Baby proofing in 10 easy steps

Today’s guest post comes to us from Crystal Watson at MakeYourBabyLaugh and she writes about how to make your home safe for your baby when baby proofing. This article is very through, from electrical outlets, to owning a gun safe, to pets and even when your baby sleeps, Crystals covers many of the possible ways to make your home safe for your baby.

Enjoy.
– Will

10 tips on making your home safe for your baby

Home is a place where children grow and learn; a place where they find love, care and comfort. It is also a place where they can get to see, touch, explore and also experience the world that is around them, so that their young minds and bodies can develop properly. Home is also a place where children need to feel secure.

However, home injuries are a leading source of accidental death for children. There are Almost 21 million medical visits as well 20,000 deaths each year that are caused by home accidents. Some of the home accidents include your child being bitten by a pet to choking on balloons.

Nevertheless, home injuries can be avoided through education as well as baby proofing prevention in ways to make your home safe for your baby and young children. Parents can put safety measures in their homes and also teach their children a few practical rules. Becoming a parent is a blessing in several ways. However, there are some challenges that come with being a parent, such as protecting your child from harm. Here are some tips to make your home safe for your baby when baby proofing. When it comes to baby proofing your home, leave nothing to chance.

1. Never leave your child alone near water. Children love splashing in water at bath time or when playing as they do not know the possible hazards of water. Drowning is very possible in water that is above half an inch. This makes bathtubs, pools, sinks, as well as pails very dangerous. For your child’s safety, it’s important that you prevent situations that can cause accidents. Therefore, you should never leave your child alone near water.



2. Install safety gates. One of the most popular causes of injuries to children is accidental falls. You should therefore take precautions that can help to prevent a serious problem. The effects of the injury usually depend on the distance of the fall, so you should know the dangers of the heights.

   You must never let your child sit on a bed or even a counter unattended. You should also ensure that the stairs, as well as the hallways are clear and free of any mess that can cause your child to trip and fall. It is recommended that you install safety gates so as to block a child from accessing the staircase.

3. Keep your child safe from household cleaners and chemicals. Most of the many products in our homes are possibly poisonous if swallowed. In order for you to childproof/baby proof your home, you have to think from the perspective of a child. Ensure that you install cabinet guards on every cabinet where you store cleaners, chemicals and garden fertilizers. Also store the products in their containers; don’t store them in containers that your child may mistake them for food.

   Store medicines in a cabinet that is locked or keep them in a place that your child can not access.



4. Cover electrical outlets. Electrical shocks are one of the major causes of deaths as well as injuries. Electrical shocks occur when a child touches an object that is electrically charged, while touching a surface which can conduct the electricity to the ground. Electrical safety devices, appropriate grounding and also avoiding dangerous situations can greatly help to prevent electrical shocks.



5. Keep sleep areas safe. Suffocation is a major cause of accidental injury-related death. About 60% of suffocation cases occur when a baby is sleeping. A child’s nose and mouth may be accidentally covered by fluffy pillows, comforters or even stuffed animals which restrict your child from breathing.

   You should therefore ensure that your baby’s crib is as bare as possible. You should also use a light blanket and tuck its ends below the mattress so as to create a pocket. The blanket should also reach the center of your infant’s chest so that it cannot be pulled above his head. You should dress your child in warm pajamas when the weather is cool instead of covering him/her with additional blankets.

6. Baby safety equipment. When planning for your baby, a baby swing might be low on your list of preferences. After all, it’s a piece of baby gear which takes up a significant amount of space at home. Nonetheless, this is still a very useful piece of equipment for baby safety.

   Although it might be a necessity like diapers, having a good baby swing is one of the most useful pieces of gear in the baby’s first six months of life. As such, you should always choose the best swing for baby. Beyond mere convenience, babies require soothing and the parent’s arms are usually the best places for it. However, all arms do require a break and a baby swing is a perfect option in such circumstances.

7. Install an alarm. In the case of a fire that may break out, you will have little time to escape from the heat, smoke as well as deadly gasses. You can increase your survival chances by installing and also maintaining smoke alarms.

