are you the kind of person that has cords everywhere? Do you need one of those power strips just to plug in all of your electronics? 

You might be accidentally putting your baby at risk. 

Between cords and outlets, there are plenty of dangers in the average modern home. Cords can easily catch around a baby’s wrist, leg, or neck. A baby might also tug on a cable just to see what happens, resulting in a lamp, speaker, or something heavy dropping on the baby. 

Outlets also need to be plugged with devices or plug protectors to keep your baby safe from a little jolt. 

5. Not Stabilizing Furniture

Do you have any bookcases, shelves, heavy floor lamps, or other tall wall-bound pieces of furniture? 

These things may seem sturdy, but to tiny toddler hands they are a challenge, and that challenge can end in disaster.

You can secure your furniture with simple tools that can keep it tight against the wall, stopping it from falling over onto the toddler. 

6. Leaving Hot Drinks on Tables

Your morning coffee isn’t as safe as it once was.

If there’s a cup within arm’s reach of your child, it’s not unlikely that their grabby little hands will find it. 

The toddler can get burned at worst; best case scenario they’ve made a sticky mess of themselves and the floor. 

Some children will even try to drink coffee or tea that’s been left unattended, and the last thing that you need is a caffeinated toddler. 

7. Leaving Bags on the Floor

Are you the type to throw your purse or backpack on the floor when you get home? Maybe it’s right by the shoe rack, or perhaps you like to do work on the floor, so you leave it at arms reach.

Be careful of this. Toddlers can (and will) get into things that they’re not supposed to get into. If your bag contains medication, candies, sharp objects, or anything else that could potentially cause harm to your child, it’s best to keep it high up.

Even if you’re in the same room, it only takes a moment for a toddler to cause trouble. Attended or not, leave your bags hanging or stowed away. 

These Childproofing Mistakes Are No Joke 

Every parent makes some childproofing mistakes, but these are the ones that we see most often. 

Help your curious child avoid danger by making your home safe and soft. Locking away dangerous objects might seem like a pain, but it’s only temporary. Soon enough, your child will be able to avoid these things on their own. 

For more posts like this on parenting and more, visit the rest of our site! 

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Posted By The Fashionable Housewife
on August 3, 2020 at 5:28 PM
Filed Under: Parenting
Tagged With: child safety, child safety seat, child-safe, childproof, childproofing, family safety, Parenting, personal safety, safety gates, safety tips

About The Fashionable Housewife

Sarah-Jean Ballard is the Editor in Chief of The Fashionable Housewife blog and Founder of Fashionable Media. Married to a sexy Molecular Biologist, housewife, mom to 5, homeschooler, Certified Personal Nutritionist and entrepreneur who's mission is to help moms just like you look and feel GREAT! Other interests include dancing, yoga, positive intactivism, natural birth and breastfeeding support, babywearing, paleo & gluten-free cooking, and promoting an overall healthy lifestyle to all.

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Sarah-Jean Ballard

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That’s the biggest lesson that grief has taught me. If I just wait around to be happy again, I’ll die sad. 

You don’t get through grief and come out the other side. That’s not how it works. You learn how to grow around it like a tree grows around a rock that’s in the way. You don’t wait for the rock to move. Cause it’s not gonna. 

Choose happy. And then make it happen. 

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The last 20 years with you have been my favorite years on this earth. ❤️ 

If I did anything right in my life, it was when I decided to give my heart to you.  You are my best friend, my soul mate, my better half, my rock, my everything. 

I love you.

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Definitely recommend! If you want to grab this mop for your little helper, it’s in the Storyteller Play Kit from Lovevery for 3 year olds. 

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Stop trying to sit at a table you are no longer welcome at. Just be yourself, focus on God, love your family and friends, and the right people will gravitate to you. ✌🏻 

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The “Steffi” in green are the perfect boots for ushering in spring weather with their delicious vintage leather and worn-in look right out of the box. I love the chunky lug soles and inside zippers to get them on and off easily. 

These are the boots you’ll want to wear again and again. And again. 

