Keeping children safe from any kind of danger.
23
votes
9answers
1k views
Should I monitor my child's internet usage?
This question was inspired by this one: How do I monitor what my kids do on the computer? which was deemed off topic.
Hopefully this is more on topic as I'm not interested in the specifics of how to ...
22
votes
7answers
11k views
How worried should I be about head bumps as my infant learns to get around?
We have hardwood floors in the house, and have made a little "play area" out of foam interlocking "tiles" for our 9 MO to play on. Of course, he's not content to restrict his explorations to the ...
15
votes
9answers
4k views
How can I stop my toddler from playing with electrical outlets and plugs?
My 2.5-year-old son has this weird fascination with electrical outlets and power bars. I tried telling him that it's dangerous (he understand and can identify dangerous objects and situations, and ...
11
votes
7answers
13k views
How can I safely keep a pacifier in an infant's mouth?
Sometimes the only thing that will keep a 2 month old baby happy is a pacifier, but at that age, baby is too young to retrieve the pacifier after it falls out.
It helps to tuck the pacifier under ...
11
votes
6answers
417 views
Is it harmful to a child's social development to tell them “don't talk to strangers”?
Conventional parenting wisdom tells us to drive the fear of talking to strangers into our kids. Is this at all harmful though? Is there any adverse impact to a child's social development by doing ...
10
votes
6answers
985 views
What can I do to baby-proof my home entertainment system?
My home entertainment system is a mess - there are cables, remote controls, various units, multiple plugs, DVDs, Blu-Ray disks, corners, glass bits and other various components which make for a fun ...
10
votes
2answers
1k views
At what age can you leave the child in the bathtub?
Today when my daughter took a bath I wanted to go check on a thing, but of course couldn't since I was watching her. Of course it depends on the child, but in general at what age do you think you can ...
10
votes
2answers
5k views
How much noise does it take to negatively impact an infant's hearing?
In our apartment complex we have fire alarms that are outrageously loud. Last night, we woke at 4:30 am to the alarm going off all through the building. We got out as quickly as possible, but I'm ...
9
votes
4answers
7k views
How can I help my kids to sleep comfortably (and safely) on an overnight drive?
Asking this one anonymously, I don't want the police coming round to arrest me!
In a few weeks, we've got a long drive to go on vacation. Because our youngest is pretty unbearable on long car ...
9
votes
3answers
221 views
What are some good safety rules to have when you own a pool?
What are some fundamental rules that you should have when you own a house with a pool and have young children?
9
votes
1answer
169 views
When you don't think (grand)children are getting the care they need
My neigbor is now a grandmother of two little girls about whom she is very concerned.
Relevant backstory:
The grandmother/neighbor was an adict to multiple things while she raised the mother of the ...
9
votes
4answers
278 views
At what age or developmental milestones is it safe to leave children unattended?
I'm curious what kind of criteria others are using to decide when a child can be left at home unattended for a period of time.
I realize that the answer is going to depend on a few factors: The ...
8
votes
5answers
308 views
Kids Website, is it a good idea?
My daughter is just 4 months old. Being a software developer, I register two domains on her name, as soon as her name is finalized.
Now I was looking for some really eye catching kid website ...
8
votes
1answer
928 views
Are glass baby food jars safe to reuse?
I've been feeding my daughter store-bought baby food in glass jars, but I plan on starting to make her food myself. Is it safe to wash and re-use the jars I already have?
7
votes
6answers
400 views
How can firearms be secured from children?
How can firearms be secured from children, preferably without locking them away in a full size safe where they would be completely inaccessible in an emergency?
7
votes
4answers
487 views
What do you do when your parents are physically hurting you?
My girl friend called me scared for her life to day after her parent(s) strangled her. She is 19 years old and cannot support her self on her own. Im not sure what she can do or anything I can do to ...
7
votes
3answers
740 views
When are my kids old enough to mow the lawn?
I'm sure this largely has to do with personality (well behaved, cautious) as it does age, but what is an appropriate age for kids to start using a push lawn mower? Or a riding mower?