   If fireplaces, space heaters, central heating, furnaces as well as water heaters are not well ventilated or they leak, the hazardous gasses may escape. Set up a carbon monoxide detector and a fire detector, and ensure that they are properly maintained so as to secure your home.

8. Store a gun safely. In case you own a gun, it is your responsibility to ensure that you use it safely. You must ensure that the weapon is not loaded with ammunition when you store it. You must also store it in a safe place that your children cannot access. Locked cabinets, gun safes as well as other storing options that can help you store your gun securely are also available.



9. Keep small items away from your child. Many injuries are caused when children are not able to breathe properly because food or any other object has blocked their airways and can cause choking. Most of the choking injuries happen with food, so should ensure that your child’s meals or snacks are cut into pieces that can be swallowed easily. You should also keep small candies, carrots, hotdogs, nuts, grapes, and popcorn, out of the reach of your children when unsupervised as they can cause choking.

   Ensure that all small household items, such as buttons, jewelry, coins, small balls and pins are properly stored away from your child’s reach so as to avoid unintentional choking. Furthermore, do not select toys that have many small parts until your child is old enough to use them properly.



10. Keep children safe around the family pet. Pets bring love as well as companionship to many families. Nevertheless, more than 155,000 children in the United States are bitten by their pets every year, and most of the bites are caused by a familiar pet. Each and every pet possesses the potential to bite, especially when they are scared, threatened or even when they are over excited. You must ensure that you choose a pet that well suits the lifestyle of your family.

Summary

Children are always curious. They like exploring new things. They also like to put things into their mouth and stick fingers in unusual areas, play with hanging cords, and push/pull over furniture. Bearing this in mind, even the most harmless room at home can be a minefield of danger for them.

Luckily, there are many measures that you can take so as to protect your children from injuries or accident within the house. The above article gives you some safety tips that will help keep your baby out of the harm’s way.

About the Guest Post Author

Crystal is the founder of MakeYourBabyLaugh. She started to write the blog to help mothers and fathers who are struggling to raise their children. She hopes that her experiences in child-rearing can inspire and help parents overcome their parenting struggles.

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Add vinyl wall decals to your remodel and save on remodel expenses

Following up from their first guest post a couple of weeks ago, today’s guest post comes to us again from Twiisted Design Print Media who write about ways to update your home’s décor with vinyl wall decals. If you are looking to save on the expense of a remodel, adding tasteful vinyl wall decals can be a relatively inexpensive method to update the look of your home. Below are some great ideas and tips to make it happen..

Enjoy.
– Will

6 tips on how to install vinyl wall decals on textured walls

Gone are the days of conventional paints, vinyl wall decals are the hottest trend ruling nowadays. We all love painting different shades of color to our walls, but designing beautiful patterns, picturing flowers and writing your quotes offer an altogether compelling visual appeal. But what makes vinyl wall decals so great, is their ease of installation on walls and their affordability. Nevertheless, installing vinyl wall decals and stickers over textured walls can be a little tricky. If, you too, have textured wall and plaster on your home or office décor, and want to learn how to install your favorite vinyl wall decal theme on it, follow these quick tips and you’ll be a pro in no time:

