Safety Mom Solutions

By The Safety Mom

I’m so excited that tomorrow I’m going to have on my radio show, Keeping It Together With Alison, The Safety Mom, teen expert, author and speaker Vanessa VanPetten. Vanessa and her staff of teen writers ranging in age from 12 – 20, run Radical Parenting and believe me, there’s information on there that will make any parent sit up and take notice! Radicalparenting.com is read by thousands of teens and parents daily. Her site contains thousands of articles, videos, screencasts and live chats with Van Petten, teen writers and trendsetters from 34 different coutnries to offer parents a window into the daily lives of their teen and tween kids. She shows parents how to talk with their screen-obsessed net generation children about everything: including safely using Facebook, smoking pot, High School dances, oral sex, and gives them tips from actual teens.

Vanessa’s an amazing young woman. The month she graduated from college her first book, “You’re Grounded!”, launched and was named in the “Top 5 Hottest Books” on Amazon it’s first month. She is now on an international speaking tour and was chosen as one of the top 100 Bloggers to watch by Women’s Magazine.

Both teens and parents can be helped by Vanessa’s recommendations. Tomorrow I’m going to be speaking with her about a variety of topics but one will be about “lists” teens make. One in particular – “Classmates I’d like to make babies with.” Yes moms and dads, it’s out there! Vanessa also speaks to teens about issues affecting them such as “What To Do When Your Parents Constantly Embarrass You.”

Vanessa’s mission is to improve parent-teen relationships by providing them with new perspectives, stories and neutral places to communicate. This is absolutely one of my shows not to be misssed! Tune in tomorrow at noon EST at The Safety Mom site – www.safetymom.com

Alison Rhodes is the founder of Safety Mom Enterprises and Safety Mom Solutions, the premier baby proofing and child safety company in the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut area. Alison is a family safety expert, TV personality and consultant.

Tags: Alison Rhodes, Radical Parenting, Raising a Teen, The Safety Mom, You're Grounded Hot Book On Amazon

By The Safety Mom

Our vacation is off to a great start! I have to say, finding your way to Lancaster, PA isn’t the easiest – thank goodness for the GPS in the Toyota Sienna! But once we found the Willow Valley Inn and Resort the kids were in heaven! There are both indoor and outdoor pools with a game room attached, Spencer and Wyatt were in heaven! And, Kelsey’s favorite part was the smorgasbord and all you can eat salad bar (yes, she’s my healthy one!). We were all excited once we found the bakery downstairs with the most incredible cookies and pastries. There’s even a golf course and a beautiful pond and playground. Also, the staff is extremely welcoming and available to answer any questions. I quickly realized that the kids would be completely happy just staying here and not even going to Dutch Wonderland but I’m so glad we did get over there.

Dutch Wonderland is the perfect amusement park for the younger set. All of the rides are geared to toddler up to twelve years of age. The park is incredibly clean, easy to navigate and tons of fun rides! If it’s your first time it’s probably good to start out with the train ride around the park to get your bearings first. Yesterday was pretty hot so all of the kids voted for the Duke’s Lagoon first which was the perfect choice! There’s enough water activity to keep kids entertained all day and it gave Greg and me a chance to relax a bit in the shade. There are tons of lifeguards working the area which made me feel quite safe. I have to say it was so wonderful to see my kids laughing and having so much fun. I also like that it’s pay one price so that you don’t have to worry about tickets and the kids can ride as often as they like. Kelsey tried to set a record on the Ripcord by riding it 7 times in a row! If you have a child with special needs, the park has opportunities for you to go to the head of the line if there are crowds and will work with you to make sure your child has a great experience. Dutch Wonderland is a great value and experience for families.

And Kelsey, aka The Safety Daughter, also had an opportunity to interview Sir Xavier, the knight at Dutch Wonderland who’s all about safety!

Alison Rhodes is the founder of Safety Mom Enterprises and Safety Mom Solutions, the premier baby proofing and child safety company in the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut area. Alison is a family safety expert, TV personality and consultant.

By The Safety Mom

I was sitting at O’Hare airport last night when a man turned to me with his computer and said, “Would you let your 16 year-old sail around the world alone?” I thought he was joking. Then he showed me the headlines.

Ah yes, another subject for my parenting hall of fame. OK, here’s my rant – WHAT IDIOT ALLOWS THEIR 16 YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER TO SAIL AROUND THE WORLD ALONE?!?!