7
votes
2answers
555 views
At what age is it safe to have toys in a baby's crib?
I've heard many times that you shouldn't put toys (or pillows or blankets) in a baby's crib while they sleeps, to reduce the risk of accidental suffocation. But I don't remember ever hearing when it ...
7
votes
3answers
199 views
Lost child contact card ideas needed
We are going a field trip and we are taking our child with us, he is 5. I want to make a contact card for him, which stick on his back, in case (God forbid) he lost so anyone can contact us. Now the ...
7
votes
3answers
120 views
What are good ways to begin preparing a child for a new baby?
I have a 4 and a half month old, so this won't be applicable for a while, but I would like to raise my son with the idea that he won't be an only child forever. I want my children to have a good ...
6
votes
5answers
187 views
Is starting a small fire a good way to the explain dangers of flammability?
How can one teach a 5 year old that acetone, white spirit and other household solvents are not to be played with if he somehow manages to get a hold of them?
One idea is to go to the yard far enough ...
6
votes
4answers
193 views
How can I teach my child to be careful about carrying potentially dangerous objects?
My 13 month old, who is a new walker but fairly steady on his feet, loves pens and markers. I want to encourage his writing and exploring, but I am worried about him walking around with these objects. ...
6
votes
5answers
377 views
Should I use a child harness?
My wife and I are currently debating whether or not we should use a child harness (aka leash). It'd be great to take our son to the park and let him walk around on his own without having to chase him ...
6
votes
2answers
185 views
Should you secretly drill your children?
A lot of situations we teach our children about come up all the time. They get plenty of practice looking both ways before crossing the street, for example. However, there are some situations that ...
6
votes
1answer
97 views
Painting around baby?
I was going to do some indoor painting today and I was wondering if it is ok for me to throw my 1 year old daughter into her backpack while I do it. I would open all of the doors/windows in the room ...
6
votes
3answers
246 views
What home-safety aspects should new parents consider?
There are very many products available that claim to help make a home safer for baby.
I'd like a list, based on some kind of evidence, for which of these products are more important.
For example, in ...
6
votes
2answers
760 views
At what development stage is an infant ready for a ride in a bike trailer?
Our infant was born in October and is approaching 8 months old. We recently purchased a bike trailer for the purpose of taking family bike rides (we also have a 3 year old). We live in a part of the ...
5
votes
3answers
803 views
Why not let a toddler share a bedroom with a baby?
We have a 2 year old daughter and now we expect a baby in November. After the initial few months, when the newborn will be sleeping in our bedroom, we could put both children in one room together. ...
5
votes
7answers
341 views
How to react when a child is in a dangerous situation which requires immediate reaction?
As with all children my son (16 months old) frequently gets himself in dangerous situations
There is no problem with somewhat "static" situations, like trying to climb on a chair or slowly reaching ...
5
votes
3answers
184 views
How can I prevent my 9 month old from eating anything and everything?
Generally, babies, particularly newborns, have a tendency to eat or munch anything they get their hands on. This can be very hazardous or sometimes fatal if the matter is toxic.
Can someone give me ...
5
votes
2answers
129 views
When can I stop baby-proofing the house?
I see that my six-month-old is getting to be a dangerous guy and we're going to start baby-proofing. Eight-year-olds typically don't need baby-proofing, though, so there's a light at the end of this ...
5
votes
1answer
280 views
Is a car seat safe to use if the internal styrofoam is broken
I have a car seat that was loaned to a family member and returned with the internal styrofoam structure (under the fabric) broken on one side (see picture)
Is the seat safe to use or do I need to ...
5
votes
2answers
530 views
Are outlet covers needed with tamper resistant electrical receptacles?
When baby-proofing an electrical receptacle (aka, "outlet"), is it necessary to use covers:
When the electrical receptacle is "tamper resistant"?
5
votes
3answers
319 views
How can I mount a gate at the top post of my stairs?