1. Choose the right kind: To decide what may suit your wall type best, perform thorough research on different vinyl wall decal options. Don’t just rely on the shop around the corner but research online as well, until you find the right kind of vinyl wall decal that works better on your bumpy walls. Twiisted Media can offer you a wide variety of inspiring wall graphics and vinyl wall decal ideas.
2. Work with your existing colors: While opting for a special vinyl wall decal with beautiful colors, consider matching the shades and color pallettes with your appliances and things like your cabinets, sink, countertop, as well as backsplash, and don’t foget about your surrounding wall colors. You can go for shiny or brushed metal colors, plain black or white, woody or textured and several other color options with your vinyl wall decals. Furthermore, consider matching colors with your kitchen flooring as well.
3. Magical glue stick: Why magical? Because it can sort out the ever growing problems of vinyl decal wall decal applications. Sometimes, one end of a script letter or side edges of another beautiful piece doesn’t stick on the wall. Here comes the importance of a glue stick in making the vinyl holding onto their desired place. Make sure to use an accurate amount of glue as not to create a messy application.
4. Use a hair dryer to increase the design’s flexibility: Before using a hair dryer for extending flexibility feature of your vinyl wall decal, set the right temperature so as not to melt the plastic vinyl. Flexible vinyl is easier to adapt to the wall’s folds, therefore, sticking better than it would otherwise.
5. Clean the wall surface before any application: Elements like pet hairs, dust, a scratched surface and so forth might not be visible right away, but will impact your application if you are not careful. If you want your stickers to go on smoothly and last longer on your walls, it is important to first clean and prepare the surface rather than assuming that its clean beforehand. For this, you can either employ a cleaning solution or a dab of alcohol over the surface. Also, do not hurry to apply the vinyl wall decal unless the area is completely dry!
6. Pay extra attention to the end result: As a tip, use a store shopping club card, gift card or even a debit/credit card to help help in obtaining a higher quality result.

Start by following the given series of steps to apply your vinyl wall decal to your textured wall:

• Remove the backing of the vinyl and then stick the decal onto the wall. You may want to apply a small piece of it at a time and pull more of the backing off as you go
• Rub the sticker surface firmly
• Swipe the card quickly over the area and do not stop until you feel that the vinyl is correctly applied (without any air pockets or air bubbles)
• Be careful while sticking multiple or small pieces to line them up with eye to detail
• Once you are done with pasting an entire vinyl stock over your textured wall, slowly remove the paper away from the vinyl in a descending direction.
• After pulling off the unwanted layer, rub over the art decal again to ensure its better durability as to how long it will last on your wall.

This list can assist you better in vinyl wall decal installations on your walls. You can choose from millions of vinyl wall decal ideas and designs to decorate your office or home. Often, performing home renovations can result in high costs. You can also go for custom wall vinyl wall decal design options for adding a personal touch to your space. Vinyl wall decals offer a creative perspective of changing the old picture aesthetic of your home décor to give it an entirely new look without hitting your pocket book in a major way.

About the Guest Post Author

Twiisted Media started with an idea sprinkled with creativity, passion and a love for design. This idea evolved to a commercial design and print company.

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By sponsoring this article, your sponsorship will display for a period of 180 days (6 months). If, for any reason, and it is up to the discretion of the authors of Windy Pinwheel, we feel content linked to or the name provided does not coincide with the objectives of this site for our audience we will issue a refund and pull the sponsorship of the article. This action does not limit you from sponsoring an article on our site again. However, by sponsoring again, we will issue the same review criteria as the prior sponsorship and if it fails, we will follow the same process as before and issue a refund and pull down the sponsorship. We truly appreciate the support of our audience and hope you can help offset our costs of operating this site by sponsoring our site articles.

For all reviews, please exercise discretion. If the sponsor of the article is in conflict of the topic of the article, we will pull down the sponsorship to remove any conflict of interest with the article at-hand. For instance, there is an article about a hamburger restaurant and a competing hamburger restaurant sponsors the article; we will pull the sponsorship and issue a refund.

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Remodel your kitchen using vinyl wall graphics

Today’s guest post, as a part of a 2-part series (view their other guest post here), comes to us from Twiisted Design Print Media who write about ways to update your home’s décor, especially in the kitchen with vinyl wall graphics. If you are looking to save on the expense of a remodel, adding tasteful wall decals can be a relatively inexpensive method to update the look of your home. Below are some great ideas and tips to make it happen.

