Holiday Safety Tips

The holidays are a fun time for both children and adults. It’s a time for gift giving, a break from school,  and holiday parties. With the holiday season in full swing, it is a great time to bring family and friends together to celebrate.

A house full of people and children running around everywhere is just what the holiday season is all about, but it can also be an easy target for an accident involving children around the home. If you plan on having a holiday party or a house full of small children, keep these six tips in mind to ensure a safe and happy home!

 

1. Keep an Eye on the Candles – Although we love the ambiance that a candle gives during the holiday season, they can become a hazard for both your home and your children. Make sure to keep all of your candles and matches out of reach of children. Don’t forget to blow the candles out prior to leaving the house or going to sleep.

2. Keep the Alcohol Away – All of the adult and alcoholic beverages should be kept out of reach of the children. Put them on the counter or in a cabinet, so that your children cannot have any access to them.

3. Beware of Choking Hazards – There are several foods that we have out during the holidays can be a choking hazard for children. Keep all nuts, candy, popcorn, or anything else they can possibly choke on out of arm’s reach of your children.

4. Take Care of the Tree – Everyone loves the smell of a having a live Christmas tree in the home, but it’s important that you maintain the tree throughout the time you have it. Prune the bottom of tree from all sharp protruding branches, especially if you have small children. Water your tree daily to keep it hydrated and to keep it from getting dry and brittle. Remove all small ornaments from the tree if you anticipate small children in your home. It’s best not to rely on placing them all at the top of the tree as that will make the tree top heavy and give it a better chance to fall over. Instead of overloading your outlets with lights, use a high quality powerstrip with a built in surge protector and make sure lights are unplugged before going to bed.

5. Be Proactive – It’s always a great idea to be proactive. Send a “heads up” email to all invited guests about these dangers and ask for their help in ensuring a safe and happy party. Alert all guests as you greet them at the front door that there are small children in the house and to be aware of potential hazards. Placing small but noticable post-it notes around the areas of potential danger will also act as a constant reminder and ensure that accidents will less likely happen.

6. Check the Danger Zones – Make sure that you are mindful of these “danger zones” throughout the night. Put someone in charge of checking the areas at times throughout the day to make sure that they are up to the correct safety standards for having children around.

Keeping these safety tips in mind will help ensure that you, your children, family, and friends have a safe and happy holiday season!