Apparently the answer is Marianne and Laurence Sunderland of Thousand Oaks, CA. The conversation must have gone one of two ways: Abby, the 16 year-old came up to her parents one morning and declared that she was bored with school. “Hey mom and dad,” she must have said, “how about I leave for a while and sail around the world? I’ll keep my curfew every night on board and this will be just as good an education as going to school.” Now what parent wouldn’t say yes to that?
Or, scenario 2 – Like the “Bubble Boy” case in CO where the parents wanted to get some attention for a potential reality show for themselves, the Sunderland’s thought, “Hey, Abby’s got a good head on her shoulders. Sure she’s only 16 but I’m sure she’ll be OK by herself in the middle of the ocean for however long. And, if she makes it, we could probably get on The Amazing Race with her!”

Yesterday Abby was reported missing but thank God she’s been found alive in the Indian Ocean 2,000 miles from either Australia or Africa without a mast or rigging. The nearest search and rescue ship is at least 30 hours away from her position but she sent a radio signal that “she was fine.”

Meanwhile, mom, dad and her six siblings sit awaiting word of her fate.

Alison Rhodes is the founder of Safety Mom Enterprises and Safety Mom Solutions, the premier baby proofing and child safety company in the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut area. Alison is a family safety expert, TV personality and consultant.

Tags: Abby Sunderland Found Alive, Abby Sunderland Found Alive X Abby Sunderland Solo Sail Around The World X alison rhodes X Child Safety X Dumb Parenting Decisions X The Safety Mom, Abby Sunderland Solo Sail Around The World, Alison Rhodes, Child Safety, Dumb Parenting Decisions, The Safety Mom

Prom season is upon us and, good or bad, it will be a memorable time for our kids.  There’s so much anticipation and usually stress associated with the prom, from what to wear to whom to go with.  It’s also expensive and time consuming for the parents!  My good friend is hosting pre-prom for her daughter’s friends and is anticipating about 120 people in all!

No matter how responsible your teen is, have a conversation about how to be smart and safe on prom night.  Many parents live in a state of denial and assume their straight A, star athlete child is not going to do anything unsafe.  Wake up!  As The Safety Mom, www.safetymom.com, I frequently hear stories of how parents were shocked when their child was arrested but worse, the stories of getting phone calls in the middle of the night that their son or daughter had been killed. 

Many kids see prom night as a right-of-passage and also there is tremendous pressure put on them from friends.  So even if you think your son or daughter would never do something unsafe, discuss some rules anyway:

Don’t drink and drive!  We say it over and over to our kids but it’s worth repeating.  Remind them that it’s not just about them, but they shouldn’t be getting into a car if the driver’s been drinking – even if it’s their boyfriend or girlfriend.  Tell them to do everything they can to stop the other person from driving but if they can’t than they need to explain they don’t agree and walk away!  They should understand that they can call you at any time for a ride. 

Be safe driving sober as well – According to NHTSA, 70% of teens killed on prom weekend were not wearing seat belts.  Make sure your daughter understands that wrinkling her dress is far less important than winding up dead or in the hospital.  Also, if by the end of the evening they feel drowsy remind them not to drive and risk falling asleep behind the wheel.

Know the plans  – While the proms themselves are usually well supervised, it’s what happens after the prom that can be dangerous.  Many communities host post-prom parties so that the teens are still being chaperoned.  If, however, your teens are going out on their own be sure you know exactly where they’re going and who they’re going with.  Vague answers of “just driving around” don’t count.  You want names, cell phone numbers for their friends and phone number for the parents of their friends.   And you need to set curfews.  This might be different than the regular time, but you still need to agree upon when they’ll be home.

Don’t make this the time to lose it – We’ve all seen the movies where the girl decides to lose her virginity on her prom night – BIG MISTAKE! This is where self-confidence and self-esteem come into play as well as your years of smart parenting about peer pressure.  By now, you should have had “the talk” with your son or daughter – how condoms don’t protect from STDs and other diseases and can definitely break, how being pressured into sex should be a major warning sign for them and if it doesn’t feel right don’t do it!  Sadly, even if they do make the safe decisions, the choice can be taken away from them thanks to the date rape drug.  There are several different varieties but most have no smell, color or taste so someone has no idea they’ve been slipped one.  Remind your teen to never put their soda or drink down and walk away to dance.  Keep it with them at all times! 

