Keep Household Safe. Remember, Safety First!

How to Create a Safe Family Home

Your home should be a safe environment where you and your family can relax, unwind, and spend quality time together. Unfortunately, break-ins and accidents in the house do occur, which can leave families feeling anxious or unsafe. However, there are many simple things you can do to improve the security of your home. Here are some top tips to help you create a safe living environment for you and your family. 

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Advancements in technology mean that there are plenty of ways to upgrade your home security. For instance, there is now the option to wireless home alarm systems that offer automated updates, enhanced security, smart home integration, and Wi-Fi communication options that can deliver updates directly to your mobile phone or another device. Many studies have found that a home alarm system is one of the most effective deterrents to burglars and other criminals. Upgrading your home security system is, therefore, an excellent way to improve your security and create a safer family home. You can make your home even more secure by installing security cameras on your property. Security cameras have been shown to be another effective way to deter criminals from targeting your home, thus reducing your chances of having a break-in. Home security cameras also now come with several high-tech safety features, including night vision and motion detection.

Have work completed by professionals  

When your home requires repairs or work to be carried out, it is always best to hire professionals who have received enough training to do a safe and quality job. Doing things like installations and repairs yourself may save money, but you risk causing more damage or leaving your home in an unsafe condition during and after you have carried out the work. It is therefore always worth seeking the advice and skills of a trained professional, especially with risky or complex home jobs. Fortunately, you can easily find local professionals to complete tasks, such as expert washer and dryer installation by checking comparison websites online. These sites also give you the opportunity to find the best rates and read reviews from other customers. 

Install outdoor lighting 

Outdoor lighting is another effective burglar deterrent that will help you and your family feel safe when returning home after dark. Having sufficient lighting outside with also minimize the risk of people tripping or having other accidents when passing through poorly-lit outdoor spaces at night. You can also install motion detector lights in your front and back yard to make your home more secure. These will notify you if anyone enters your yard and will help deter criminals from targeting your home. 

Teach children how to stay safe 

It is crucial that you teach your children how to stay safe at home, and you should also test whether they understand the importance of this advice. According to childhood101.com - “Regularly role-playing different scenarios is one of the most effective ways to ensure that your child will act safely should the unexpected actually happen.” 

Here are some of the critical things you should teach your children to help them remain safe at home: 

• Explain to your children that they should never answer the door to strangers. 
• Make sure that your children know their full address, home telephone number, and parents names. 
• Teach your children when and how to get help in an emergency - make sure they know how to call emergency services in your area. 

Check your front door 

Your front door is the main entrance and exit of your home, so it is extremely important. Burglars often target the front door and use this to access a property. For that reason, you should regularly check your front door for any weaknesses and ensure that it is secure at all times. You can easily enhance the security of your front door by installing a deadbolt strike plate. Or, you can improve any weak spots by using a doorway reinforcement kit.

Keep items stored away 

Having toys and other items left out around the house can cause accidents like trips and falls. Keeping your house clean and clutter-free will help reduce the likelihood of accidents and injuries occurring. What’s more, having expensive items visible through windows or left in the yard, could attract burglars and encourage criminals to target your home. You should, therefore, encourage your children to put their toys away when they are finished with them. Make sure that you also keep any valuable items out of sight and locked away where possible. 

Creating a safe family home is crucial, which is why keeping the tips above in mind is key. By creating a haven to relax and rest in, you can sleep easy at night, knowing no harm will come to your family. 

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Kitchen Safety Tips for Kids

How to Keep the Kitchen a Safe Place 

Thinking of doing a kitchen remodel? As parents, we need to remember to always put safety first. This is especially true when you have toddlers. Little ones often get into mischief, and you want to know that they’re out of harm's way. To toddlers and preschoolers, the kitchen is a magical place. When they wander into the kitchen, they also wander into an area that has several safety hazards. So, how do you keep the kitchen a safe place for your kids?

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Make your kitchen kid-friendly by paying attention to the small details. Ensure things like
fires, injuries from sharp objects, and slip and falls are avoided whenever possible. Below are some ways that you can help you  learn how to keep the kitchen a safe place for toddlers and adults alike!

Kitchen Safety Tips 

Invest in Good Lighting 

As simple as it may sound, having good lighting is a great way to make your kitchen safe for kids. When you have good kitchen lighting, you can see what you’re doing and reduce the risk of accidents. The fun thing about choosing lighting for your kitchen is that there are so many different types to choose. Good kitchen lighting should complement your interior design as well, as, give you enough light to use your space in all the ways that you want. We use our kitchen as our homeschool room, so lighting is a key factor. To modernize your kitchen for better safety, under cabinet lights often serve double duty as spotlight lighting for preparing food on the worktops, and as softer lighting in the evening when the main lighting is switched off. 

