Child Proofing

     Child proofing your home when you have a little one is a must! Having this done before they are rolling over and crawling is vital for their safety. You can begin this process and have your home a safe environment long before the child is performing these milestones. You will feel much better when you know your home is child proofed. Some of the important steps in child proofing are as follows:

Ø  Cover all electrical outlets using protective coverings

Ø  Move household chemicals on higher shelves or cabinets

Ø  Install cabinet locks

Ø   Insert safety gates on stairs

Ø  Use anchor straps to tie down furniture that could tip over

Ø  Use foam to cover furniture corners

Ø  Put toilet lid locks on

Ø  Use clips to keep window blinds string out of child’s reach

Ø  Keep breakable items up higher

Ø  Make sure smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors  are installed and working

Ø  When the child begins walking make sure a yard fence is installed, if possible and gates are locked

Ø  Cover pool, if applicable

Ø  Store medication in a locked cabinet

Ø  When cooking make sure you have the pan handle turned in

     These are just a few important child proofing tips. Each home is unique, you need to walk through your home and make sure there are no other hazards that could harm your child. Accidents happen, but it’s your responsibility as a parent to provide the safest environment possible for your child.

Potty Training

     Potty training is one of the largest stresses when raising a child. Normally, the child will show signs that they are ready. Pushing a child into potty training before he/she are ready is asking for an emotional disaster. Usually when a child is between eighteen to twenty-four months old, they will begin to show signs that they are ready.  This is the best time to start the” can be” dreadful task, known as potty training. Some of the signs that they are ready include: staying dry for an hour or two at a time, saying that they need to go potty, or wanting to sit on the toilet. People may think that this is an easy task, but it can be a hard, long drawn out process for many children.  Parents need to develop a plan and ideas that engage the child in wanting to go potty. Some ways to get the child excited is with rewards.  Kids love to get prizes and awards; it’s a fun way to get the parents involved also. As a parent, showing the child how proud you are of them when they go makes the child want to go even more. A couple ideas for a reward program could be hanging a chart of some kind on the wall and every time they go potty they get to pick a sticker out and put the sticker on the chart. Another idea would be to have a special piggy bank and when they go, give them a penny to put in the bank. This makes them want to go and gives them a little motivation.

     A good way to make the transition from diapers to big kid panties is by using pull-ups, which takes away the frustration of accidents. Putting them in a diaper at night for a while is a good idea because diapers tend to hold the wetness in better. Buying underwear and showing them that when they go potty like a big kid they can wear the special panties. Pick out a character that they like to make it more exciting for them. Also, using a child’s floor toilet that they can get on and off by themselves is a good idea. This is a very easy way to start this process.  

     Parents are afraid that if they are working with their child at home and they take them to daycare that they won’t have time to work with them. This does sometimes happen and it can be very frustrating for the parents. As I’ve experienced working in a day care center, they are very willing to help the child with this difficult stage. You just need to be open with your daycare and do this process together and soon they will be all potty trained, which is a very exciting step. The most important thing to remember is that your child is just learning and that each child learns and develops at different rates. Patience is a vital part of the whole process. A child can sense when you are upset or frustrated, so try to keep this under control and give the child the support they need.