Child-proofing your home is essential unless you want to spend your time saying ‘no’ to everything they grab.

• Use corner guards for furniture with sharp edges.
• Use plug socket covers to stop toddlers sticking their fingers in and keep electrical cords out of reach.
• Keep pills and medicines above toddler reach.
• Keep cleaning supplies out of reach and fit child safety locks on cupboards.
• Use stair gates at the top and bottom of stairs and block rooms you don’t want your toddler to get into.
• Check for garden hazards such broken fences and sharp stones.
• Ponds are a real danger to young children no matter how shallow. Keep them covered or fill them in until your child is older.
• Keep sharp objects, heavy things and hot tea/coffee out of reach.
• Point saucepan handles backwards so they can’t be grabbed
• Get down on your hands and knees and see your home from a toddlers point of view – you’d be surprised what you have missed.

• Show your baby the steam from your tea or coffee by saying ‘hot – burn’ but don’t put them too near the heat source.
• If you are using a knife or scissors, look at your child seriously and say ‘sharp – ouch’.
• Don’t run with sharp objects and always carry them pointing down.
• Show your mobile baby how to come down a few stairs on your bottom. 

Be alert