While the kitchen is perhaps one of the most used and functional rooms in the home, that doesn’t stop it being any less dangerous. From owning technology which could cause your child to be distracted to the mess and equipment you leave laying around, there are many potential dangers you need to be aware of.
As a responsible parent, it’s vital you make sure your kids are safe while they’re in the kitchen and you do what you can to prevent any accidents. With this in mind, today we’re going to explore four important home safety tips you need to know help keep everyone happy and safe!
#1- Always Turn Appliances Off
Whether you’ve got ovens, hobs, microwaves, or any other kind of appliance, always make sure they’re properly off, even at the wall, when they’re not being used. Get into the habit of checking and double checking everything to make sure it’s off.
Even if you’ve just finished using the hob, make sure you’re turning it off as soon as possible, giving it the shortest time to turn down and minimize the number of dangers that are currently in your kitchen.
#2- Put Everything Away
A habit that a lot of us have is putting things on the surfaces of our kitchen and then leaving them there. For example, you might leave knives and cutlery on the worktop if you’re keeping it there while waiting for it to be washed up.
However, a knife sitting on a worktop can be a dangerous thing for a child, so make sure you’re putting everything way or washing it up instantly. Moreover, you could always get a pot or bucket to keep things that need to be washed up, keeping that out of reach of any of your child’s hands.
When everything is put away, there’s no reason you can’t let your children play. If you’ve got a TV on rent in your kitchen, there’s no reason your children can’t watch their favourite shows after everything is safe and sound!
#3- Minimize Distractions
Most accidents will happen in the kitchen because you or your children are distracted or focused on something else, rather than what they’re doing or what else is going on. The best way to minimize this being a problem is to simply to cut out the distractions.
For example, if you’re cooking with your children, which is a great thing to do, and if you have distractions in the kitchen, make sure they’re off to avoid your children becoming distracted with whatever show is on. You could also ban phones, computers, and tablets to stop this being a problem.
#4- Own High-Quality Appliances
From the oven to the cooker, make sure you’re using child-friendly appliances that are in full working order. For example, if you’re using a refrigerator that has a faulty door that has a special knack to close it, this could be an accident waiting to happen. Instead, it can pay to get a refrigerator on rent (or apply this to any kitchen appliance) to ensure the appliances are always in full working order, thus minimising all risk.
If something breaks in your kitchen, always make sure you’re repairing or replacing it at the earliest possible convenience.
Summary
While the kitchen can be a dangerous place for children, there’s no reason an accident has to happen. By following the steps above and being mindful of what you and your children are doing while in the kitchen, you can do everything you can to make sure your children are safe and sound.