I am having a very difficult time finding a proper gate that will fit securely at the top of my stairs.
I may have a unique situation with the wooden banister where the base of the post has trim work ...
5
votes
1answer
491 views
What should one look for in first firearms training for children?
I have heard of videos and courses that teach children about firearm safety and how to handle firearms, but have never watched or evaluated any. I've know that the US National Rifle Association (NRA) ...
5
votes
3answers
636 views
How do you childproof electrical cords?
I let my 6-month-old roll around on the living room floor. She almost always heads for a cord of some kind (laptop cord, xbox controller cord, etc.) I hide the power strip, so she doesn't have ...
5
votes
2answers
1k views
How do I deal with my baby pulling herself up in her crib?
My 6 month old daughter has started to pull herself up to a kneeling or standing position. It's like someone flipped a switch-- she went from not climbing on anything to climbing on everything, all ...
5
votes
1answer
218 views
Are “glow in the dark” bedsheet safe
We are planning to buy a "glow in the dark" blanket as our seven month old daughter finds it fascinating. However are there any health concerns with using "glow in dark" stuff. I understand they use ...
5
votes
2answers
125 views
What are the significant risks of taking children on a Caribbean cruise?
What would be the significant risks of taking children between the ages of one and seven on a 4 night cruise to Cozumel (an island off the coast of Mexico) if the children have never left the U.S.?
5
votes
2answers
273 views
What are things to consider when purchasing a baby backpack?
REI.com is currently running a sale on their selection of baby backpacks. I'm not looking for a product recommendation because ultimately that's like asking someone's favorite flavor of ice cream. ...
4
votes
3answers
525 views
Is it safe to travel by car without A/C when it's hot outside?
My in-laws want to take my kids soon on a day where the outside temp is supposed to be close to 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32°C); unfortunately, their car does not have Air Conditioning. We live in the ...
4
votes
3answers
2k views
What safety gate can I use at the top of my stairs?
I have two staircases in my home. On one side is a metal spindle that is square in shape, probably 1.5" on each edge. The other side is the wall (drywall).
I've been doing research online only for ...
4
votes
7answers
122 views
What are some good resources for finding quality information about carseats?
It is time for me to start thinking about transitioning my twin boys from their infant car seats to larger ones. I am trying to do research on the different brands of carseats, their safety ...
4
votes
3answers
121 views
Is it dangerous for a child to sleep with the head hanging?
I have never been worried about our 2yo sleeping half sitting with the head hanging. However today I met a person with really strong beliefs that it may cause neck injuries later in life.
Is there ...
4
votes
3answers
241 views
What type of tracking technology is practical for young children?
We've all had the fear of having our children kidnapped. What type of technology can I use to locate my child if they get lost or kidnapped? I'm not necessarily looking for a specific product, but ...
4
votes
1answer
171 views
Is there any point to booster car seats with anchors?
Our child is ready to switch from a five-point harness child car seat to a car booster seat, and we looked at a couple of models in a store. We saw one model that has clips on it to clip into the ...
4
votes
2answers
387 views
Can a school prevent a child from walking home?
Asking on behalf of a friend of mine. Here's the situation:
They live far enough away from the school to make it inconvenient, but not impractical, for her eight-year-old daughter to walk. Usually ...
3
votes
3answers
190 views
Are prenatal ultrasounds safe?
I recently expressed concern to my midwife about the use of prenatal ultrasounds. She scoffed at the idea that they could do harm and proceeded to use a Doppler device to monitor our baby's heart ...
3
votes
4answers
338 views
At what age can a child be left alone in a parked car?
I have heard that in some areas it is illegal to leave a child unattended in a car, even for an instant, and possibly even if you are within direct sight of the care. It seems that the laws for this ...
3
votes
2answers
141 views
What should we teach our children about violent attacks like the ones in Norway on 7/22/11?
Let me begin with all sympathies to the victims, survivors, and their families, and the people of Norway.
I am sad and angry and deeply feel the fact that I cannot protect my family from an ...
