I was watching an Orlando news station last night, and they reported on the tragic death of a four-year-old boy. The story goes that he had started trying to get the baby monitor in his room over the last few days. The monitor had been on his dresser, but his mother had moved it to the windowsill behind the dresser. The reporter went on to say that the little boy got out of bed and climbed on the dresser, pulling it over on himself. I do not remember hearing the timeframe of the mother checking on the child, but this was what she found.
A similar story was sharedat the same time: another young child died after a television fell on them. This obviously happened a few days ago, so there were not a lot of details given about this one.
These two stories should prompt us to think about the unthinkable. As children become more mobile, they are prone to climb or go anywhere. There is little to no fear, since they have not experienced the bad results of most actions. Parents and caregivers must be watchful of everything. These stories give securing items a whole new meaning.
These may seem like random and isolated cases, but we all must learn from them. I remember when some children fell from upper story windows because of a lower-than-normal windowsill, which caused the building codes to change. We are presently staying in an apartment-type setting, on the second floor. I am thinking about the balcony and the pools. I say that because we are with our almost four-year-old and 19-month-old grandchildren. I do not obsess about these things, but I do think about them.
It is important that we make every place that we stay as childproof as possible, whether it takes outlet covers, locking doors, or just thinking through what could happen. I have asked you this before, but do you know where your children are and what they are doing right this minute? It only takes a split second for a tragedy to occur. Let’s think about these unthinkable things and make the necessary corrections before something occurs. Do not procrastinate.
