We start hearing these warnings as early as parenting classes; we continue to hear them each time we visit the pediatrician. We can’t leave the hospital without an infant seat. We child-proof everything before an infant begins to crawl. We make sure our little ones wear a helmet. So, with all these precautions, all of these safety measures, all of our reptilian instincts of protection, how can a parent become a hidden hazard to his/her child?
Parents often know the safest ways to do things; that doesn’t necessarily mean they follow the proper timeline. We all know at least one person who permits a five-year-old to ‘graduate’ from his booster seat, or allows seven-year-old to ride in the front seat of the car.
To keep kids safe:
· Child proof your home until a child is responsible enough to understand the hazards that confront them. Drawers and cabinets must be locked, gates on stairs, and electrical outlets covered.
· Avoid glass-topped or pointed tables.
· Install window guards or latches on all windows.
· Move kids to a booster seat at around 40 pounds; keep them there until they are ready for regular seatbelts, at about 4’9" tall (my 27 year old daughter, Jessica is 4′ 10"; I wonder how she would react if I ordered her into a booster seat!).
· Keep kids in the back seat of the car until they are 13 years old.
· Supervise kids around water, even if they know how to swim.
· Encourage kids to wear a helmet whenever they ride a bike, scooter, or skateboard.
· Make sure toys are age-appropriate, especially those with small parts that pose choke hazards.
· Drawstrings on clothes are a potential strangulation hazard. Extra buttons, ribbons, and decorative items on clothing are a choking hazard. Clothing with these items should be avoided or the dangerous items removed.
· Adjust crib height as a baby grows and starts to climb; move the child to a toddler bed when they are tall enough to climb out of the crib.
. Bunks beds should be avoided until the child is at least six-years-old.
. Children under 12 should not operate a walking lawn mower; children under 16 should not operate a riding lawn mower. These minimum ages are suggestions; if your child is of age or older, use your better judgment if you feel he/she is not mature enough. Err on the side of caution.
Can any child be "too safe"? We can’t put our children in bubbles or be their bodyguards 24/7; however, we can be safety smart. Common sense should dictate whether a chance is worth taking; use yours and prevent accidents that may permanently injure or kill your precious little ones. After all, safety doesn’t happen by accident!
Mark Bello has thirty-three years experience as a trial lawyer and twelve years as an underwriter and situational analyst in the lawsuit funding industry. He is the owner and founder of Lawsuit Financial Corporation which helps provide cash flow solutions and consulting when necessities of life funding is needed during litigation. Bello is a Justice Pac member of the American Association for Justice, Sustaining and Justice Pac member of the Michigan Association for Justice, Business Associate of the Florida, Tennessee, and Colorado Associations for Justice, a member of the American Bar Association, the State Bar of Michigan and the Injury Board.
