Nothing is better than spending time with your grandkids, but we want to make sure our grandchildren are cared for in a safe environment. KID has pulled together a list of safety questions to yourself to make sure your grandchild is in a safe space.
What you should be asking: How can I keep up with the 2-3 children’s products that are being recalled a week?
What you can do: In just a few simple steps you can be signed up to receive recall alert notices from either the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and/ or Kids In Danger (KID). We encourage you to sign up for this free service at CPSC.gov or KidsInDanger.org. CPSC will email each time there is a recall; KID will send an email once a month with all the month’s recalls. Bonus: KID’s email alert includes a printable list of recalls for posting and sharing with others.
What you should be asking: Are the TV’s and furniture in my house secured? There has been a lot in the news about children being injured by TV and furniture tip overs.
What you can do: You can purchase anchors and brackets so that the TV’s and furniture don’t tip over and pose a safety hazard to children. If you haven’t done this yet, you can visit any electronic or children’s store and purchase these inexpensive safety devices from the “home safety” section or online.
What you should be asking: (If you have an infant grandchild) Does the crib or play yard used in my home meet the newest safety standards?
What you can do: The safest cribs in the world are 
cribs made after June 28, 2011 (this was when the new crib safety standards went into effect). For more information on the new improved crib standards, check out this handy poster. Feel free to share the flyer with other grandparents so they too are aware of these new standards.
In addition, new safety standards went into effect for play yards as of February 28, 2013. This play yard poster provides more information about the increased safety standards for play yards. Again, please share the flyer with other grandparents so they too are aware of these new standards.
Lastly, please remember that Bare is Best and do not use dangerous crib accessories such as crib bumper pads, sleep positioners, and soft bedding as they can pose multiple hazards to children.
What you should be asking: (If you travel with children by car) Many car seats are not installed correctly, How can I make sure each time the car seat is correctly installed?
What you can do: If you are concerned about the installation of the car seat, we encourage you to check out your local Safe Kids branch which will have a car seat installation specialist install the car seat for you. You can also keep up with car seat recalls through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Like CPSC and KID, NHSTA emails car seat recall notices directly to you if you sign up for their free service.
Your grandchildren love coming over just as much as you love having them. By reviewing yourself these safety questions and tips, you can help create a safe environment when they do visit. For more information on child product safety, please visit KidsInDanger.org.