Enjoy.
– Will

How to make your kitchen a masterpiece using vinyl wall graphics

The kitchen, might not occupy a considerable space, nevertheless, it is the heart of the home. Especially for those who love cooking, the kitchen’s visual appeal matters a great deal. People often relate kitchen renovations to purchasing lavish appliances, expensive countertops and sophisticated cooking gadgets, while the walls are often left ignored as an afterthought or not even thought of at all. Making significant, though small changes on your walls with vinyl wall graphics can help you get the desired look without paying for a massive renovation. Beautiful wall decal themes and graphics can guarantee successful visual satisfaction and aesthetic by helping you to accomplish your primary goal of kitchen beautification. And to get that done, listed below are a few tips and tricks for your kitchen walls to look beautiful and to improve your kitchen’s décor conveniently and instantly with vinyl wall graphics:

1. Think of the overall design and aesthetic flow of your home: Before choosing your favorite kitchen wall decal and vinyl wall graphics and sticker ideas, first decide the style you want to implement. You may not want to make your kitchen look entirely different from the rest of your house. Be sure to choose designs and themes that relate well with your overall house décor.
2. Work on colors: While opting for a special wall decal with beautiful colors, consider matching the shades and color pallettes with your appliances and things like your cabinets, sink, countertop, as well as backsplash as well as wall colors. You can go for shiny or brushed metal colors, plain black or white, woody or textured and several other color options with your vinyl wall graphics. Furthermore, consider matching colors with your kitchen flooring as well.
3. Find a vinyl decal that matches perfectly with the dimensions of your kitchen wall(s): It’s important to get the perfect size vinyl wall graphic for your kitchen space. Take measurements and include them in the selection process to find customized vinyl wall graphics for your home and/or place of work.
4. Search for the ruling trends: Consider taking a look at a few home décor magazines to get an idea of the latest vinyl wall graphics that are in fashion. The latest in vogue options carry higher attention to the following trends:
   1. Mix and match multiple materials and textured designs with your vinyl wall graphics. For example, if your kitchen consists of cream colored cabinets and countertops, you can opt for pasting granite colored decals on one or more of your kitchen walls and back-splashes to add a strong contrast.
   2. Be playful with your back-splash. Do not limit your creativity for kitchen updates. Apart from installing vinyl wall graphics into your kitchen space, consider adding lighting, hanging colorful plates or decorating the area with small pieces of artwork.
   3. Wall decals with inspirational messages or quotes can help in creating a positive environment.
   4. Use bold red wall decals or graphics for an attention-grabbing background or focal point.
   5. Bring the beauty of nature inside your kitchen by installing flower/tree prints or designs of clouds, leaves, etc. into your vinyl wall graphics.
   6. You can also apply a full-scale vinyl wall graphics of your favorite football player or your idol’s photograph on one of your kitchen walls.
   7. Or you can seek assistance in your selection from Twiisted Media’s wall design and print professionals to guide you on what may or may not suit your kitchen’s décor.

Why Choose Vinyl Decals Over Paint?

Until now, we have focused entirely on how to decorate your kitchen using vinyl wall graphics so as to save huge expenditures on renovations and stay in tune with the latest home décor trends. Here are a few basic shots to summarize the importance of going vinyl for your home or office walls than choosing to paint:

• A vinyl wall decal is the best option in case you already have your house painted, but want to spruce up your kitchen as they are easier to install and remove.
• Vinyl wall graphics are comparatively cheaper than painting and can be used instantly and conveniently.
• Wall prints can feed your creative hunger, as you can install different styles of graphics on each wall.
• Vinyl wall graphics are among the latest home décor trends. They offer a modern look to your home.

Final Thoughts

Vinyl wall graphics and decals are the best options to simplify your kitchen renovation needs. You pay less for wall decals without compromising on the quality and still get the benefit of an intense visual overhaul. Furthermore, pasting vinyl decals on your walls rather than painting your entire house can help save vital time and effort since wall graphics are instant art and easy to peel and stick on the wall.

About the Guest Post Author

Twiisted Media started with an idea sprinkled with creativity, passion and a love for design. This idea evolved to a commercial design and print company.

Sponsor this article for $1.00

Enter sponsor title and e-mail.

Enter website URL. Sponsor title will be hyperlinked with this URL.