Keep a Fire Extinguisher Nearby 

Fires are a common occurrence, and because there are so many hazards in the kitchen, everyone should have a fire extinguisher in their kitchen. It has been said that over 150,000 fires take place in the kitchen every year, so you want to be prepared in case it ever happens to you. Place the kitchen fire extinguisher near your stove so that it’s easy to grab quickly. You’ll also need to learn how to use it, There are many online resources that teach how to use a fire extinguisher or contact your local fire station . Lastly, note that fire extinguishers have inspection dates that expire, so ensure that you’re up-to-date.  

Store Objects in Cabinets 

If you have sharp objects or ones that could harm your toddlers, you should put them into cabinets. This will ensure that they’re out of reach and minimize the risk of accidents. If you don’t have cabinets, or the kitchen cabinets that you have aren’t secure, you should install new ones. Cabinet Doors ‘N’ More sell quality cabinet doors; their replacement cabinet doors are made from solid woods, such as hard maple, paint-grade hard maple, red oak, and cherry. 

Slip-Resistant Flooring 

Slips and falls happen all of the time, but there are several ways to help prevent these kitchen accidents. The kitchen is especially prone to accidents like water spillage and cooking grease. So, you should get slip-resistant flooring installed in the kitchen. Some examples are wood with a flat finish, textured vinyl, or laminate flooring. Kitchen laminate happens to be somewhat easy to install and it's very durable. 

First Aid Kit 

In the event that an accident does happen, you should have access to a quality first-aid kit. Keep it in a cupboard, on a shelf ,or in your kitchen storage pantry for easy access. Some items you should have in your kitchen first aid kit include: bandages for cuts, dressings, and burn ointment. 


Whether you're giving your kitchen a quick makeover to make it safer for the kids, or a full kitchen remodel, we hope you find these kitchen safety tips for kids, especially toddlers, helpful. For more family activities and safety tips, please follow us on Pinterest.

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Family Road Trip Tips

Top Tips to Prepare for a Family Road Trip

Ready for a mini-vacation? There's no better and more flexible way to see the wonders cross country than by taking a good old-fashioned road trip. Of course long car journeys with kids can be challenging,but they don’t need to be!Here are the top ways to beat backseat boredom and prepare yourself and your children for a stress-free family road trip.

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Make Plans in Advance

Start your family road trip preparation off right by making your vacation plans well in advance. This includes things like planning your route, downloading maps for the area you’re visiting, and booking your accommodations. This will help to make your trip as organized and as hassle-free as possible. If you need to rent a car for your road trip, be sure to look around for the best deal and book well in advance to get the best rates. Click here to find some great deals on car rentals.

Ensure Safety and Comfort

No one wants to have an uncomfortable, cranky kid on a long car ride. When kids sit in a car for hours, it’s important that they are comfortable, safe, and also have good head support. Make sure that kids are safely buckled in a car seat, booster seat or seat belt for the duration of the trip. To make the journey more comfortable for your kids, bring along a neck pillow and their favorite blanket or stuffed toy.

Plan Lots of Stops

Before hitting the road, be sure to map out your journey. Plug your destination into your smartphone’s map or a mapping website to get a realistic idea of how long your road trip will take. This will also allow you to plan some fun stops along the way. Make sure that you schedule a stop every few hours so the kids can get some fresh air and you can stretch your legs. Bring along a Frisbee or ball, in case you can’t find a playground or other entertainment, at least, you'll be able to toss them around in a parking lot.

Bring Plenty of Snacks

Keep your kids happy when traveling by providing lots of snacks. Things like whole grain crackers, sliced fruit, individually wrapped cheeses, and cereal bars all make excellent road trip snacks. Pack these in separate containers and give them out throughout the trip to keep the kids busy. Packing some snacks for the trip will also save you money as you won’t be at the mercy of whatever roadside food stops have available.

With kids snacking onboard, spills and crumbs are unavoidable. The dirt and grime may damage your car’s original upholstery. This ruins your vehicle’s overall aesthetic and lowers your car’s resale value. A great solution is to install a custom-fit car seat cover to protect your leather seats from stains, fading, and scratches.

Arrange In-Car Entertainment

Make sure you arrange some entertainment to keep kids occupied on long trips. You can download audio-books and films to watch on an iPad, pack chalkboards and activity books, or plan road trip games to keep kids entertained on the journey. According to Tripsavvy, there are several mobile games and apps that provide hours of entertainment on the road. Check out Road Trip Travel Games on the Google Play store for plenty of classic road trip family activities.

Family road trips don’t have to be stressful. In fact, with a little preparation and planning, your next journey could even end up being the best part of your vacation! Follow these tips to have a fun and stress-free family road trip.

Do you have family road trip tips? In the comments,tell us what has worked for you.

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Looking for 1 Year Old Birthday Gifts?

