Parenting Magazine
By Megan Padilla
We’re in the ho-ho-home stretch, so don’t let holiday distractions get in the way of a safe end to 2010. Keep these yuletide tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics in mind.
- If a trip to the tree lot is your official holiday kickoff, then ask for the freshest tree possible, which poses the least fire hazard. Look for needles that are green, supple and don’t easily fall off the branch.
- Test every light strand. Frayed wires, broken sockets or loose connections can cause electrocution and are considered fire hazards.
- We hate to be a buzzkill about blown-glass snowflakes and beaded garlands, but consider this a friendly reminder about sharp, breakable objects as well as choking hazards.
- Keep hot pots on the back burners, away from little hands. Thaw frozen meat and poultry in the refrigerator, not on the counters, to avoid leaving bacteria on surfaces within a toddler’s reach.