Keep in touch – Needless to say be sure they have a cell phone so that they can you at any time.  Have them take a power cord as well so they can’t use the excuse that their cell phone died and they couldn’t call you.

Alison Rhodes is the founder of Safety Mom Enterprises and Safety Mom Solutions, the premier baby proofing and child safety company in the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut area.  Alison is a family safety expert, TV personality and consultant. 

Tags: condoms and STDs, date rape drug, drinking and driving, pre-prom, Prom, teen, teens and sex

Today is National Missing Children’s Day.  It was first proclaimed by Ronald Reagan in 1983.  It’s so sad that we even had to have such a day created but the reality is that,  according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, about 2,200 children go missing each day in the United States, or about 800,000 every year.   Of these, approximately 2,000 were parental abductions to and from the United States.

 Take a few minutes tonight to talk to your kids about keeping themselves safe from abduction: 

• Never walk in a secluded or wooded area alone
• Always take the same path to and from school or a regular destination
• Never go near a car that pulls over to ask for directions or for any other reason
• Establish a code word with your child so they know that anyone who says they are picking them up must know it
• Make sure schools are aware of any custody issues and have copies of court orders to support them
• Give your younger child a working cell phone without a cell plan.  As long as it’s charged they can still use it to call 911.
• Discuss with them online safety – check their Facebook pages and all other social network pages to be sure they’re not disclosing personal information.
• Search for your child’s name on the various search engines and see what information comes up
• When sending your child off on a playdate in which they will be visiting a park, mall or other destination, give the other parent a recent photo of your child that they can immediate provide to the police if they are lost or abducted
• Unfortunately, kids are taught to be respectful of adults who seem to have authority.  Teach them that if anyone tries to grab them from a store or public area to scream as loud as possible and do whatever they can to resist.

Alison Rhodes is the founder of Safety Mom Enterprises and Safety Mom Solutions, the premier baby proofing and child safety company in the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut area.  Alison is a family safety expert, TV personality and consultant. 

Tags: child abduction, missing children, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, National Missing Children’s Day, parental abductions, stranger danger

Week 1 is finally over for Spencer at his new school. I really felt for the kid – it’s so hard to start a new school let alone two in a matter of a few weeks. I’m not sure who was more nervous, me or him. But I felt so good about this school even though it’s over an hour away from us. When we went there for Spencer to spend half a day two weeks ago I was so happy to see him interacting with the other kids, it was like seven Spencer’s running around. What a relief to finally find a school where kids were actually like him and he was not the outcast!

It was an exhausting week because the town was unable to set up transportation which meant the majority of my day was spent driving back and forth. It was also stressful as I sat on the edge of my seat all week waiting for the school to call and say that something had gone wrong or there was a problem with Spencer. Yes, he had a few incidents in the beginning of the week but I did a happy dance last night when the teachers told me that he was really settling in and doing great! He also has a full time aide who seems terrific.

I finally feel as if life is getting back to somewhat of a normal situation now that he’s in the right school with all of the support and services he needs. And…..transportation starts on Monday – yeah!!!

It’s been a long, painful and frustrating road finding the right school for Spencer and getting an accurate diagnosis for him. For parents of regular-ed students, the process of getting appropriate services in place for each child is usually something they take for granted. After all, with my daughter Kelsey, I put her on the bus, help her with her homework, speak with the teacher and attend parent/teacher meetings, but I assume that she is receiving the resources and tools she needs to learn. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that the education of my son would become my full time job! It has made me aware of how critical it is to have talented professionals who are provided the services and tools they need to teach our children and give them the education they deserve!

In my quest to educate my son, I have been fortunate to meet some incredible education advocates. And, in my role as The Safety Mom – www.safetymom.com, it has provided me the opportunity to meet some leaders in the field of education. I’ve learned from them that all of our children’s education is in jeopardy. Funding for teachers and important programs are in danger of being cut. As it is, our classrooms are so crowded that the possibility of any sort of individual attention is gone. And even programs such as music and art – things that open their eyes to what they could become – could be gone. Every one of our children deserves the best opportunities to learn. Next week, the #EducationJobsFund will be coming up for a vote. Please, please, please, take a moment to click on this LINK and send an e-mail to your Representative encouraging him/her to pass this bill. There are pre-printed statements so it literally will take a second. But it’s a few seconds that really could make a difference in the quality of your child’s education.

