Share your top safety tips for your family – carbon monoxide alarms and £300 voucher to be won NOW CLOSED

[JustineBMumsnet]

Whether you’re preparing for a new arrival or you’re just trying to keep up with your family’s needs, it may seem as though you’re constantly making lists of the things you’ll need to buy to keep your family safe – from the latest car or booster seats to bath thermometers or drawer locks. Co-Be Alarmed! would like to hear about the top safety tips you have for your home and family - whether they’re things you’ve bought or things that you do.

Here’s what they have to say: “Research from the national CO-Be Alarmed! campaign showed that while UK parents spend an average of £222 on safety features for their kids, a third of mums and dads do not have a carbon monoxide alarm in their home. Those with children under twelve months were found to be the least likely to have one.

Carbon monoxide is also known as ‘the silent killer’ because you can’t see, taste or smell it, which is why the only way to protect yourself and your family is to buy a CO alarm. Make sure you add one to your list: it’s one less thing to worry about and it could save your family’s life.”

So, share your top safety tips for your home and family to be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher for the store of their choice.

Additionally, if you also add your details here, you’ll be entered into a prize draw for one of 100 carbon monoxide alarms from Co-Be Alarmed!

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

I ALWAYs change my smoke alarm batteries on Christmas day, just before serving lunch, it is a great way to remind me to do it

I've tested fire escape routes for my DS (aged 3). It involved checking that we can access windows, jump to the ground, lower DS down safely. Hopefully I will never need to use it, but I like to think I have planned how to react in dangerous scenarios.

Our house is mid-renovation (and has been since before DS was born) so it's not an ideal environment; wires running across floors, solid concrete exposed where a fireplace had been, boxes and crap everywhere, etc. I think in a way it's helped us be really safety conscious in other ways because child-proofing the house isn't really feasible so it's had to come down to explaining and being 100% consistent about what is and isn't allowed and why.

Keep your kids rear facing for as long as possible.

We have a locked cupboard for cleaning products because I'm so short I keep them down low and the pickles love to have a nosey in cupboards. I'm petrified their curiosity would get the better of them with the zoflora!

We always take our carbon monoxide alarm on holiday with us, wherever we go.

Fire is my biggie - I make sure all chargers etc are turned off at night and no appliances left on.
However, it's tricky to balance out fire safety and house security- we have to keep windows locked, but all the keys are in easy reach.

make sure you fit smoke alarms at key points around the house - preferably the type that last for 10 years

One of the first things I did when we moved into the new house was put a lock on DD's bedroom window. It can now open slightly, but not so much that she can climb onto the extension roof!

We use safety gates at the top and bottom of our stairs for our little ones

We invested in an indoor security camera with an app so that it can alert you of movement when away from home. Also great for keeping an eye on the kids!

Buy only natural cleaning products to avoid poisoning by ingestion. They work just as well and are less toxic for everyone, especially little ones.
Smoke alarms in all bedrooms as well as the landing and downstairs and a carbon monoxide monitor near the boiler.

I didn't realise there were special pregnancy safe seatbelt attachments until recently! And now feel bad I went almost halfway through pg without one!! Glad I got one though, it makes sense and does feel safer and more comfortable.

Change your smoke alarms to heat alarms, ours are constantly going off with my wife's wonderful cooking! Where little hands can reach up to the worktops we have installed a magnetic knife block on the wall which is well out of reach.

Cliche as it may be, I always advocate a careful approach to things - rather than emotional or compulsive. Want to change a light bulb in the computer room? Don't use the computer chair because it's the only chair there. It can wait - as can most things. You can be efficient without causing an accident. Boring it may be, but it's based on making mistakes!

Don't put the washing powder or bleach under the sink.
Put everything dangerous or precious as high as possible.

Natural cleaning products such as soda crystals, borax and essential oils are still poisonous. Don't be fooled by greenwash.

Keep anything dangerous such as cleaning products in a cupboard that kids can't reach or a locked one. I have small locks on all cupboards that they can reach and have a "kids" cupboard with no lock which has plastic plates, bowls, cups etc :)

Spend a little money on a carbon monoxide detector and regularly check the batteries on your smoke alarm and test it. Simple things that take a few moments can save lives. Talk to children about why it's important to do these things in terms of keeping everyone safe.

When just learning to walk, I took DS on early morning walks along the canal. There often isn't space for walking next to each other so has to learn quite quickly how to go it alone. Obviously he was never out of reach or in danger, but it was a good way to teach sensible walking from a young age.

I have a progressive condition and can no longer walk very far. When I use a wheelchair my now 5 year old is very good at walking in front where I can see him, but always stops when I tell him to. He's conscious of the dangers around him when walking next to a road and I am confident that he will follow my instructions. This is obviously more important to me as I haven't ever been able to run after him if he legs it. I've never used reins as I didn't think he would learn the lesson I needed him to, and instead become wilfull and eager to just run away when it comes off.

A safe playpen is so useful for when I'm cooking or quickly answering the door etc and have not got eyes in the back of my head!

Baby proof the whole house...esp fire guards and keep radiators at a low temperature.

Store all household cleaners and other toxic products out of children's sight and reach! Small children can get anywhere if they want to!

Hi vis armbands in the winter - it's really dark early mornings and gets dark about 4ish depending on cloud cover.
When we're out and about when I shout stop they have to stand still - great for near roads.
No playing with fire and why it's not a good idea.
Door catches on cupboards, no trailing cables etc

Keep all household cleaners in top cupboards