Trying to protect your kids from harm can seem like a constant battle. Fortunately most of the accidents that happen to kids at home are not serious and many can be averted completely. Creating a safe home for your kids is possible, but only up to a certain degree. Kids are going to have accidents, despite your greatest attempts to avoid them. We’ve listed a few of the more common ones below.

1. Falling down stairs – If your home has no stairs, this is one less thing you have to worry about. If you do have stairs then you will need to keep an eye on your kids. It goes without saying that the smaller the kids are the more you need to secure the stairs so they won’t be climbing up or down without adult supervision. As they get older, you will need to make sure that the stairs are kept clear. Many accidents occur because someone left a toy or other item on the stairs.
2. Slipping in the tub – Soapy water can be a dangerous thing where kids are concerned. When kids stand up in the tub, there is always the chance that they could slip and fall. Adding a bath mat or non-slip decals to the bottom of the tub will make bath time a lot safer.
3. Choking on food – Unfortunately, many parents still haven’t learned that you shouldn’t give small children hot dogs or grapes unless they are cut in small pieces. The same goes for other food as well. It doesn’t take a large piece of food to get caught in a little windpipe. Keep that in mind when cutting up your child’s food into bite size pieces.
4. Falling out of trees – The adventurous child may have a penchant for climbing trees, especially those near the house that may have a view of a second story window. There are many family stories about the time little Jimmy broke his arm because he climbed up the tree to wave to someone in the bedroom and fell out of the tree.
5. Slipping on polished floors – Many homes are now sporting beautiful wooden floors. Keeping those floors polished and looking gorgeous can also make them very slippery. Make sure your kids wear slippers or socks with gripper bottoms so they don’t wipe out when taking a cruise down the hall.
6. Tripping over toys – Many times it’s the adult that trips over the toys, but kids fall too. Of course the remedy is to make sure the kids clean up after play time and put all the toys away; at the very least, get them out of traffic areas.
7. Falling out of the high chair – Leaving toddlers unattended in their high chairs can lead to a serious accident if the child falls out or tips the chair over. Some very active kids learn to rock their high chairs and this can ultimately lead to a nasty fall. The solution is to never leave your kid unattended when their sitting in the high chair.
8. Falling off the roof – As kids get older they like trying new things, like seeing what’s on the roof. Roofs are also accessed when they go up after a ball or some other object that got tossed up there. What ever the reason, make sure your kids know not to go up on the roof unless there is an adult supervising.
9. Accident in the pants – These accidents occur often for toddlers, and fortunately, other than some inconvenience and perhaps a little embarrassment on the part of your child, there are no injuries involved. Just be aware that for some kids who are really working on potty training, an accident like this can actually seem like the end of the world. Sympathy and compassion on your part will do a lot to heal the wounded ego.
10. Breaking something of value – Always an accident and usually due to horsing around or just not paying attention, this situation calls for patience and restraint on your part. Your child is already going to feel terrible about breaking the object, and how you handle the situation will make a big difference in your child’s life and self esteem.

Kids are going to fall down, scrape knees and elbows and some will break bones. All of those things will most likely heal nicely. A child’s self esteem and ego are a little more fragile, so you will want to be careful not to shame your child or place unnecessary blame on them for their accidents. Making your home safe is not just about the physical things you need to do, it also includes the psychological and emotional environment that makes a child feel safe. 

Sonja Bogart http://www.aupairs.org/blog