Alison Rhodes is the founder of Safety Mom Enterprises and Safety Mom Solutions, the premier baby proofing and child safety company in the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut area. Alison is a family safety expert, TV personality and consultant.

Tags: child’s education, Education, Education Jobs Fund, Learning Disabilities, parents and teachers, Special Ed, special needs, teachers, vote

By The Safety Mom

As you’re setting up your nursery for your new arrival, consider some of the baby proofing items that should be in the home as well. One of the first items you want to have in place is baby gates. There are two kinds – pressure mounted and hardware mounted. I constantly hear the argument that hubby doesn’t want to drill holes into the wall so he’s going with a pressure mounted gate. While pressure mounted gates in certain situations are the way to go, at the top of the stairs it could be deadly. If a child pushes on the gate it could topple right over. And, you can ease your mind – the holes are no larger than the tip of a pencil and can be easily filled in with painter’s caulk. A top-of-stair gate is the most critical one that you will install. Here are a few things to look for:

•   A gate that’s easy to use with one-handed operation
•   A safety mechanism that prevents it from opening out over the stairs and will only allow it to open towards you
•   One that will automatically lock when you shut it to reduce the change of “user error.”

While our clients at Safety Mom Solutions will usually attempt to do some baby proofing work on their own, they often times become frustrated when trying to install a gate. Unless you are installing it into two flat surfaces it can be difficult. Here’s what you’ll need to do:

•   Determine whether you will want a wood or metal gate. There are many that come in a variety of finishes to match your décor.
•   Measure the opening to be sure you purchase a gate that will fit. Check that the gate you select is specifically designed for staircases and/or banisters, that it is auto-locking and has a safety mechanism to prevent it from opening in both directions.
•   If you do not have two flat surfaces you will also have to buy one or two mounting kits to create one. If you do have a flat wall, be sure that it’s not hollow (without a stud). If it is you will need a mounting kit on that side as well
•   Make sure the gate is not installed more than 2” from the ground or your baby could crawl under it!
•   Once the mounting kit and gate are installed apply pressure to it to check that it will withstand your baby pushing on it.

I recently did a segment with George Oliphant for LXTV’s Open House. Here’s a clip of me discussing a gate at the top of the stairs with him. 

Alison Rhodes is the founder of Safety Mom Enterprises and Safety Mom Solutions, the premier baby proofing and child safety company in the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut area.  Alison is a family safety expert, TV personality and consultant. 

Tags: Alison Rhodes, Babyproofing NYC, Babyproofing Westchester County, George Oliphant, LXTV’s Open House, Safety Gates, Safety Mom Solutions Babyproofing in Fairfield County, The Safety Mom

Two friends recently were hit badly by a stomach bug.  That is always the worst but, when you’re trying to care for a baby at the same time, it’s a downright nightmare!  And inevitably the bug starts travelling through the house and before you know it, everyone’s down for the count.  I just received some great tips from Dr. Benjamin Tanner, president and founder of the Antimicrobial Test Laboratories, LLC, on how to keep your nursery as germ free as possible to keep your little one healthy.

Identify the germ “hot spots” within your nursery and clean them often. 

Germ hot spots within the nursery are the areas that come in contact with waste in diapers and other body fluids, either directly or indirectly. Diaper waste–and the millions and millions of germs in it–can be spread by hands and objects that come in contact with it. Since germs are microscopic and invisible to the naked eye, it’s easy to spread many of them to clean surfaces without knowing it.

Areas where most bacteria typically gather include:

• Changing Table – This is the place where diaper messes and germs are transferred from the diaper to baby’s skin – and possibly mom’s hands.  And a dirty diaper likely has more germs inside it than anything else in the nursery.
• Laundry Hamper – Studies have shown that laundry, especially if it has come in contact with bodily fluids, can harbor great quantities of bacteria and even spread them to clean clothes through normal washing cycles.
• Floor – Germs on the floor are not a concern for adults, but the floor is where babies lay, crawl, and play. Most floor germs aren’t of the harmful type, but it’s still a hot spot to keep an eye on.
• Toys/Toy chest – The average toy isn’t loaded with germs, but toys will transmit them easily if they become contaminated, since toys come in contact with playmates’ hands, skin, and mouths.

