Babyproofing Your Backyard
If your kid is like most, from the moment he could drag his chubby body across the floor, he was into everything. Chewing, touching, licking, throwing anything he could get his hands on. Your mission as a parent is to somehow both let him explore and keep him safe at the same time. (Easier said than done, we know.) One place you can't forget when you're babyproofing is the yard. Here are a few tips:
- Figure out what plants are poisonous and get them outta your yard pronto! And make sure your kid knows to never, ever put random plants or flowers into his mouth.
- If you use pesticides or fertilizers, don't let your kid play where your sprayed for at least 48 hours.
- If you have a pool, make sure there's a fence around it! And make sure you drain any fountains, kiddie pools etc. when they're not being used. Kids can down in only an inch of water!
- Put a screen around your grill so your kid can't burn himself when you're BBQing.
- Make sure your kid's sandbox has a cover on it so it doesn't become the big ol' neighborhood litter box for feral cats.
- Fence 'em in! If you can, make sure your kid's play area is enclosed. If you can't, make sure your kid clearly understands the boundaries of where it's safe for him to play.
- Make sure your jungle gyms, swings and play equipment are installed properly and meets safety standards. In other words, that rotting, termite-ridden, 30-year-old swing set you used to play with that grandpa hauled over and dumped in your yard may not be up to snuff.
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