Now that we are officially in winter (though my thermometer doesn’t agree), I want to share some winter safety tips for families. “Safety first” is a great motto for all parents and it is especially important in the winter when kids tend to be cooped up indoors for most of the day. With little ones around, parents have to be especially vigilant as curiosity can lead to devastating consequences. Check out these three simple tips for keeping your family safe this winter.
Three Winter Safety Tips for Families
- Prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Do you have a carbon monoxide detector in your home? You should. They can save lives, but less than one-third of American homes have one installed. The months of December and January are the peak of CO poisonings according to the National Safety Council. To reduce your risk, replace the battery for your carbon monoxide detector every spring and fall. (And if you don’t have one, get one. Pronto!) Do not heat your home with your oven and never, ever run your car inside an attached garage.
- Dress appropriately for the conditions. Though December has been warm, I know freezing temperatures are not far behind. When you do venture out in the cold weather, be sure to dress your kids appropriately. Wearing several thin layers is the best way to keep kids both warm and dry. Three key items for typical winter weather include warm boots, gloves and a hat. For older babies and young children five and under, try to dress them in one more layer of clothing than you would wear.
- Store laundry materials out reach of children. During winter weather, families often spend a lot of time
inside. This can lead to boredom on the part of young children and apathy on the part of parents. But don’t slip when it comes to removing potentially dangerous items from the reach of your kids! Be sure to put all laundry products, including liquid laundry packets, out of reach of small children or behind a locked door. Over 80% of parents think their children can’t reach the laundry packets, but they can! Do not underestimate your little ones! Learn more about keeping laundry materials safe in your home by visiting KeyPledge.com. Take the KEY Pledge to commit to a safe laundry room and routine.
I’ve given you a variety of tips over the last six months regards to keeping your kids safe. Topics included:
- Holiday safety tips for families of small children.
- New research on maintaining laundry safety in homes with young kids.
- The 5 things NOT to do to keep your baby safe.
- Back to school safety tips.
- Staying safe in your home.
I hope this series, sponsored by the American Cleaning Institute, has been useful!