Learn the difference between cleaners and disinfectants, and which is appropriate for your nursery.  

Cleaners remove most soils, but may spread germs around. Disinfectants actually kill germs when used correctly. ? To use a disinfectant correctly in a nursery, remove your baby from the spray or wipe zone and apply the product liberally.  After the label-specified contact time elapses, wipe off the surface with a wet cloth or paper towel to get rid of anyirritating residual chemicals so your baby’s delicate skin does not touch these chemicals.  It’s also wise to disinfect hard floors and vacuum carpets routinely to keep germ levels low.

   Tip: Disinfectants say “disinfects,” “antibacterial” or “sanitizes” on the label

Set aside a special place in the nursery for disinfectants so they’re readily available for quick cleaning but safely out of reach of children.  Even “non-toxic” cleaners can be dangerous to children, so keep cleaners on a high shelf in the closet or a child-proofed drawer of the dresser.

Keep messes (and germs) to a minimum when changing dirty diapers in the nursery.

1. Establish a quick, mess-free diaper changing routine, and keep supplies handy and close by.
2. Create a dedicated changing area that can be easily cleaned and disinfected.
3. Take extra care to handle diapers from the outside surfaces and avoid touching waste.
4. Get rid of diapers in a hygienic fashion that keeps germs sealed away. I recommend the Diaper Genie II Elite™ Disposal System. It seals odor into the pail and out of your nursery unlike an ordinary trash can and plastic bag. Diapers only touch the disposable film, not the pail, so there is one less thing to clean.  The Diaper Genie II Elite™ disposal System also has Antimicrobial Protection built into the plastic to inhibit odor-causing bacteria.

Keep soap and warm water, or where soap and water are not available, antibacterial hand wipes, nearby to use after changing your baby in the nursery. This will help stop the spread of germs within the nursery.

? Tip: When soap and water are not available, consider using an antibacterial hand wipe, such as Wet Ones® Antibacterial Hands and Face Wipes. Wet Ones. Antibacterial Hands and Face Wipes are clinically proven to be just as effective  as gel hand sanitizers in killing 99.99% of germs, and also clean away dirt and messes.

Keep baby bottles away from germ hot spots, such as the changing table, and only handle them when your hands are clean.  Harmful germs can grow very quickly in formula and breast milk – be sure to keep bottles clean and dry when not in use.

Keep a special hamper inside the nursery to use specifically for heavily soiled baby laundry. 

This special, separate hamper will help prevent bacteria on heavily soiled laundry from spreading throughout the rest of the nursery. Also, take special care when laundering heavily soiled baby clothing and bedding to prevent the spread of germs through the laundry.  Use Hot water and/or chlorine bleach.  Dry laundry in a hot dryer cycle

Take special precautions within the nursery when baby is sick to prevent spread of illness to other children and throughout the rest of the nursery.

• ? Disinfect nursery “hot spots” more frequently
• ? Reduce time other children spend in the nursery and with baby

Take special precautions in the nursery when you or other family members are sick, to keep from giving your infection to baby and spreading throughout the nursery.

• ? Cover all coughs and sneezes
• ? Wash hands before contact with baby and when entering the nursery

Reduce pet access to the nursery.

Reptiles and birds frequently harbor dangerous germs, like Salmonella. Make sure that children wash hands well with soap and warm water after handling reptiles and before coming into the nursery, and keep bird bedding/litter out of the nursery altogether.

 Alison Rhodes is the founder of Safety Mom Enterprises and Safety Mom Solutions, the premier baby proofing and child safety company in the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut area.  Alison is a family safety expert, TV personality and consultant. 

Tags: Alison Rhodes, babyproofing CT, Babyproofing Fairfield County, Safety mom Solutions babyproofing Westchester

By The Safety Mom

Undoubtedly, one of the most hazardous rooms in your home is the bathroom.   While bath time should always be a time for fun and bonding, it’s important that parents take extra precaution to make sure their child is safe and the bathroom is baby proofed.  The following are several things to keep in mind for bathroom safety when baby proofing your home.

Never leave your child alone in the tub!  A child can drown in a matter of minutes in less than 2” of water.  If you must leave the bathroom for any reason, take your baby with you. Keep a cordless phone in the bathroom with you at all times.

