Christmas Tree Safety Tip for New Moms
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As the holidays approach, you are beginning to fill your home with all things pumpkins and mistletoe, pretty lights, and perfectly wrapped gifts. Basically all the things your toddler will want to play with. Having little ones in the home during the holidays is sweet but does present a unique challenge when baby proofing your home for the holiday. One particular area you will want to pay attention to is Christmas tree safety. The Christmas tree is a special kind of magic that seemingly calls for e every baby to it. Check out these tips to keep your toddler safe around the Christmas tree this season.
Artificial Christmas Trees vs. Real Trees
Real trees are beautiful and can fill your home with the natural smells of Christmas. However, when you have babies and toddlers in the house, artificial Christmas trees may be a better option for you. If your little suffers from allergies, then he or she may develop respiratory problems around a real tree. You also need to think about the needles that a real tree drops to the floor. Even with the freshest tree you can find, you will still have sharp needles falling. Toddlers may choke on these needles, or if you have a crawler, then they can get poked.
If you do opt for a real tree, make sure you choose the freshest tree possible. Water it every other day to avoid as many needles from falling and to keep it fresh all season long.
Related: Fire Safety Tips for Your Christmas Tree
Watch Out for the Hooks
The next thing you will want to be mindful of when you are thinking about Christmas tree safety are the hooks that are often used to hang your ornaments. The hooks are inexpensive and easy to use but they can also be a choking hazard for little ones. Not to mention they hurt if you step on one them. Ribbons are an awesome alternative. Ribbons are not only safer, but it enables your child to hang decorations on the tree without help.
Pack Away the Breakables
We all have those decorations that are a family favorite. Perhaps they were handed down to you from earlier generations. No matter the reason you will want to keep them safe from curious hands. If you have breakable Christmas decorations, you might want to pack these away or put them up high until your children get a little older. Try making some kid-friendly decoration that not only look great but are safe for the kids.
Don’t forget about those beautiful glass ornaments. Let’s face accidents happen when you have things dangling from a tree. Make sure to only put non-breakable ornaments at the bottom. And, we know babies. When they get ahold of something the first place it goes is into their mouths. No lie, my niece once bit the tip of a tree ornament one year. We learned our lesson and when we finally had our own child we made sure to out the wood and soft ornaments at the bottom in case she got a hold of them.
The BEST Christmas Tree for Kids
Once upon a time, I ran an in-home daycare. I quickly realized I needed something to divert their attention away from our Christmas tree. That is when I found this super awesome felt Christmas tree. You could probably make it yourself, but I just grabbed it from Amazon, and it was at my door in two days. I explained to them that they were not allowed to touch the real Christmas tree, but they were free to play with the felt one. I just hung it on the wall, and they had a blast.
There are many ways you can keep your children safe around your Christmas tree this holiday season. The ultimate goal is to include them in the fun while keeping them safe.