How can you make your home more Kid-friendly

It could be a tiny one-bedroom house or a massive mansion. No matter the size or the form, a home is what you make it. Its defining features are the comfort, privacy, and safety it provides. It’s even more important for households with children. Because kids can get into all sorts of trouble in a blink of an eye, it’s crucial to have a child-safe house. Here’s how you can make your home safer for kids:

Get Insured

If you have a mortgage, HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE is typically required by the bank or company. But if you don’t, you should get one anyway. While insurance may not prevent floods or hurricanes, it does protect your finances.

Raising a child is not only challenging, but it is also expensive. In fact, the DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE says middle-income parents spend almost $13,000 a year per child. The total number adds up to $233,610 when calculated until the kid turns 17. This figure excludes the cost of sending a kid to college. Insurance that covers your house and your belongings can be of great financial help. Damage to properties and possessions can cost thousands and thousands of dollars. If you have good insurance, it should cover the damage caused by hurricanes, fires and more.

When shopping for insurance, make sure the provider is licensed. You can verify if their license is active by looking it up on your STATE GOVERNMENT’S WEBSITE. Before you sign a contract, make sure you completely understand its coverage. For example, even if you have flood insurance on top of your homeowners’ one, it won’t cover all types of WATER DAMAGE.

Install a Pool Cover

If you live in a state blessed with great weather, having a pool is one of its best benefits. You can just go to your backyard and have fun under the sun. But like all things, it also has its downsides. It can be costly to maintain and it can also be dangerous, especially for kids. No matter how alert you are, you’re bound to take your eyes off your child some time. During that brief time, they can accidentally fall into the pool. This is especially worrisome if they don’t know how to swim yet. Even if you’ve emptied the pool, it can still be dangerous, particularly for kids and small pets. You can resolve that problem by installing a pool cover.

Pool covers come in different forms. They can be solid, mesh, or even automatic. To child-proof your pool when it’s not in use, it’s best to avoid mesh covers. They’re only designed to filter leaves and other debris out. On the other hand, automatic and solid covers are made up of sturdier fabrics. Depending on the material, it should withstand thousands of pounds of pressure. If you have the budget, you should get an automatic cover. You can secure your pool in under a minute with a push of a button. Meanwhile, it takes at least two people to install solid covers, but they also cost much less.

Make Your Home Smarter

When you think of smart devices, virtual assistants and speakers are probably what comes to mind. But smart homes aren’t just for convenience, they can help improve the house’s safety well.

For babies and small toddlers, you can get a video baby monitor. Depending on the model, it can also play audio and sync with your phone via Wi-Fi. Even if you’re away from home, you can keep track of your kids and your babysitter.

For slightly older kids, you can child-proof your house using smart locks. There are plenty of models on the market that can be controlled using a smartphone. Even if you’ve forgotten to lock the door, you can do it from anywhere as long as you have internet access. You can make sure your kid doesn’t go out of the yard or the front door when you’re not looking.

Even if you’ve locked a cabinet, there are times that kids break into it. You can install sensors on cabinet doors and drawer fronts that can alert you when it’s been opened. This is ideal for storage where you keep important files or toxic chemicals.

Baby-proofing isn’t only for cribs or bedrooms. It’s important to consider the entire home for the kids’ safety as well. Children can get into a lot of trouble in a short amount of time. It’s especially crucial if you’re also working. Thanks to technology, you can secure your house even if you’re not at home.