Take a few moments and look around your house. You may not be as overtly conscious as I am about all this, but I can only see sharp corners everywhere, and they're all at that height that is bad for adult shins, which is really bad for our youngster's head, face, lips, ears, eyes, and well, just about everything else. The part that really worries me about all these sharp corners - did I mention they're everywhere? - is that it's quite a stretch from the time your child takes his first step until he isn't as wobbly as Great Grandpa Bob.
All this begs the question, are we to just get rid of every sharp corner by selling off our furniture or busting out the belt sander? Trust me, those are options I've considered. I can live pretty easily with beanbag chairs and inflatable coffee tables. However, those are hardly practical. So, what's a new parent to do about all the danger just waiting to jump out a grab our little rug rats? Hopefully the following will prompt the creative thinker in you and you can arrive at some of your own solutions as well.
Rubber Foam Pillows
The very first thing you have to do is get down on your hands and knees and crawl around your house. How the heck are you going to know what dangers lurk for baby if you're up there in your rarified air? The moment you do this, all bets are off. You will instantly see a world you did not know existed previously. This will allow you to see all the little glass trinkets in your living room, and all those electrical outlets just waiting to teach young master a lesson. Move those trinkets, and plug the vacant outlets with the convenient outlet covers that can be purchased at any grocery store.
If you haven't done this already, then stop right here and go do this so you don't forget. Turn the temperature on your water heater down to 120 degrees. This is plenty hot for any of your needs, and while this may give baby a shock should he somehow come into contact with the hot water, it won't scald his delicate skin.
Oh, and all those sharp edges? Well, if the two scenarios above are too impractical, then you've simply got to resign yourself to the fact that you'll cover all those sharp edges with soft, absorbent things like foam rubber, throw pillows, cushions, quilts, blankets, or even older children. Ok, maybe not that last one, but you get the picture. Remember, the worst spill your kid can make is the one he's gonna make, and it won't take too much force before you're on your way to the emergency room and little Timmy has his first stitches just in time for his first birthday party.
In addition to an professionally monitored home security system, there are many things you can do around your home to make it a safer, more secure place for you, your guests, and of course your newest addition. Think safe, be safe.