Check the temperature of the bath water.  The appropriate temperature is between 96°F and 100°F. Use a bath thermometer to check the temperature and install a scald protector on your faucet.

Bath rings and baby bath tubs should not be considered safety devices.  As with baby proofing items, these products should not replace constant parental supervision. Rather, they should be considered a bathing aide. Bath rings and tubs should not be used in non-skid or slip resistant surfaces.

Cover the edges of marble tubs – Purchase foam guard that can be used on marble surfaces to protect the rim of the bathtub.

Install a tub spout cover – Babies are extremely slippery when wet – make sure that hard surfaces such as the tub spout are protected. If bathing two children together be sure that playing does not get out of hand.

Keep bath toys clean – Be sure to allow all bath toys to air dry in a mesh bag and clean weekly with bleach to prevent mold.

Remove adult items from the tub. Be sure that razors, decorative soaps, candles, glass jars and other hazardous items are locked away when bathing your baby.

Don’t forget about other hazards in the bathroom. Place locks on toilets and install slow closing lids. Also, make sure trash baskets are kept in a locked vanity or at least make sure they are tall with a lid.

Learn CPR - Even if you’ve taken a course in the past, take a refresher course once you’ve had a baby.  This could be the difference between life and death.

Alison Rhodes is the founder of Safety Mom Enterprises and Safety Mom Solutions, the premier baby proofing and child safety company in the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut area.  Alison is a family safety expert, TV personality and consultant. 

Tags: Alison Rhodes, babyproofing CT, Babyproofing Westchester & Fairfield County, bathroom safety, bathtub safety, How to babyproof a bathroom, Safet child bath time tips, The Safety Mom

The minute the first hint of spring is in the air my kids are outside as much as possible. Whether it’s playing in the sandbox or swinging on the swings, they like nothing better than to be in the backyard getting messy and screaming at the top of their lungs.  As their mom, I try to make sure the area is as safe as possible so that I can sit back and enjoy their fun.

Whether your children are in your backyard or on the neighborhood playground, their toys and equipment need to be inspected on a yearly basis.  All of the bolts should be re-tightened and check that none have become too rusty or are protruding.  There should be a twelve inch bed of wood chips, mulch or sand on the surface which should extend at least six feet in every direction.  If you have a rope tire swing, make sure that the rope has not become frayed.  Check that there are no roots or other obstructions around the play area that children could trip over.  If you have a sandbox, replace the sand from the year before and check the edges of the box for splinters.  Protect the sandbox year round with a cover to prevent animals from getting in

If you are thinking of purchasing a trampoline or already have one, consider this – according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), hospital emergency room-treated trampoline injuries almost tripled in the last decade – from an estimated 37,500 in 1991 to almost 100,000 in 1999.  Nearly two-thirds of trampoline injury victims were children 6 to 14 years of age and about 15% of trampoline injuries involved young children under 6 years old.  Falls off the trampoline often resulted in crippling injury and/or death including paralysis from spinal cord injury.  Somersaults and coming into contact with other persons on the trampoline’s surface likewise resulted in many serious and crippling injuries as well as death.  Pediatricians advise against allowing preschoolers to use trampolines at all.

Make sure children understand the boundaries of where they are allowed to play.  Keep this area well away from the driveway and preferably out of view from the road.  Setting up bright orange cones or some other visual cue will help children recognize the safe area. Even if you have established safe play zone areas, it’s too easy for children to forget and run into the driveway after a ball or other toy.  They’ll also be playing in the driveway if you have a basketball hoop set up or when they’re on their riding toys.  Consider purchasing a retractable gate to fit across your driveway and signs warning drivers that children are at play.  This area should also be free of gardening tools, outdoor electrical cords, lawn mowers and any other hazardous item.  If children have access to the garage where toys might be kept be sure there are no pesticides or chemicals stored within reach. Barbeque grills with sharp tools should also be kept out of this safe play zone.

No matter how safe the area is, preschoolers should never be left unattended outside to play so grab some lemonade and take some time to enjoy swinging on the swing as well.

Alison Rhodes is the founder of Safety Mom Enterprises and Safety Mom Solutions, the premier baby proofing and child safety company in the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut area.  Alison is a family safety expert, TV personality and consultant.

Tags: babyproofing CT, Babyproofing in Fairfield County, Babyproofing Westchester, Creating a safety play area, Safety Mom Solutions, trampoline injuries