By sponsoring this article, your sponsorship will display for a period of 180 days (6 months). If, for any reason, and it is up to the discretion of the authors of Windy Pinwheel, we feel content linked to or the name provided does not coincide with the objectives of this site for our audience we will issue a refund and pull the sponsorship of the article. This action does not limit you from sponsoring an article on our site again. However, by sponsoring again, we will issue the same review criteria as the prior sponsorship and if it fails, we will follow the same process as before and issue a refund and pull down the sponsorship. We truly appreciate the support of our audience and hope you can help offset our costs of operating this site by sponsoring our site articles.

For all reviews, please exercise discretion. If the sponsor of the article is in conflict of the topic of the article, we will pull down the sponsorship to remove any conflict of interest with the article at-hand. For instance, there is an article about a hamburger restaurant and a competing hamburger restaurant sponsors the article; we will pull the sponsorship and issue a refund.

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What is your baby’s nutrition worth to you?

Today’s guest post comes to us from Emma Claire at CookNovel who writes about baby food recipes so that you can make your baby food right at home.

When our children were little (today, at the time of this post they are 8, 6 and 3 respectively), we used the BEABA Babycook steam cooker/blender to make our baby food. We put the food in ice cube trays and put them in the freezer and pulled them out when we needed them.

Making food for our children without preservatives and all of the extras of store-bought food off of the shelf helped us feel good about what our children ate while growing at such critical stages in their brain development. Even to this day, we only buy Horizon brand organic milk with DHA labeled on the container.

The nutrition our children receive is one of the most important decisions a parent can make. We hope you can use some of these recipes for your own little ones. Thanks for the great article, Emma.

Enjoy.
– Will

5 Delicious wholesome homemade baby food recipes for your baby

When it comes to your baby, there’s no such thing as “trying too hard”, particularly when it comes to their food.

Cooking your baby’s food at home might take some extra time, which can be a problem for busy parents but there are several good reasons why you should consider homemade and wholesome baby food.

1. Since you’re the one that makes the food, you’ll know exactly what your baby is eating, down to the last ingredient. No preservatives, no colorants, no extra sugar. Just want you chose to eat.
2. It can be more affordable. This is not always the case but high-quality, organic, pre-packaged baby food tends to be pretty expensive. Luckily, making your own baby food can help you cut on the costs.
3. You can personalize your baby’s food based on what they like. This can help you gradually introduce new things in their diets, take out the foods they don’t like and eliminate any allergy risks.
4. You can share your food with your baby by making their food with similar ingredients as the one you used for your family’s dinner, saving time and money!

Now that you know why making your baby’s food at home is so convenient, it’s time to look at some of the most wholesome baby food recipes out there so you can make sure you’re giving your baby nothing but the best!

Delicious apple, oatmeal and pumpkin baby food

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Ingredients:

½ cup of unsweetened apple sauce.
½ cup of pumpkin, pureed.
1 ½ cup of cooked rolled oats. (Unsweetened)

Cinnamon, ginger or nutmeg to taste. (Remember not to use too much as to not to overwhelm your baby’s palate)

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Instructions:

Step 1: Mix the unsweetened applesauce, pureed pumpkin and the cooked oatmeal together.
Step 2: Gradually add the cinnamon, nutmeg or ginger and taste it. Add more spices if necessary.
Step 3: Stir everything until perfectly mixed and blend if necessary.

This recipe is fantastic for babies aged 6-8 months.

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Creamed peas and nuggets

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Ingredients:

4 cups of peas, preferably fresh.
1 cup of whole milk
2 tbsp. of flour
2 tbsp. of butter
Chicken

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Instructions:

Step 1: In a sauce pan, mix the flour with melted butter. Cook no longer than a minute.
Step 2: Add the milk and mix as you do it to prevent any lumps.
Step 3: Add salt and pepper to taste. You can also add other spices if you feel it’s appropriate.
Step 4: Cook while stirring until the mix starts to thicken.
Step 5: Add the peas and cook them for about five minutes or until they’re heated through.
Step 6: Add chicken

Since this recipe has dairy consult with your pediatrician before introducing it to your baby’s diet.

