parenting a child
Savvy Parenting

3 Essential Items to Keep at Home When You Have a Child

When you live with a child of any age, there are certain safety considerations you will always have to keep in mind. As a parent, you must be prepared to be one hundred percent responsible for your child’s safety at home. Child-proofing your house is one way to do this and involves removing or reducing potential hazards. Another way to keep your children safe is to always have certain items at home, including: 

*A first aid kit

*A fire extinguisher

*A carbon monoxide detector

Read on to learn more about why each of these three items is essential to have at home when you have a child. These are also useful to have even if you do not have children, as they help to keep everybody safe. 

A First Aid Kit

Keeping first aid kits around the home is essential when you have a child. You will want to either purchase ready-made first aid kits or create your own with various items. There are some medical supplies that you should always have when you are a parent, such as a thermometer, band-aids, and basic medications. 

Whenever you use an item from your first aid kit, you should add it to the list for your next trip to the grocery store or are shopping online. This will help you to keep your kit stocked up and to therefore avoid not having something to hand when you need it. 

A Fire Extinguisher

If you are fortunate, then you will never have to use a fire extinguisher in your home, but it is an item that absolutely every house should be equipped with. 

Fires can start for any number of reasons. If a fire breaks out while you are home alone, then it will be easier to deal with than when you are at home with your child. This is because you have only your own safety to worry about and will not have to consider your child’s needs.

Having one or more fire extinguishers around the house will help you to deal with a fire when your child is in the house. Make sure you know how to operate your fire extinguisher before the need to use it arises.

You will also want to always make sure that your fire extinguisher is in working order. It is good practice to replace each one every ten years.

A Carbon Monoxide Detector

Carbon monoxide is a deadly gas that has no smell, no color, and no taste. It is, therefore, impossible to know that it is there unless you have an alarm. 

Installing a carbon monoxide detector in your home is an easy way to keep your family safe. These devices alert you to the dangerous presence of carbon monoxide in your home so that you can exit the house to get some fresh air immediately.

You should consider putting a carbon monoxide detector in every single room in your house. If you do not want to do this, then you should at least have one in each of the bedrooms. It is also wise to have one in the living space that you and your family spend the most time in.