Best Toys and Gift Ideas for 1 Year Old Girls

Have a one year old baby's birthday coming up? So, what are the best toys and gifts for a one year old? Nothing feels better than watching your baby girl grow. You want to be there when she makes her first step, and you want to be the first one to hear her alter her first word. These moments are magical. Believe me, it gets even more exciting when she turns a year old. It's her first birthday and it's normal to feel super excited and overwhelmed. How do you make it special and unforgettable? Other than holding a birthday party and inviting all your friends and their kids to celebrate, getting the perfect gift is the best way to ensure that your baby girl never forgets the day.

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But wait! Which is the best gift for a one-year-old girl? A toy is the best catch here. You want the best for your daughter, something that she will like and even if you were to keep it and show it to her when she is already all grown up, she would have the same smile she had when you first showed the toy to her when she was one year old.

What to get a 1 year old girl on their Birthday? 

Choosing such a toy can be a daunting task. This article aims to make the work easy for you by outlining a list of the best gifts and toys for a one year old girls.

A VTech pull and sing puppy

Kids love puppies, and they find them to be the cutest thing, and it gets even better when puppies and toddlers are combined. Not all girls are into barking, taking dogs for walks and having a pooping pooch. You do not have to get a real puppy to match the experience for your baby girl. If she loves puppies, a VTech pull and sing puppy is an excellent choice.

The little guy can do tricks and other stuff that real dogs can do and more. He can sing, teach numbers, body parts and colors as the baby pulls him around his leash. It comes with over 50 songs and melodies to keep the kid entertained, and she will never get bored even if you were to leave her alone as you do chores around the house. You, however, need to include a battery.

Baby Einstein take along tunes

Kids are sensory. Its smell and touch alone are enough to make the baby glued to the creature as she tries to figure out how the machine can respond to her queries. If your kid is already a young jammer trying to get her tune in line, this toy will do her good. It's a kind of jukebox that switches between a total of seven melodies.

What's more? It lights up as it sings. It also comes with a volume control button and two AA batteries. It's a perfect toy for small hands, and your kid will not struggle as she plays with it. Even better; it is made of a soft polypropylene surface which makes it safe for children. The color and design are cute, so it does not scare the baby away.

Fisher Price brilliant basics first doll

Girls love trying to play-pretend at this age, and a baby doll is a perfect gift to help foster her imagination. She can tote the doll around as she tries to learn new words and understand different body parts like the mouth, legs, hands, and eyes. Dolls are soft and cuddly which makes it ideal for helping the baby in social recognition and giving them a sense of comfort when playing with it. She will carry the doll where she goes which is also a way of learning a sense of possession.

Fisher-price Baby’s first Blocks playlist

Your child will have a blast with this gift set on her birthday. It features two Fisher-Price toys a baby’s first block and a rock-a-stack. What she has to do is sort them for fun, which is a perfect way to keep baby busy and put her mind at work.

Such toys help develop problem skills too. The toy is meant to prepare kids for preschool through mental development. Grasping, sorting, and stocking the blocks is a fun way for your baby to stay happy as she explores. It will teach her a sense of discovery as she tries to see what happens after all the rings are sorted and stacked.

LeapFrog count and crawl number Kitty

Get your child on the move on many skills with this unique, cute kitty. The doll is designed to enhance a great push and play experience for little ones, keeping them busy and offering them a positive way of having fun. It comes with keys, that when pressed, make the cat start counting in a rhythm. How exciting is that? That's not all.

There are also music mode keys that command the cat to play meows in low and high modes as she makes silly sounds. Pushing the kitty makes her produce fun counting songs that your baby girl will want to listen to the whole day. The kitty can sit, bat, scoot, and crawl. This toy is a perfect way of nurturing mental development and balance in your baby as she explores and counts numbers one to twenty and learns new music. It comes in beautiful colors to keep your baby's attention.

The choices are endless, and these are only a few of the best and highly reviewed toys. The best part is that they are all durable and you can keep them and show them to your baby girl when she is all grown up.

How do you choose a good toy for a one year old?

You shouldn't choose the first toy that comes when conducting an online searches in sites. Let's take look at what should inform your purchase of a one year old's gift. 

Considerations when buying a present for a one year-old girl

• Safety – some toys are just not safe for babies and they even come with a safety warning signs. You will realize that some of them have been written to explain that they aren't recommended for kids under the age of five. This is probably because the toy has some aspects that could compromise the baby’s safety. Kids at this age love putting things in their mouth and you have to ensure that what you get cannot choke your baby. Also, make sure that the toy is non-toxic and doesn't have sharp edges.

• Go for educational toys – it shouldn't be all about play and fun. The child should be able to learn something when interacting with the toy. This is the developmental stage, and therefore, the toy should at least sharpen her mental development, communication skills, and cognitive capacity. Your baby will probably be spending most of her time with the toy, and therefore, it should be in a position to help her learn.