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Squash and rice puree

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Ingredients:

1 cup of mashed butternut squash
½ cup of fresh water
¼ cup of rice of your choosing.
Yogurt (optional)

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Instructions:

Step 1: Using a blender or a food processor mix your mashed squash and the water. Slowly integrate the rice until perfectly blended.
Step 2: If your baby doesn’t like the consistency add more water to thin it or, if your baby can eat dairy, add yogurt to thicken it.

This recipe is perfect for babies 8 months old or more!

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Banana Avocado Baby Food

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Ingredients:

1 ripe avocado
1 ripe banana

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Instructions:

Step 1: Peel and de-pit your avocado
Step 2: Remove the avocado meat and mash it with a food masher or a fork.
Step 3: Peel your banana and mash it with a food masher or a fork.
Step 4: Blend everything together in a food processor or a blender until you reach the desired consistency.

This recipe is perfect for babies between 6 – 4 months and it doesn’t need to be cooked so you can make it in a pinch.

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Sweet potato soup

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Ingredients:

1 ½ cups of sweet potatoes, cooked.
1 tbsp. of flour
1 tbsp. of butter
1 ½ cups of chicken broth
¼ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup of whole milk

You can use cinnamon instead or nutmeg or, if you prefer it, you can also use 1/8 of nutmeg and 1/8 of ginger for extra flavor.

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Instructions:

Step 1: Melt the butter and mix it with the flour in a saucepan. Mix until it acquires a caramel-like color.
Step 2: Slowly add the broth while mixing the entire way to prevent any lumps. Keep the soup simmering and slowly stir in the potatoes and whatever spices you chose.
Step 3: Cook for 5 minutes.
Step 4: Mix using a food processor or a blender (Top 5 best personal blenders for smoothies). Add the milk when you serve the baby food.

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Storing homemade baby food

If there’s a downside to homemade baby food is the fact that it doesn’t keep as long as pre-packed food.

There are two ways you can store baby food, in the freezer or the fridge.

Fridge

You can store your homemade baby food in the fridge for up to 48 hours, as long as you keep it in an airtight container.

Freezer

You can also freeze your baby food so it lasts from 1-3 months.

The best way of doing this is not adding liquids (such as milk or broth) to the food until it’s time to eat it:

• Puree the base of your baby food and freeze it in ice cube trays.
• Take out only the baby food cubes you’ll need. (1 cube is optimal for young babies)
• Thaw the pureed baby food and integrate the liquids
• Reheat and serve

What do you think of these recipes?

Do you know any others that you think need to be included in this list? Do you have any doubts? Questions? Suggestions? Want to let us know if your baby liked the food? Let us know in the comments and don’t forget to share with your friends and family if you found this article useful.

Thanks for reading!

About the Guest Post Author

I’m Emma, founder of CookNovel blog, and I’m absolutely in love with food blogs. I’d like to share the interesting recipes, food tips and top lists of kitchen gadgets. I’m a foodie at heart but being the mother of 3 kids, it’s not always easy to keep up with fancy dinners… so I rely on the support of other blogging moms like me to help along the way.

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By sponsoring this article, your sponsorship will display for a period of 180 days (6 months). If, for any reason, and it is up to the discretion of the authors of Windy Pinwheel, we feel content linked to or the name provided does not coincide with the objectives of this site for our audience we will issue a refund and pull the sponsorship of the article. This action does not limit you from sponsoring an article on our site again. However, by sponsoring again, we will issue the same review criteria as the prior sponsorship and if it fails, we will follow the same process as before and issue a refund and pull down the sponsorship. We truly appreciate the support of our audience and hope you can help offset our costs of operating this site by sponsoring our site articles.

For all reviews, please exercise discretion. If the sponsor of the article is in conflict of the topic of the article, we will pull down the sponsorship to remove any conflict of interest with the article at-hand. For instance, there is an article about a hamburger restaurant and a competing hamburger restaurant sponsors the article; we will pull the sponsorship and issue a refund.

