There are lots of potential danger in the house that can attract a toddler’s attention
theSun, Tue, 24 Nov 2009
Our young ones are always curious and love exploring. Besides poking their little fingers into their eyes, nose and mouth, they also make a beeline for buttons, knobs, holes, cracks, and tug at strings, wires, and handles. Colourful objects and things that move or make a noise also attract their curiosity.
Once you have a crawling toddler around the house, you need to keep him safe by childproofing your home. To be sure you leave no stone unturned, take a ‘baby’s-eye view’ around your home. Get down on all fours, crawl around and see what your baby sees as he makes his way around the house.
Here is a simple, but non-exhaustive, checklist to help you childproof your home:
» Do not place breakable items such as vases, decorative pieces or glass picture frames within his reach. It is best to keep them in storage for the time being.
» Secure doorknobs of rooms, bathrooms, kitchen cabinets and wardrobes with doorknob covers or safety latches. This will keep dangerous items such as poisonous household cleaning products, medicines or drugs, and sharp objects like knives and other tools from their reach.
» Install safety gates at the top and bottom of the staircase. It is best to use those that can be anchored to the wall or banister, instead of those that use pressure which may topple or dislodge if the child puts his weight against it.
» Secure all hard edges and sharp corners with protectors to prevent injury in the event your child bumps into them.
» Keep dangling cords for curtains, blinds and electrical appliances out of his reach. Also, hang mobiles or dangling toys out of his reach and remove them once he can sit or stand up.
» Babies pull up on furniture after they start crawling. And when they learn to climb, you need to watch out. Anchor shelving units, cabinets, television sets and bookcases with braces or brackets to the wall or floor to prevent them from tipping over. Place furniture away from windows and ensure that glass doors and windows are made of strong, tempered glass. Put heavier items on bottom shelves and drawers to make furniture less top-heavy.
» Place pots and pans on the inner burners of the stove, and turn the handles away from his reach. Install smoke detectors around the house and ensure they are in working condition. Keep a fire extinguisher in the house and have emergency telephone numbers handy.
» Keep unused pails empty or overturned. If you are soaking anything, make sure the pails are out of your child’s reach. Children are top heavy and can drown in just an inch of water. Secure toilet lids and bathroom doorknobs to prevent him from entering the bathroom. Install a fence around your swimming pool. Drain out your wading pool and store it upright if not in use.
» Keep your floors clean. Wipe up spills immediately. Check under the carpets or furniture for food crumbs or small items that your child could pick up and put into his mouth. They are not only dirty but could be choking hazards too.
Most importantly, watch your child all the time. Even if you have childproofed your home, it takes only an instant for him to fall, crawl or run over to a dangerous place or put something into his mouth.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Coping with jetlag in both young and old
theSun, Tue, 10 Nov 2009
IN my previous article, I gave some pointers on how to make long-haul flights with young children in tow less stressful. Here are some tips on how to cope with children suffering from jetlag.
After having survived the last 15 hours cooped up in a pressurised cabin with your child, brace yourself to face the next hurdle – jetlag. If you have travelled long haul to a place where the time difference is significant, you and your child will most likely suffer jetlag.
On long flights, you tend to get dehydrated and insufficient sleep while your body clock goes haywire. Your child gets irritable, throws tantrums and loses his appetite. So can you. It is best to be prepared for these.
If possible, get non-stop flights, or schedule your flight to coincide with your child’s sleeping time. Bring along your baby carrier or car seat to strap him into it so that you do not have to keep him on your lap or in your arms throughout the flight. This enables you to rest comfortably too.
Get started in following the local time as soon as you can. Set your watch to the local time of your destination while you are on the plane.
Be sure to keep yourself hydrated by drinking enough non-alcoholic and non-caffeinated drinks. Give your child enough fluids in the form of water, diluted juice, fruits or vegetables.
Wear comfortable clothes and shoes, do some light exercises or take short walks in the plane to get your blood circulating.
Upon arrival, get to work immediately on eating, sleeping and waking according to the local time. Opt for healthy food at mealtimes.
Exposure to sunlight helps your body naturally adjust your body clock. Try to be outdoors during daylight as much as possible. Find the nearest park and have some physical activities and stay outdoors until dinnertime if you can.
Try to get your child to nap when it is naptime according to the local clock. However, if your child is sleepy, allow him to nap but not for too long.
When it is bedtime, keep the room dark and keep the bedtime ritual and ambience similar to the one at home.
Try to nap or rest when they nap, and sleep when they sleep. This will give you the energy to attend to their needs, especially in the middle of the night. Form a tag team with your partner or other adults travelling with you so that you can take turns to get rest.
When your child wakes up at night, keep him occupied with simple, less stimulating activities. You could give him some light snacks or milk if he is hungry and make him go back to sleep as soon as possible.
He could wake in the middle of the night for the next few nights while his body is still adjusting to the local time.
While these few practical tips may help you and your child reset your body clock, it is also good to remind yourself to take things in your stride.
Do not fret too much when your child refuses to sleep or when he throws a tantrum because he is really tired. Impatience and frustration will add to the stress and make it all the more difficult to enjoy your holiday.
IN my previous article, I gave some pointers on how to make long-haul flights with young children in tow less stressful. Here are some tips on how to cope with children suffering from jetlag.
After having survived the last 15 hours cooped up in a pressurised cabin with your child, brace yourself to face the next hurdle – jetlag. If you have travelled long haul to a place where the time difference is significant, you and your child will most likely suffer jetlag.
On long flights, you tend to get dehydrated and insufficient sleep while your body clock goes haywire. Your child gets irritable, throws tantrums and loses his appetite. So can you. It is best to be prepared for these.
If possible, get non-stop flights, or schedule your flight to coincide with your child’s sleeping time. Bring along your baby carrier or car seat to strap him into it so that you do not have to keep him on your lap or in your arms throughout the flight. This enables you to rest comfortably too.
Get started in following the local time as soon as you can. Set your watch to the local time of your destination while you are on the plane.
Be sure to keep yourself hydrated by drinking enough non-alcoholic and non-caffeinated drinks. Give your child enough fluids in the form of water, diluted juice, fruits or vegetables.
Wear comfortable clothes and shoes, do some light exercises or take short walks in the plane to get your blood circulating.
Upon arrival, get to work immediately on eating, sleeping and waking according to the local time. Opt for healthy food at mealtimes.
Exposure to sunlight helps your body naturally adjust your body clock. Try to be outdoors during daylight as much as possible. Find the nearest park and have some physical activities and stay outdoors until dinnertime if you can.
Try to get your child to nap when it is naptime according to the local clock. However, if your child is sleepy, allow him to nap but not for too long.
When it is bedtime, keep the room dark and keep the bedtime ritual and ambience similar to the one at home.
Try to nap or rest when they nap, and sleep when they sleep. This will give you the energy to attend to their needs, especially in the middle of the night. Form a tag team with your partner or other adults travelling with you so that you can take turns to get rest.
When your child wakes up at night, keep him occupied with simple, less stimulating activities. You could give him some light snacks or milk if he is hungry and make him go back to sleep as soon as possible.
He could wake in the middle of the night for the next few nights while his body is still adjusting to the local time.
While these few practical tips may help you and your child reset your body clock, it is also good to remind yourself to take things in your stride.
Do not fret too much when your child refuses to sleep or when he throws a tantrum because he is really tired. Impatience and frustration will add to the stress and make it all the more difficult to enjoy your holiday.
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