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Holiday Safety for Your Family
The holiday season can bring both laughter and happiness to your family. It can also be a time of stress, anger, and worry. Keeping children safe during the holidays can bring major stress to families. There is often so much to do, and not enough eyes to watch little ones. We hope the following tips and information helps keep you and your family safe during the holidays, and keeps stress far, far away.
Holiday Tips for Keeping Children Safe in the Home:
- Don't leave plastic bags around for children to find.
- Secure all electric wires and place them out of sight.
- Secure your Christmas tree and be sure you explain to your children not to touch the ornaments. Keep an eye on your children at all times as well.
- When using a table cloth underneath served food, be sure children do not tug or pull on it. We don't want plates and bowls of food tumbling down on them!
- Explain to children that the stove is not a place for them to be touching. Burned hands do not make for holiday fun! If you can, install a protector shield for your stove, so little hands cannot reach the knobs or touch the burners.
- Keep an eye out for any negative interaction between children and pets. During the holidays things can get a little hectic, and pets can feel anxious. Pets that normally do not bite, may nip at children's fingers.
- If you haven't already, be sure to cover all exposed electrical outlets.
- Be sure to lock outer doors (install a high lock or chain) so children cannot leave without you knowing.
- Before children eat any meat, chicken or egg product, make sure everything is cooked thoroughly. To prevent any illnesses, make sure children know that there will be no tasting before the food is done.
- When baking cookies with your children, put aside the sharp utensils and metal cookie cut-outs -- plastic shapes and rolling pins are perfect for little hands.
Holiday Tips While Outside the Home & While Traveling:
- Snow & rain-covered sidewalks can be slippery. Prepare your children with knowledge before venturing outdoors, and be sure they wear shoes or boots appropriate for the weather.
- Watch for broken glass ornaments and hidden electrical wires in the grass.
- Drivers may have less patience during the holiday season -- so many things to do and never enough time. Educate your children about being out in the street and when crossing sidewalks, so there will be no questions about hand-holding when you reach the crosswalk.
- If you'll be traveling by car, it's a good idea for your child to take something to occupy themselves -- whether it be a toy, activity, book, etc. Cranky kids in the car mixed with the holiday rush, make for a dangerous situation.
- Stores can be especially crowded during the holidays. Be sure to keep children by your side at all times. Explain to children what to do if they happen to get separated from you, so they'll know exactly what to do. Point out store employees in each store you arrive at (including their uniforms), and tell children if they get separated from you in that store, that they should NEVER leave that store. They should look for a store employee.
- Explain to children that their house rules apply in other people's homes as well as their own.
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More holiday articles on MyParenTime.com:
How to Decorate the Perfect Christmas Tree
5 Tips to Avoid a Holiday Meltdown
3 Effective Ways to Reduce Stress & Depressed Mood During the Holidays
Make Your Holidays Safer
Toy Safety for Holiday Fun
How to Keep Children Safer While Shopping & Traveling During the Holidays
Quick & Dirty Holiday Decorating for Busy Parents
Keep Children Safe From Foodborne Illness During The Holidays
Helpful checklists:
Holiday Gift List Checklist
Holiday Decoration Safety Checklist
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