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Pool safety is no joke

Today’s guest post comes to us from Sean Morris at LearnFit.com. He writes about pool safety in the off-season. Even though we are in Northern Nevada, some of us might have pools in our backyards. Pool safety with young children is no joke. It can only take seconds for a toddler or young child to drown. Please take these precautions when wrapping up your Summer fun zone in the backyard. Thank you for your fantastic article, Sean. We really appreciate the contribution.

Enjoy.
– Will

4 ways to protect your child from drowning in the off-season

Did you know that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) names drowning as the top cause of unintentional deaths for children ages 1-4 years? An astounding 58% of these occur in in-ground pools.

But never fear: here are four ways to ensure pool safety to protect your little one from drowning during the off-season.

1. Invest in a pool fence.

A pool fence can be the ultimate safeguard for your home when it comes to pool safety. All kids have the tendency to wander off to forbidden areas, and this can include your backyard and pool area. In fact, more than 75 percent of children who drown are seen five minutes or less before they are discovered in the pool. Reduce the risk dramatically by blocking off the water, and ensure the gate to enter has a self-latching, child-safety lock on it to deter even the craftiest of children.

2. Ensure that pool drain and filter covers are secure and out of reach.

From 2005 to 2007, 24 cases (and two deaths) were reported of a child becoming trapped in a pool or spa drain. Kids have been known to play with an open drain only to have hair, a hand or a foot get caught in the suction, leaving them unable to escape. Public pools are required by law to adhere to specific child-safe drain covers; these kinds of covers might be a valuable option for your own home as a pool safety measure!

3. Keep that rescue equipment right where it is.

If you have a pool and a young child, you certainly have a life preserver and shepherd’s hook by the pool. Keep them there! Even if your pool is covered for the season, even if your gate is locked and secured, always keep your pool safety tools handy.

4. Consider an extra, louder layer of protection.

Consider adding an alarm to your pool area, especially if your child is particularly precocious and ambitious, add an alarm to your pool gate. This could save precious seconds if a toddler figures out the child-safety locks. Remember, it takes only seconds for a child to drown.

“Off-season” doesn’t mean “out of danger.” When it comes to pool safety, even the most conscientious parents can have close calls. Remember these tips and keep your child safe from drowning no matter the season!

About the Guest Post Author

Sean Morris recently left his career as a social worker to be a stay-at-home dad to his wonderful kids. He and a couple of his friends created LearnFit.org. On the site, he enjoys writing about parenting, marriage, how to achieve work-life balance, and more.

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For all reviews, please exercise discretion. If the sponsor of the article is in conflict of the topic of the article, we will pull down the sponsorship to remove any conflict of interest with the article at-hand. For instance, there is an article about a hamburger restaurant and a competing hamburger restaurant sponsors the article; we will pull the sponsorship and issue a refund.

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Do you like to cook?

Today’s guest post comes to us from Olivia Rose at mykingcook.com. She writes about essential kitchen gadgets to keep handy in your kitchen at home. These items are must-haves and essential for any budding cook or experienced chef. With the holidays coming up, these would make excellent stocking-stuffers too. Thank you for your great article, Olivia. We truly appreciate the contribution.

Enjoy.
– Will

Top 5 Kitchen Gadgets Every Food Enthusiast Should Have

Every home cook should have a best friend in the kitchen. But in my case, I have more than one that I rely on when I whip up something delicious at home. As a matter of fact, these tools are not just perfect for food enthusiasts like you and me, but also, having different kitchen gadgets, appliances and tools can definitely come in handy for emergency dinners and get-togethers at home.

So, if you are looking for great ways to spruce up your kitchen, aside from having the best cookware for glass top stoves, then here are my favorite kitchen gadgets on your list of must-haves.

5 Innovative Kitchen Tools and Gadgets for You

1. Digital Volume Spoon Scale

Say goodbye to doing manual measurements. No more having too much or too little of a certain ingredient, because having a digital volume spoon scale will ensure perfect measurements every time. It is a measuring cup and spoon, all rolled into one device. Just attach or detach the spoon or cup and you are all set. It’s battery operated with an LCD panel where you can read the measurements. Now, you can measure your spices, such as smoked paprika, thyme, or dried basil without fuss.

