Our Mommyhood

The holidays and weeks following bring family time, presents, and plenty of cheer. When your kids are home from school, keep their protection in mind and take the following precautions to make sure their time off is fun and safe.

• Retain a little peace of mind when the kids are at home and activate your ADT monitored system. Whether your family is gathered for cookie baking, a friendly board game competition, or the younger folks are staying at home while you’re out, you can relax knowing that security measures are in place to ensure everyone’s safety. Always schedule regular maintenance for your system to make sure everything stays in working order.

• Children are inquisitive creatures. You don’t want to squelch their tendency to explore but you also want them to stay out of trouble. When it comes to safety around wee ones with grabby hands, put candles, matches, and lighters out of reach. Establish a rule that only older kids are allowed to use them. Consider as well installing a fireplace screen to prevent embers from igniting your carpet, as well as ‘locking down’ the fireplace to prevent bored kids from stoking the flames and potentially causing irreparable damage.

• Switching to green cleansers around your home will eliminate the chance of needing to call poison control. Be sure store-bought chemicals are kept out of lower cabinets. If you have toddlers, especially those who have recently learned how to walk and can get away from you practically before you realize it, install cabinet latches that will prevent them from opening doors you’d rather they not get into. Switch out harmful materials and breakable dishware with items they’re allowed to play with, such as old saucepans and plastic bowls.

• The arrival of the Internet some 15 years ago introduced people across the globe to a wealth of knowledge and entertainment possibilities. Kids who grew up with access to the World Wide Web may be aware of Internet predators but not know how to protect themselves. Step in and keep kids safe from sites you don’t approve of by restricting them. You might feel overly strict and remember all too well when your parents exacted their brand of parental control, but letting kids stay kids a little longer never hurt anyone.

• Given the time of year, you might be headed out for the evening to enjoy time with people your age. When kids are left home with the sitter, be sure s/he knows what to do in the event of an emergency. Leave your cell phone numbers in an easily-accessible place, as well as contact information for medical personnel. Enlist someone you trust, such as a relative or a neighborhood sitter who comes highly regarded. Enjoy your evening out knowing your children’s temporary guardian knows what to do in the event an issue arises.

It can be very easy to forget that children often explore without a filter. Adults are used to anticipating the consequences of an action and can forget that children don’t always think similarly. While you don’t want to shelter your kids to the point of smothering them, you can still take steps to make sure their time at home is fun and safe.

Holly Watson is a stay at home mom who spends her extra time blogging on behalf of Sears and other deserving brands she enjoys. She enjoys running, baking and traveling with her family!

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