Making Homes Safe for Grandchildren: Essential Tips for Grandparents

Having your grandchildren visit is one of the great joys of life. Their laughter and imagination can make the hours you spend with them wonderful. Yet, kids aren’t always as mindful of their surroundings as we all might like. Their energy and curiosity can occasionally lead to safety risks.

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Therefore, it’s important to look around your home to ensure there are minimal risks to your grandchildren. Though a lot will depend on their ages and disposition, there are some general areas where home improvements can make your house healthier and more comfortable for everyone involved.

Reducing Trips and Falls

Young children can be rambunctious. Fun as they may be,  their wild energy can lead to injuries from trips and falls. One way to prevent accidents is to make adjustments to your home that reduce underfoot hazards. 

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It’s worth considering that many of the renovations HandyPro craftspeople can make to keep you safe from trips and falls are also suitable for keeping your grandchildren safe. Some of these include:

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• Installing non-slip flooring: Children running around can be hazardous if you have untextured tiling or wood laminate flooring in your home that doesn’t provide sufficient friction, like untextured tiling or wood laminate. Rubber or vinyl flooring can be a safer alternative, particularly in the kitchen or the bathroom, where slippery surfaces are more common. These materials provide greater slip resistance and are easy to maintain. You can also find this type of flooring material in a range of styles and colors to suit the aesthetics of your home. 
• Switching to better lighting: Some of the trip hazards in your home might be structural or items you can’t easily adjust or remove. It’s vital to ensure your grandchildren can clearly see any obstacles. Upgrading your lighting with brighter bulbs can be an effective and affordable solution. You might also use a HandyPro contractor to install additional lighting points in areas of your home where your current fixtures don’t illuminate.

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Perhaps the most simple measure you can take is to ensure that high-traffic areas of your home are free from clutter. There may be some items — like nesting tables or even dog toys — that you’re used to having underfoot, but your grandchildren might not be cognizant of them. Doing a once-over of your home and tidying away unnecessary items can be a solid preventative. 

Minimize Access to Chemicals

Many homes today include a surprising number of household products that can have dangerous health risks. This isn’t limited to more obvious chemicals, like oven cleaners that may cause skin irritation or spray air fresheners that might trigger asthma symptoms. Personal care products can be damaging, too, with talcum powder increasingly being recognized as possibly carcinogenic substances. It is vital to understand the hazards of the substances in your home and take steps to minimize your grandchildren’s access to them.

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There are some general chemical storage safety practices that you should follow. Begin by regularly checking that every bottle, can, and box is correctly sealed and undamaged. Placing all chemicals and other hazardous items beyond children’s reach is also important, whether on a high shelf or in an outbuilding, like a locked shed or garage. If you keep your products on shelves, make sure these are sturdy enough to support containers and cannot be easily pulled down by curious hands. 

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This is another area where Handypro contractors can be helpful. They can help you select and fit appropriate shelving that keeps items out of your grandchildren’s reach while still safely accessible to you as a person aging in place. A handyman can also fit kitchen and bathroom cabinets with appropriate child locks so you can keep cleaning supplies and medications protected.

Mitigating Fire and Water Hazards

Fire and water are two substances that can make life more comfortable. Yet, it’s also wise to remember that they can be significant hazards when you have your grandchildren over to visit.

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Many home modifications can keep your grandkids safe while also ensuring safety at home. For instance, installing a walk-in tub can make bathing more accessible for people with mobility challenges while minimizing the risk of bathtime accidents if your grandchildren stay overnight. 

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If you have a swimming pool, install handrails and steps (a HandyPro professional can help). Installing perimeter sensor alarms around the pool area is also useful for alerting you or your neighbors if one of your grandchildren wanders off too close to the water unsupervised.

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For fireplaces, restrict how close your grandchildren can get to the flames. A hearth gate or screen creates a barrier while still maintaining the coziness of the fireplace. Have a handyman regularly inspect and service your chimney to prevent the buildup of toxic materials.

Conclusion

When your grandchildren visit, you naturally want your home to be where they can have fun safely. Some improvements to prevent falls and minimize access to chemicals are among the adjustments you can collaborate with a handyman to make. It’s also worth chatting with your own children about specific needs or challenges your grandkids have so you can take relevant steps to keep them happy and healthy when they visit.

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