Our twins are getting very agile and independent these days. They go to every corner of the house, hide under the blankets, open the cupboards, turn on the tap, climb onto the table and ladder, and the list goes on.
I get it. It is the toddlers’ right to roam about and explore because that is how they learn. They are eager to discover but yet they do not have the cognitive ability to assess danger. The more “nos” we tell them, the more they want to try out the prohibition.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BoawF66ndtw/?taken-by=melissatanps
At 20 months old, my toddlers are still putting things into their mouths because they are learning. Young children develop starting from their heads, downwards to their toes. If you notice, they need a strong neck before they can learn to sit. They need to sit well before they can learn to crawl. Sensory skill is the same. They start sensing their surrounding using their eyes, ears and mouth before they use their hands. Thus, everything they see may go straight into their mouth, because that is where their senses are the most sensitive!
We try as much as possible to support their learning process by keeping our home safe for exploration. With two lower primary school kids sharing the same space, it is not easy. Rubbers bits, scissors, batteries, small toys are spread around the house. Kids run, fight, roll around and knock down the little ones.
We, adults, stay vigilant all day long. There are precautions that we can take to make our parenting life more manageable, give ourselves a 5-minute breather now and then, and yet not discouraging the kids’ desire to explore and be creative.
The below-mentioned areas of concern are by no means exhaustive. Every family is set up differently and has different needs, thus the danger points to look out for may be different.
Storage
We are extremely mindful of the dangers lurking in our cabinets, especially in the kitchen and under the bathroom counters. Poisonous products include cleaning agents, shampoos, cosmetics, medicines, batteries, insecticides, alcohol, superglue, etc.
How about the glassware, plates and other breakable items that we usually keep in the lower cabinets? How about cutlery, knives, lighters, graters, etc. that we put in our drawers?
Our solution: lock the dangers away!
We bought tons of latch from Ikea to prevent the kiddos from opening the cabinets and pulling out the drawers. We tried out the cabinet catch previously too, but it did not work well with us. It would be an installation problem though.
The twins are partners in crime. To get the latch to work effectively, we attach two latches instead of one so that the 3M stickers don’t give way when they combine forces to pull open the doors and cabinets.
Another gadget to consider if you are concerned with the aesthetic appearance of a child lock is Amazon’s best-selling magnetic cabinet lock*. With sturdy magnetic design and using 3M adhesive tape, the locks are mounted inside the cabinet. Check out the reviews and videos uploaded by users. I am pretty impressed by this.
Height
These days, they climb onto everything, include sofas, dining chairs, baby chairs, stools, and ladders.
We lay thick futons for the toddlers to sleep on the floor so that they can freely roll onto the floor when they sleep. We do without a bed frame in our room in case they jump off our mattress. There is no sofa in the living area knowing that the toddlers will climb all over it.
They have now acquired sufficient gross motor skills to climb ladders and stairs. They climb up our bar stools, dining chairs, ladder affixed to our loft bed to show off their new climbing skills. Thanks to the adventurous mummy who brings them to the playground almost every day. The both of them are achieving greater heights!
Exasperated with their new dangerous climbing moves, we now lay our bar stool flat on the floor and erect them only when in use. We got new chairs from Ikea again, something cheap and sturdy, with armrest and wide legs that minimises the chances of kids toppling when they lean backwards. Sorry Ikea, but we got the kids to climb and jump on many of the display sets before we finalise our selection.
Remember the clear plastic ladder barricade you can find in Ikea children’s showroom? After pondering for a long while where I can get hold of a similar item, I decided to make one using leftover cardboard.
Stools
We stand on stools when we reach for items in the upper cabinets. The older kids need to stand on the stools when they wash the dishes or do some cooking. Monkey see monkey do. The young ones follow suit, so we have to keep the stools away as much as possible.
Mosquito Net
Installing mosquito net may not apply to everyone. We live next to a garden and receive lots of uninvited guests day and night.
The mosquitoes bit my youngest daughter so severely that she ran a high fever. Her paediatrician put her on standby for admission into the hospital. Ever since we have installed the mosquito nets, we enjoy a better quality of life and can sleep peacefully at night.
See my review on the mosquito nets here.
Power Outlets
This is extremely important for us as our power outlets are all within reach of the children. They love to play with switches all day long with their tiny hands smeared with chocolates or dripping wet at times.
We cover all our power outlets with safety plugs* to minimize unfortunate accidents from happening.
Heat
The kitchen is the most dangerous zone. As much as possible, we try to keep the toddlers away from the kitchen, especially when we are cooking. We grill, and we use the stove almost every day.
Cooking Stove
Our induction stove works wonder for our older kids. We previously used the conventional gas stove with an open fire which means loose clothing and long hair may risk catching fire if one is not careful. My elder son and daughter were keen to try out cooking but was put off by the open fire. Ever since we switch to the induction cooker, they try out simple recipes more often.
We also ensure that the pot handles are turned away from the front of the stove to prevent prying hands from causing unfortunate spilling events. Thermal flask and knife block are pushed to the rear of the counter. But this will only stop them temporarily. Once they learn to use the stools and chairs for greater heights, we have to look for new solutions.
Oven
As much as possible, we get the kids to stay away from the hot oven. One may sneak in the kitchen at times to try to pull open the stove. With combined forces, they can now open the oven door.
We use the same Ikea latch to keep the oven doors shut.
Blinds
Blind cords pose a danger to young children. My kids love to play in the patio where outdoor blinds are. While the screens protect the children from the sun and rain, the long looped cord can become a noose if someone falls with it around her neck.
We make a knot around the cord to shorten it and keep it out of the children’s reach. However, this is a temporary solution as it requires the entire family to remember to tie back the knot after lowering or raising the blinds. So if you are thinking of installing screens in the future, consider looking for the cordless ones to enhance child safety.
Water
Taps
We need to get a lock got our outdoor water tap. The toddlers love to turn on the tap in our patio these days and are having fun wasting water. This behaviour is not only a waste of resources. The twins often fall due to a slippery floor. Thankfully no major accident has happened.
Water Pails
Never leave pails filled with water anywhere in the house. My little ones love water and would maximize their fun with the bucket of water. Perhaps it would be a great dipping opportunity for them before their mummy finds out what they are doing!
Educating Everyone Else at Home
It is not easy to keep our home safe. Our inconsiderate older ones continue to leave their scissors, crayons and other art material on the floor, giving the twins an opportunity to explore whatever they lay their hands on. We often find crayons and markers in their hands. I spotted marker stains on their lips a couple of times too.
We take away the art supplies from the recalcitrants and leave them to repent for the rest of the day.
Even the adults need a lot of reminders to be mindful of potentially dangerous situations such as leaving the gates open, forgetting to empty the pails after mopping the floor, and carelessly leave the handles of the hot pots and pans in strategic positions for the kids to grab on to. If need be, I will remove the pots with a long handle from regular use and replace it with something else such as a stock pot or a casserole to make a point.
We need to know that even the most thorough childproofing cannot replace careful adult supervision. Accidents always happen in spilt of a second. Although we allow the toddlers to climb high and low in the playgrounds designed with children’s safety in mind, we will still ensure that our home is safe for our toddlers.
You may also be interested in:
Preparing for twins mentally and practically
Activities we do with the twins at home – 12 months old to 15 months old
Do you have any other tips in childproofing your home? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.
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