Get Ready for Grandkids

How to Childproof Your Home

When it comes to the safety of your most special houseguests—your grandchildren—you can't be too cautious. So before their next visit, check out these tips for childproofing your home and ridding it of hidden hazards that might seriously injure babies or young kids.

Hide temptation. Naturally curious little ones will put almost anything into their mouths. Keep potential poisons (such as medicine, household cleaners and rubbing alcohol) out of reach—and, ideally, in a locked cabinet. And don't leave purses within grabbing distance. Chances are they contain choking hazards, like coins or medicine.

Hold off on hand-me-downs. Yes, it might seem sweet to tuck your grandbaby into the same crib your children slept in. But old baby furniture is risky. A crib that is more than a few years old, for example, won't meet today's safety standards. The same is likely true for playpens.

Set the stage for safe sleep. To protect against sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), keep soft, cushiony objects—such as stuffed animals, bumper pads, pillows and blankets—out of cribs. And always put babies to sleep on their backs on a firm surface—not your bed.

Beware of bathroom dangers. Babies and toddlers can fall headfirst into toilets and drown. Play it safe and use toilet locks.

Fend off falls. Install gates at the top and bottom of each staircase. The gates at the top of stairs should be mounted with screws. But it's OK if those at the bottom are pressure mounted. And help keep adventurous climbers safe by moving chairs, cribs and other furniture away from windows.

For more ways to help keep grandchildren out of harm's way, visit www.safekids.org. Click on "Safety Tips."

Sources: AARP; American Academy of Pediatrics; Safe Kids Worldwide

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Patrick has a passion for baking and it shows in everything he does!

When the calendar says, "Baking Demo: Cookies with Patrick," folks gather around. Today, Patrick Boylan, a baker at Thompson Senior Living Communities, shared his family recipe for the favorite molasses cookies! Patrick did his training at Le Cordon Bleu in New Hampshire and has quite some skills in the baking department. He demostrated how he assembles a batch of the molasses cookies and while he prepared the dough in his very own orange kitchenaid mixer (a gift from his Mom) he told us about the baked goods he prefers to make in our kitchen. He loves to decorate cakes and cookies. One of his other family recipes that he prepares for the residents is a raspberry cheesecake. He enjoys baking and decorating wedding cakes and says that his passion came from his mother's love of baking. it was a special treat to meet one of our talented cooks and to hear some of his personal story. Thank you Patrick!