Childproofing

September is Baby Safety Month, and with a few days left, it seems like a great time to talk about ways to keep our littlest sons, daughters, nieces, nephews and godchildren healthy and safe.

If you know a mom-to-be with a baby shower coming up, or if a new baby has recently arrived in your family or circle of friends, you may be thinking about what type of gift to get. There are tons of great options out there, as well as several items that you should avoid. Here’s a list of “don’ts” when it comes to shopping for a baby or toddler:

1. Unsafe Bedding

Soft, squishy and plush layette pieces are cute and snuggly looking, and seem like they’d be perfect in a new baby’s nursery. Unfortunately, these sweet-looking crib accessories can injure an infant. Putting pillows or plush quilts in a crib can lead to suffocation, and bumper pads can entangle a baby. A bare crib with just a snugly-fitted sheet is the safest sleeping situation for young babies.

2. Older Baby Items

While the crib or changing table that you see at a thrift may be adorable and a great deal besides, chances are good that it’s not up to current safety regulations. Cribs manufactured before 2011 may have drop sides, which can put babies at risk, and older changing tables might not have four sides, a safety precaution that newer changing tables are required to meet. You should also know that used car seats can be very dangerous: not only might they be expired, but previous accidents can cause invisible damage that puts the baby at risk.

3. Warm Mist Humidifiers

While a humidifier can be the answer to the stuffy noses and dry coughs of childhood respiratory illnesses, it needs to be the cool mist version for safety. Warm mist humidifiers can grow mold and bacteria, and they can also burn your baby once he starts toddling around the room.

4. Walkers

While you and I probably scooted around our homes in walkers when we weren’t quite ready to walk on our own yet, these have been deemed dangerous by the people who study injuries as they relate to baby items. They can tip over on uneven flooring and can also cause a baby to go careening down the basement stairs if someone accidentally leaves the door open. Better just avoid problems by buying a stationary bouncy-twirly seat instead.

Some of these precautions may seem strange to those who have children in elementary or middle school because safety standards change rapidly. Just remember that when we know better, we’re able to do better, so even if you used a drop-side crib with your kids (I did!), new moms probably don’t want to take a chance just because someone says “My kids had that and they were fine.”

Stick to the new baby safety rules when purchasing gifts for new babies; after all, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, POPSUGAR.

Making the decision to put your child in daycare is never easy, but knowing what to look for in a daycare can make a tough situation a little bit easier. Here’s a checklist of factors that Circle of Moms members recommend considering, and why.

1. Were you asked to make an appointment to tour the facility or did you feel encouraged to drop by any time?

Though an appointment might mean they wanted to have extra staff on hand for your tour, you want your child at a facility with an open-door policy. As mom Hanna P. mentions, dropping in at time when it’s usually just kids and staff there can help you “catch” if something out of the ordinary is going on.

2. Did someone check your ID when you came into the building? 

One of the questions on mom Sharon L.’s list is “Do you check ID of the person picking up my child if they are not on my approval list?” If you, an unknown person (potential client or not) were not asked to provide ID, it’s a sign that they may not be strict about asking for identification when someone else picks up your child.

3. Is the daycare’s license posted somewhere visible? 

Circle of Moms member Sam C. advises to “make sure that [daycare centers] have all the necessary licensing and accreditation requirements.” You can double check the requirements on your state’s Health and Human Services website. If the center doesn’t have their license available to be examined, don’t hesitate to ask.

4. What policies are in place regarding immunizations, sick children and accident/incident reports?

Member Chelsea R. mentioned her concern that her choice not to vaccinate her child might limit her choices in daycare providers. It’s a valid concern — most daycare centers require proof of immunization before enrollment in order to be compliant with licensing. Asking gives parents on both sides of the vaccination debate a better idea of the policy. While you’re at it, find out the daycare's policy on bringing in sick kids, and what happens in case of an accident or a child-to-child skirmish.

5. What are the staff’s credentials? 

Mom Kate C. suggests you ask “What are the teachers qualifications and how often do the head teachers change? “A high turnover rate can be detrimental to your child’s sense of security, so it's important to know if there's frequent change. In terms of qualifications, ask if staff is First Aid and CPR certified, confirm that employees undergo background checks and that there is at least one teacher per age group with a degree in Early Childhood Education or a comparable program.

