For over a year now, we have all endured COVID-19 and adapted to the changes it brought about. We saw how the government and world leaders acted with urgency as they tried their best to deal with the situation, given the limited knowledge we have about the disease. We witnessed how businesses and institutions were forced to make drastic changes with their operations. Our homes aren’t left untouched by the deadly virus as we all took the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of our family members, especially our kids.
At the onset of the pandemic, COVID-19 predominantly affected immuno-compromised people, but it started to hit us left and right as we found our social media newsfeed filled with news and updates about COVID-19. Sometimes it hits a little too close to home when we find out someone we know has been infected by the virus.
Making Your Home Safe for Your Kids During COVID-19
When it comes to a child’s safety, parents are willing to do anything humanly possible to shelter them from harm and keep them safe at all times. However, no matter how hard parents try, they cannot always be around their kids to ensure their safety and protection. There are just certain things beyond a parent’s control that endanger children wherever they are, even at home.
1. Think like a kid
Kids and adults behave and act very differently. Grown-ups cannot—and should not—expect kids to be well-behaved every time, no matter how many times you talk to them. Kids will be kids. That’s their nature. They will explore and experiment. While their curiosity about things can unlock their potential, they can also get them in trouble from time to time, just like we all did when we were their age.
It’s good to look back on our misadventures when we were younger. The lessons we learned then will give us a better idea of preventing accidents and mishaps from taking place in our homes and endangering our children.
2. Childproof your home
During the first year of COVID-19’s onslaught, many people have taken to home improvement for different reasons. Some did it to keep themselves busy and still be productive at home. Others did it to make their homes more pleasant and comfortable to stay in during the lockdown season.
While many parents are taking on painting, roofing, or concrete repair projects, they have also made certain changes about the house, especially those with babies, toddlers, and younger kids. It’s simply hard to contain a young child’s energy, especially when they’re holed up at home with no place to go. Accidents are very likely to happen. So childproofing a house or reinforcing one that’s already been childproofed for energetic kids is one of the best ways to keep them physically safe during COVID-19.
3. Keep your home clean, organized, and disinfected at all times
A messy and disorganized home is a disaster waiting to happen. Clutter and mess are among the top reasons for trips and falls in a house, which is the leading cause of child injuries. Maintaining a clean and organized home reduces the likelihood of kids ending up with cuts, bruises, wounds, and concussions.
On top of cleaning and organizing the house, disinfecting it is equally important, especially during this time. Remind children to wash and sanitize their hands frequently. It is also helpful if parents disinfect the house regularly to keep germs, bacteria, and even the coronavirus at bay.
4. Stay at home
We understand how hard it is to deal with cabin fever. However, if we really want to avoid the virus at all costs, it is best to stay put as much as possible. It has been found that a huge number of employees—a big chunk of that are parents—are seriously considering looking for other jobs that give them greater flexibility once their companies start calling them back to the office. Their primary concern is their family’s health and safety. Companies and businesses are doing all they can at this point to allow employees to work remotely for their own safety.
If you’re one of those fortunate enough to have great flexibility at work and you have no place to go, we highly recommend just staying at home. This significantly reduces the risk of contracting the virus and passing it on to your children.
5. Get vaccinated
Lastly, regardless of how you feel about vaccines, it has been scientifically proven to lower the severity of diseases. Whether it’s a regular flu shot or a COVID-19 vaccine, it helps protect your body from falling extremely ill upon contracting any virus. Many people have already been protected—not just physically but also financially—by vaccines by keeping them away from hospitalization and the bills that go with it.
We understand the apprehension that goes with vaccines, especially the ones for COVID-19. We encourage you to ask the right people and turn to the right resources for verification. We are surrounded by plenty of self-proclaimed experts and fake news that we need to be more discerning with who we listen to and what we read. Perform your due diligence so that you can make the best decision for yourself and your family.
Protecting your family, especially your kids, is the top priority at this time. Take the necessary steps now to ensure your family’s health and safety.