We know how challenging it can be to toddler-proof your home, especially during the festive period when Christmas decorations and trees are up in full display.
That’s why we wanted to find out what are the most stressful aspects of Christmas when it comes to safety to help make the process a little less stressful. So, we decided to survey 1,000 UK parents asking them just that.
The results are in……..
51% admitted to finding this time of year the most stressful when it came to safety and even found it more challenging in comparison to other festive activities.
Looking at what areas were most stressful, 30% of the respondents found ensuring their little one’s don’t pick up and choke on festive decorations was the most challenWhile toddler-proofing the house (28%) and securing the Christmas tree and decorations (18%) came in a close second and third.
It’s no surprise that 32% of parents would then purchase an additional safety gate just for Christmas to help ease the stress of safety during this time.
Despite this, when it comes to looking at what areas in the house are most likely to have gate, 76% of UK parents don’t currently have safety gates for their living room.
This may come as a surprise as ROSPA recently revealed most accidents happen in the lounge/living room than anywhere else in the home.*
However, when it came to stair gates, many parents expressed the same frustrations.
Over half (54%) found the installation part the most stressful, while 16% found getting the right measurements another frustration.
However, what is interesting is 34% make sure the gate has good reviews on trusted news sites before purchasing.
To help make child-proofing a little easier, we partnered with early-years expert Sophie Pickles, who has provided her simple tips and tricks that parents can use to make safety a little less stressful this Christmas:
- Invest in a good-quality safety gate
It’s really important to ensure you invest in a good quality safety gate. The Lindam Easy Fit Deluxe Safety Gate from Munchkinis incredibly cost-effective and lasts for years.
Make sure to do your research and read the reviews before purchasing a gate as they are a long-term investment. Once purchased you can have peace of mind that difficult/dangerous areas in the house are protected for your little one.
- Try alternative decorations
Try and use foam or plastic Christmas baubles at the base of your tree to avoid breakages (you can still put the more fragile decorations closer to the top). You can also use wire bauble hangers or floral wire to attach your baubles to the tree. Thread the wire through the loop at the top of the bauble and then twist or bend to secure it. Attach the other end to your tree branch, wrapping the wire around the branch rather than just looping it over. While this is a little more time-consuming, it works really well at preventing your baby or toddler from pulling the decorations off the tree.
- Consider extra precautions
Christmas can be an incredibly stressful time, so it’s not a surprise that the Munchkin survey revealed parents are more worried about safety during this time compared to any other time in the year. For peace of mind, consider investing in another baby gate for your living room or the room where you’re most likely to place your decorations. If a gate is not possible, try fencing your tree off with a playpen. This will really help prevent your baby or toddler from touching the tree or being able to grab anything hazardous (it can also help if you have an eager dog).
- Make their own tree
If you have a child who is fascinated by taking decorations off the tree, invest in your own felt version (or make one!) Flat felt trees have become all the rage over the past few years as they let children safely explore and play with tree decorations. Your child will love pulling the decorations off and sticking them back on again, without doing any harm to the real tree!
To find video tutorials and more information on gate installation, please visit the Munchkin page here.
Survey of 1,000 UK parents by OnePoll.
*https://www.rospa.com/policy/home-safety/advice/general/facts-and-figures