6. How does staff interact with the kids?

Observe the staff to see if they talk to the children, listen to them and lead age-appropriate activities. You don’t want to see, as mom Lisa C. puts it, “staff just talking amongst themselves.” Like mom Robin M., you do want to make sure your provider gives your child one-on-one attention and affection.

7. What’s the adult to child ratio?

Several moms mention that a low staff to child ratio is important. The younger the children, the more staff there should be.

8. Is the physical environment safe?

If you have a mischievous child like member Hope L., whose son kept getting out of the classroom at his daycare, this is especially important. For starters, look around for gates, smoke alarms, outlet covers, cupboard locks and corner covers.

9. How clean is the place?

Mom Jenny B. summed this up in three words, “Clean, clean, clean!” Ask how often toys and surfaces are cleaned and with what solution. A diluted bleach solution or a green, non-toxic alternative are both good.

10. What are the hours?

You could find the best daycare in the world, but if they don’t work within the hours you need, you’re out of luck. Ask how flexible the hours are, whether they take part-time enrollment and what the holiday/vacation schedule looks like.

Above all, don't underestimate your intuition. If something seems “off” pay attention to that feeling. Your child needs to be happy, but you do, too.

Image Source: Dick Brown via Flickr/Creative Commons

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, POPSUGAR.

I have three girls, ages 5, 3 and 20 months, and all three of them share a love for creams and make-up. Right on cue at around eighteen months they begin foraging in the cupboards, and always end up with my most expensive face cream, or favorite mascara all over them.

Where am I you ask? Well, it's a fair question. As I spend most of time cleaning milk up off the floor and making snacks, chances are I'm in the kitchen. They're clearly in cahoots: they get me busy and then BOOM!, sneak upstairs and pillage through my make-up.

(Yes, I considered child-proofing the cupboards, but I find that stuff so incredibly annoying that I just wound up breaking it off. Currently I'm using elastic bands to thwart their efforts.)

My five-year-old will at least ask me now if she can use some of "Mommy's stuff." As for the other two, I've been hoping to find a toy they will be interested in. I'm currently trying to get them hooked on television.

I've attached some photos. My daughter Stella went for it at Easter with my mom's Lancome mascara. (Thanks for that. I love replacing other people's expensive stuff.) The girl in white? That's Penaten Cream — a nightmare to get out.

I will say this: If you're ever looking to waterproof yourself, Penaten is perfect.

Image Source: Me & Meg images.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, POPSUGAR.

As an unloading area for shoes, coats, backpacks, toys, and mail, it's no surprise that our homes' entryways are constantly cluttered. So how to get the problem area under control?  Moms who have mastered the mess, like Brenna Burke of the blog Almost All the Truth, say it's all about having a constistent organizing plan: "It helps tremendously for the kids to know exactly where to put (and find again) their things when coming home."

To help you come up with a plan, we've rounded up five simple entryway storage ideas that moms say really work with kids.

1. Hooks

"Installing a row of hooks near my entry was by the far the best thing that I ever did to keep coats and bags off of the floor, (and it gives the stuff in my tiny entryway closet some room to breathe)." -AlexisAnne of Clean, Smart, Simple Style

2. Bins and Baskets

“Bins! They can be cute baskets or practical plastic, but I find bins are the best way to contain clutter. One for shoes, one for bags, one for books, etc. – Carina Schoen of A Punk, a Pumpkin and a Peanut

“I have an old, small dresser in the entryway of our house. I placed large baskets for shoes on the sides of the dressers, and then small bowls on the top for keys, mail, etc. This way, even if it is a bunch of clutter coming in, it looks neat and clean until we get a chance to take care of the mail, etc.” -Jacinda of Homemaker Hand Guide

3. Lockers

“We built lockers to store the clutter for my four boys. Kind of like Pottery Barn's wooden, open-shelf lockers, but not as expensive. We have a hook for their coats, a shelf for them to sit on, and underneath, a tray for the boys to keep their shoes.” –Anna Hackman of Green Talk

4. Hanging Organzers

“For this and thats we have a bulletin board set with mail slots and key rings near the kitchen.” -Pam of Momma Can

5. Minimize Flat Surfaces

“Don't fall for the allure of pretty flat surfaces!!! I've completely eliminated a cute piece that did nothing but catch clutter and stress me out. It was difficult, but worth it!” –Nony of A Slob Comes Clean

"Instead of one flat surface for shoes, vertical shelving up the wall. Wet shoes and boots on the bottom and rotate them up when they dry." Kristin Lindstrom of The Imperfect Home