Use my coupon code BALLARD20 to get 20% off your order! Find them on www.enjoiya.com

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You do not find a happy life. You make it. 

That’s the biggest lesson that grief has taught me. If I just wait around to be happy again, I’ll die sad. 

You don’t get through grief and come out the other side. That’s not how it works. You learn how to grow around it like a tree grows around a rock that’s in the way. You don’t wait for the rock to move. Cause it’s not gonna. 

Choose happy. And then make it happen. 

#choosehappy #joyinthejourney #griefjourney #healingfromtrauma
8 billion smiles in the world, but his is my favor 8 billion smiles in the world, but his is my favorite. 

Happy Valentine’s Day, @daeinexplains 🥰

The last 20 years with you have been my favorite years on this earth. ❤️ 

If I did anything right in my life, it was when I decided to give my heart to you.  You are my best friend, my soul mate, my better half, my rock, my everything. 

I love you.

#couplegoals #marriedlife #motherhoodthroughinstagram #weddingday #marriagegoals #yourestilltheone
Kids love helping if you just let them!💁🏼‍ Kids love helping if you just let them!💁🏼‍♀️

This little guy always asks to help when he sees me cleaning the house, washing the floors, doing laundry, or emptying the dishwasher. That’s what I love about Montessori parenting - it allows kids to do  big jobs and in turn makes them eager to help! 

He was over the moon when we gave him the @lovevery floor mop that actually works! He uses it daily now. The mopping pad is machine washable and you can refill the fluid container on it. I usually just do water and a drop of essential oils because he loves it when everything smells clean! 😜 

Definitely recommend! If you want to grab this mop for your little helper, it’s in the Storyteller Play Kit from Lovevery for 3 year olds. 

LlNK is in my bio to get FREE shipping! 💃🏼

#lovevery #loveverytoddler #loveverypartner #montessoriathome #montessoriplayroom #montessoritoddler
Stop trying to fit your square self in a round hol Stop trying to fit your square self in a round hole. 

Sometimes we outgrown relationships. Sometimes we realize someone else isn’t a good influence on our lives. Sometimes we realize we aren’t a good influence for someone else. Sometimes we need to let things go that aren’t good for us in order to grow. And that’s ok. 

Stop trying to sit at a table you are no longer welcome at. Just be yourself, focus on God, love your family and friends, and the right people will gravitate to you. ✌🏻 

#raisingsaints #momlife #motherhoodunplugged #selflovejourney #growingpains #selfcaresunday
When your toaster breaks from a power surge you ta When your toaster breaks from a power surge you take that as a sign that it’s time to upgrade! 🤪

It wasn’t hard to pick a new 4 slice toaster. As soon as I saw this one from @haden_usa I added it to my cart. I bought it from @lordandtaylor because it had the fastest shipping and I didn’t want to wait! 

No fancy electronics, screens, or extra features we don’t need. Just simple, straight forward functions and perfect results everytime. Plus it matches all my @cafeappliances too! 😂👍🏻

What do you think of this 4 slice toaster?! 

#toasters #kitchenappliances #kitchendesign #kitchendecor #whitekitchen #farmhousekitchen #farmhousestyle #whiteappliances
I’m obsessed with these leather booties from @en I’m obsessed with these leather booties from @enjoiya! 💃🏼 

The “Steffi” in green are the perfect boots for ushering in spring weather with their delicious vintage leather and worn-in look right out of the box. I love the chunky lug soles and inside zippers to get them on and off easily. 

These are the boots you’ll want to wear again and again. And again. 

Use my coupon code BALLARD20 to get 20% off your order! Find them on www.enjoiya.com

#leatherbooties #enjoiya #italianshoes #realmomstyle #momstyle #momstyletips
All the poop shoveling doesn’t seem so bad with All the poop shoveling doesn’t seem so bad with the prices of eggs right now! 🤪 🐔 🥚 

Guess it’s ok to be a crazy chicken lady and have a homestead now! 🤣

#momlife #crazychickenlady #homesteadlife
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