Protect your Children from Hidden Dangers in the Kitchen

When most of us think of kitchen safety, we think of basic things like not allowing children to touch hot stoves. Another common (and helpful) safety tip is to keep pan handles turned toward the back of the stove to keep a child from pulling the pan off the stove and spilling the contents on himself or herself.

These are some of the common dangers that can be found in the kitchen. Unfortunately, though, there are many more hazards that most people just don’t consider – until it’s too late.

Partially open doors or drawers can be very dangerous. Toddlers may explore what’s inside, and find some very interesting (and potentially deadly) treats such as drain opener, cleaning fluids, bleach, or ammonia. Alternatively, they may try to use open drawers as stepstools or stepladders to climb onto the counters and find even more hazardous objects.

Children can use loose electricity cords to pull small appliances down on top of their heads, and may easily get severely cut from can openers or electric knives. If the child is climbing up to the counter top, however, he or she could also potentially slip and fall. If his or her head or neck becomes caught in the cord, these cords can easily act as a noose, causing unexpected tragedy.

Magicians are a source of great wonder and entertainment for small children. They may attempt to imitate an illusionist’s tricks by performing one of their own. Pulling the tablecloth off the table just isn’t as easy as they make it look though.

This little magic trick can cost you hundreds of dollars in broken china. This is even if you manage to get away without a trip to an emergency room for serious cuts or bruises. Keep the tablecloth out of the child’s reach – it just isn’t worth the potential damage that can result.

Don’t allow a small child to be in the kitchen while you are getting lunch or dinner ready. It’s just too easy to become distracted. Furthermore, they may be standing behind you when you turn around, causing an accident that could seriously injure one – or both of you!

If you are trying to screen your kitchen for potential dangers, take a few minutes, or even an hour, to view the room from a pint-sized perspective. Get down on your hands and knees, and try for a bit to think like a child. Might that electrical outlet look interesting? Cover it up. Want to open the blinds like mommy does every morning? Put these potentially lethal cords up out of your child’s reach.

You may not be able to locate and correct every hazard the first time you look around the kitchen, but stay attuned to your small child when he or she is in the room. If it’s dangerous, it will probably look interesting or appealing, so when he or she starts looking at an object with great interest, be alert to potential dangers. Protect your home –and your child – from these dangers!

This article sponsored by PebbleZ
– designers of a unique line of decorative stone kitchen wall clocks, and natural stone accessories. The article was penned by artist, designer, and style philosopher Joey Pebble.

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