You can't be everywhere

When you have a child one of those check boxes all parents cringe at is baby proofing. You fasten baby safe hardware to every single drawer and cabinet in your home, but over time drawers and doors get used, tugged and pulled and the hardware loses its shape and before you know it your toddler is pulling that drawer or cupboard and showing you that bottle of cleaner that you tried so desperately to keep locked up safely.

Child safety hardware can take a
lesson from gate hardware

Thankfully, the hardware you can put on your gate is years ahead of the safety curve in protecting your little children and pets from getting into trouble in your yard, or beyond it. Years ahead only if you choose the right gate hardware, and when it comes to your loved ones, the right choice is the only choice.

While a gate hinge is a necessity to keeping the gate up, it’s important to understand the need for an adjustable, self-closing gate hinge. The ground moves constantly from rain, wind, earthquakes and of course daily opening and closing and this weighs on the gate’s ability to shut. Unless you are standing there shutting the gate yourself, you can’t ensure that gate is going to close each time, and you probably can’t be there every time the gardener finishes his work. Adjusting your gate hinges is quick and simple. TruClose self-closing gate hinges take just a simple twist with a screwdriver and you’re done.  

Increase your peace of mind with a self-latching, magnetic latch like the MagnaLatch or LokkLatch and you’re backyard becomes a greater safety zone for your kids and pets.

Fear for the fearless

I watched my 2-year old daughter, Bella, step into the pool, walk down the stairs and immediately start reaching and walking towards the toys that were floating nearby. A very small part of me thought she will take well to her swimming lessons, but the larger part of me became so much more aware of how easily it is for a child to drown.

Bella always looking her best

When my child entered the pool she didn’t even seem to acknowledge there was water around her. She looked as comfortable in that pool as she does on land. We call her our fearless one because she is determined and intent and while I can’t wait to see where that gets her in her life’s goals, right now providing her the right tools and skills to keep her alive is our ultimate goal. Her twin brother, Jack, didn’t really have this issue – he was the crier – not because he didn’t like the water but because the instructor took him away from mom for a brief moment. Halfway through the lesson he realized he comes back, so the crying stopped and all the attendees at the pool were thankful.

Jack after his breakdown

By lesson two, Bella was blowing bubbles and had her head fully submerged in the water. As the instructor brought her back to the steps, she said “fearless for sure,” and I said the main reason she is here.

Our yard doesn’t have a pool, but grandma does and with frequent visits there I am constantly reminded it only takes a few seconds (avg. 20 seconds), long enough to answer the phone, send a text or run to the bathroom, for a child to drown.

As parents our guard must be up, and we must be prepared. 
Here are some tips to help protect our kids:

·         Supervision is without a doubt the most important rule to pool safety.

·         Get your kids swimming lessons (and if you don’t know how to swim, get them for yourself).

·         Pools should be fenced and gated using self-closing, self latching gates open outward and have latches above the reach of children like the MagnaLatch and TruClose gate hinges from D&D Technologies.

·         Remove items like tables and chairs from the fence, as children will climb on anything.

·         Learn CPR and how to use safety equipment.

Don't wait until summer for swim lessons

As you sit in the middle of winter, what better way to get your kids prepped for summer months than through swim lessons?  Isn’t winter for skiing, ice skating and snow ball fights?? It’s not as though your child can’t participate in all that winter has to offer, but an indoor pool can be a little more accessible than a ski slope on a daily basis and provides great benefits:

·         Fewer kids per class than summer classes. Instructors have more time to give one on one to students – why let your kid get lost in the shuffle of larger summer classes.

·         Swimming is a good stress reliever. Children have the stress from school and home and swimming provides a great way to relax and enjoy themselves in the water.

·         Winter typically is a low energy time of year for everyone, including children. Swimming provides a low impact aerobic exercise allowing them to exercise during these cold days.

·         Instead of taking the summer to learn how to swim, your child can actually enjoy the summer swimming!

In a study completed by the National Institute of Child health and Development, participation in formal swimming lessons was associated with an 88% reduction in the risk of drowning in the 1- to 4-year-old children.

Contact your local YMCA or city recreation center today for details and get your child into the water now.

Include your gate & fence this holiday season in your decorating plans

Thanksgiving came early this year, and we have to ask did you decorate your gate and fence? Can’t leave them out of the fun.  Here is some inspiration:

 

Prep your gate for winter

Did you know that gate latches can deteriorate during the winter months? That your gate latch could actually rust, become misaligned, and even stop working completely, letting in uninvited guests both of the human and animal type.

You can winterize your fence and safeguard your home by installing a top quality gate latch or lock that is rust-proof and adjustable.

Check out D&D’s gate latches and locks, all of which are made of high-tech engineering polymers and stainless steel components, making them a long-lasting and rust-proof investment.  D&D gate latches and locks are also adjustable – both during and after installation – so that you can easily correct anny alignment issues.

So get on it. Winterize your fence today!