• The toy should enhance coordination – it's around this time of her life that a baby girl will be learning how to roll over and pull up as she tries to take her first step. Choose a toy that can help her enhance her motor skills and coordination as she starts to stand and walk. Keeping baby's hands and legs busy improves her strength too.

• Color and material – these are also aspects to keep in mind. You want something that will attract a baby girl and you should choose brightly colored toys over the dull ones. Pink, blue, yellow, red, and white are the most recommended colors for girls. The material takes you back to safety. Choose something soft but durable.

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ECE Continuing Education Online

Where do you go to get Early Childhood Education Training Online?

As a childcare provider, early education teacher, and summer camp director, I know how important continuing education and professional development is to childcare programs. There’s always something new to learn, new milestones to meet, and new knowledge to obtain. As an owner/operator of a school-age summer camp program, I want my staff to have a wide range of childhood development knowledge. Obtaining certification in early childhood education can improve your earning potential in the childcare profession.

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Personally, I’ve taken many courses online and offline receiving certificates and credits toward my ECE (Early Childhood Education Certification.) ChildCare Education Institute offers certificate programs and coursework that meets the requirement for national credentials including the CDA. CCEI also has online certification programs for Director and Early Childhood Credentials. CCEI, a Council for Professional Recognition CDA Gold Standard™ comprehensive training provider, is nationally accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) and is accredited as an Authorized Provider by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET).

I recently was given the opportunity to enroll in some of their courses in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

Many early childhood and school age programs require a certain number of continuing education courses each year. The courses are also a great resume builder for anyone who wants to become a professional child care provider.

As a homeschool mom, education blogger, and summer camp provider,  I want to keep up on the latest information in child care. So, when CCEI asked me to do a review, I jumped at the chance to look through the course offerings and take and earn a certificate.  

I’ve completed my certificate for Attention Deficit Disorders by taking this course: Attention Deficit Disorders: Course ID: SPN102 Course Level: Beginner Course Hours: 1

I’ve had some prior course work and even written about ADD and ADHD on my blog and on other education websites. However, this course was very informative, I even discovered some new methods for dealing with behavior problems.

The course took about an hour to complete and came with a printable study guide handout. At the end of the course, I took an exam and earned a course certificate which will fulfill continuing education needs.

It was easy to navigate through the CCEI course. As I was taking the class, I was able to scroll forward or backward as needed. At the end of the class, you’re given several questions for review before allowed taking the final exam. The review is designed to help you prep for the test.

With my prior experience, I knew many of the answers already, but there were a couple that I missed. When you miss a review question, the program takes you back to the place in the lesson where the information can be reviewed again before the test.

If you score poorly on the exam, you are allowed to take it again. So, there’s no need to be nervous. Earning your certificate online is easy and won’t take up too much of your time. With most courses taking about an hour, you can easily fit them into your busy schedule.

As a participant in the CDA Gold Standard℠ pilot, ChildCare Education Institute successfully demonstrated that its early childhood education training is based on the Council’s three industry-leading principles:

• Alignment with the CDA formal education coursework found in the CDA’s Eight Subject Areas.
• Sound business policies and practices.
• Quality student services that meet their educational and professional needs.

CCEI offers the following CDA certificate programs:

• Instructor-Supported CDA Certificate – English
• Instructor-Supported CDA Certificate – Spanish
• Self Study CDA Certificate
• CDA Credential Renewal Certificate – Infant-Toddler
• CDA Credential Renewal Certificate – Preschool
• CDA Credential Renewal Certificate – Family Child Care
• CDA Credential Renewal Certificate – Infant-Toddler – Spanish
• CDA Credential Renewal Certificate – Preschool – Spanish
• CDA Credential Renewal Certificate – Family Child Care – Spanish

CCEI currently offers a general Child Care Orientation Certificate, a Diversity and Multiculturalism Certificate, and a CCDBG Health & Safety Training for ECE Professionals in Nevada Certificate. CCEI’s Professional Development program acceptance varies with each state, so be sure that you know your organization and state’s requirements before signing up.  Click here for more information.

As an added bonus to CCEI’s over 150+ online PD courses in English & Spanish, if you purchase a center-based annual subscription for your staff, you’ll have access to over 10,000 unique activities like the sampling above to implement in the classroom.  An extra perk of learning with CCEI over others!

CCEI offers a wide array of courses for ECE staff and caregivers. I encourage anyone working with children to get their continuing education with CCEI. CCEI is convenient and easy to navigate, there are a wide array of classes, they offer classroom curriculum, and most classes take about an hour. If you’re a daycare operator, you’ll definitely want to take a look at the courses to implement continuing education for your staff.

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