2. Portable Vacuum Sealer

It doesn’t matter whether you are planning to sou vide your steaks for the holidays or you simply want to keep your food (wet or dry) fresh; you definitely need to own a decent vacuum sealer at home. Trust us, when we tell you that owning even a food saver can help you save tons of money on food. I have a heavy duty one at home because I do a lot of experiments in my kitchen. You can do the same, if you as adventurous. There are different kinds of sealers on the market, from large commercial kitchen grades to handheld mini-sealers. Just choose the one that serves your needs.

3. Digital BBQ Tongs and Thermometer

Are you a BBQ lover like me? If you are, then this gadget definitely deserves a space in your kitchen. Each person has his or her own degree of cooked preference when it comes to their meats. So, it is important that we have the right temperature every time we fire up the grill. The handles on this item have a built in, battery operated thermometer to help you find out if the your choice cuts on the grill are cooked to delicious perfection.

4. Instant Wine Chiller and Refresher

Everyone deserves a perfectly chilled glass of wine, don’t you think? Most of us follow the practice of just leaving your wine bottles out there in the open or stuck in an ice bucket. With this mini wine chiller, you simply have to stick the spout in the freezer for about 6 hours and attach it to the neck of the bottle, and voila! Instantly chilled wine in your glass. This gadget chills the wine and not the bottle! It’s simply perfect for every wine lover out there.

5. Vegetable Spiralizer

With the increase in the number of people who are becoming more and more health conscious, it is definitely time to join in. Now you can use zoodles (noodles made from zucchini), carrots, sweet potato and cucumber spirals as substitutes for carb-loaded pasta with ease. There are different types of spiralizers in the market, so you can choose the bigger ones or the handheld veggie noodle makers. All you need is your spiralizer and your imagination, or some fantastic recipes to try, and you can start making delicious and healthy dishes at home.

Bonus Kitchen Gadget: Flameless Marshmallow Roaster

Usually, I am not-so-keen on single-use gadgets but who doesn’t want to have a s’mores party from time to time? This is something that most people would consider a complete splurge. But, however you would look at it, you can’t deny that this roaster is pretty awesome. Now you do not need to go out camping just to enjoy this sweet treat. Consider this my our bonus!

These gadgets and tools will surely make your life in the kitchen a little less stressful and a lot more fun!

Sources:

1. Admetior Digital Volumetric Spoon Scale
2. 30 Innovative Kitchen Tools & Gadgets by Hongkiat
3. 25+ Of The Coolest Kitchen Gadgets For Food Lovers by Bored Panda

About the Guest Post Author

My name is Olivia Rose. People say I am a housewife and have nothing much to do, but being a mother of two kids is itself a ful time job. I like to research and learn about new food and health related discoveries. I want to share my knowledge, that is why I have established mykingcook.com. I have shared my very own recipes also. I hope readers like my content and learn from it.

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By sponsoring this article, your sponsorship will display for a period of 180 days (6 months). If, for any reason, and it is up to the discretion of the authors of Windy Pinwheel, we feel content linked to or the name provided does not coincide with the objectives of this site for our audience we will issue a refund and pull the sponsorship of the article. This action does not limit you from sponsoring an article on our site again. However, by sponsoring again, we will issue the same review criteria as the prior sponsorship and if it fails, we will follow the same process as before and issue a refund and pull down the sponsorship. We truly appreciate the support of our audience and hope you can help offset our costs of operating this site by sponsoring our site articles.

For all reviews, please exercise discretion. If the sponsor of the article is in conflict of the topic of the article, we will pull down the sponsorship to remove any conflict of interest with the article at-hand. For instance, there is an article about a hamburger restaurant and a competing hamburger restaurant sponsors the article; we will pull the sponsorship and issue a refund.

By clicking the button below, I agree with the Terms & Conditions.