Kids Beds Should Be Safe Above Anything Else
As a parent, you know everything there is to know about worries.
It goes with having kids.
As a father, I have often worried about my kids - even when they were sleeping soundly.
Why is it so quiet in there? Have they stopped breathing? I better go in and check on them! Yes, it can get a little hysterical at times - I will be the first to admit.
But there is nothing wrong with having genuine worries for the safety of your children, and they should certainly be safe when they sleep too.
In this article I will discuss the importance of a safe sleeping environment for your kids, as it relates to kids beds.
We don't want our kids to get hurt in their sleep, or while playing in their beds during the day - as most kids do from time to time.
So we need to do our homework before buying kids beds.
Some of the important things to look for are: Build quality Is the bed solidly constructed? No matter what material is used, a bed should not feel rickety or flimsy.
I always say, that a good kids bed shouldn't feel unsafe, even while supporting the weight of a grown person.
If you climb into it and it feels like it could collapse any minute, stay away from it.
Think about the quite likely situation of 2 or more children jumping up and down in that bed - does it look like it would stand up to that? If it can be broken, chances are kids will.
Not out of bad intentions, but because kids are still learning and will often misjudge what an object in their environment will stand up to before breaking apart.
This also means that surfaces should be well finished, repelling water and resisting prying fingers.
Particle board is often used for beds, but it is very vulnerable if not covered with veneer, vinyl or laminate.
Remember to check screws, nails, nuts and bolts.
They should be tight and all the way in.
Also look for sharp edges on wood, steel or plastic.
Unfinished wood can generate lots of splinters; especially if it is not sanded properly.
Screws, nails, nuts and bolts should not protrude or have sharp ends and edges.
Nuts and bolts anywhere near a surface that the child may come in contact with regularly should have softly domed ends for best protection.
Safety in design Make sure a bed is not dangerous in the way it is designed.
This includes safety rails - especially on bunk beds and loft beds, but also on low beds - certainly for smaller children.
Even with a safety rail in place, my daughter has sometimes managed to take the foot-high fall from her single bed once or twice.
Not an enjoyable experience.
Look closely at the bed to see if there might be anywhere a hand, foot or other body part could get stuck.
Look in the instruction manual for the bed, to see if it conforms to safety regulations in effect where you live.
This should cover specific distances between the parts of the bed, making sure kids up to a certain age can't get stuck in any way.
Remember - if there is a hole, kids will stick something in it.
Toxic substances do not belong in kids beds This is a slightly tricky thing to avoid sometimes.
What about paints, finishes and materials used in the bed? Are these toxic, or do they emit toxic fumes? Particle board contains formaldehyde and will emit it to some degree - especially when new.
This doesn't have to be a problem if the emission happens slowly and you remember to ventilate the room for at least half an hour a day - which you should do anyway.
Some textiles can also contain additives that aren't exactly healthy.
I would never allow mattresses treated with fire-retarding chemicals in my house for sure.
Sometimes the dye used in covers and the tents that come with some theme beds can also be toxic.
If in doubt, trust your nose: if it emits a strong chemical smell, it probably isn't good.
Also stay away from soft plastic parts, as they could contain potentially dangerous softeners.
That was a lot of information to digest at once, but remember that kids beds are typically in use for years - time in which you children will spend more than eight hours every night in their beds, and often play in them during the day.
Nothing is really too good when it comes to kids beds then, is it?
It goes with having kids.
As a father, I have often worried about my kids - even when they were sleeping soundly.
Why is it so quiet in there? Have they stopped breathing? I better go in and check on them! Yes, it can get a little hysterical at times - I will be the first to admit.
But there is nothing wrong with having genuine worries for the safety of your children, and they should certainly be safe when they sleep too.
In this article I will discuss the importance of a safe sleeping environment for your kids, as it relates to kids beds.
We don't want our kids to get hurt in their sleep, or while playing in their beds during the day - as most kids do from time to time.
So we need to do our homework before buying kids beds.
Some of the important things to look for are: Build quality Is the bed solidly constructed? No matter what material is used, a bed should not feel rickety or flimsy.
I always say, that a good kids bed shouldn't feel unsafe, even while supporting the weight of a grown person.
If you climb into it and it feels like it could collapse any minute, stay away from it.
Think about the quite likely situation of 2 or more children jumping up and down in that bed - does it look like it would stand up to that? If it can be broken, chances are kids will.
Not out of bad intentions, but because kids are still learning and will often misjudge what an object in their environment will stand up to before breaking apart.
This also means that surfaces should be well finished, repelling water and resisting prying fingers.
Particle board is often used for beds, but it is very vulnerable if not covered with veneer, vinyl or laminate.
Remember to check screws, nails, nuts and bolts.
They should be tight and all the way in.
Also look for sharp edges on wood, steel or plastic.
Unfinished wood can generate lots of splinters; especially if it is not sanded properly.
Screws, nails, nuts and bolts should not protrude or have sharp ends and edges.
Nuts and bolts anywhere near a surface that the child may come in contact with regularly should have softly domed ends for best protection.
Safety in design Make sure a bed is not dangerous in the way it is designed.
This includes safety rails - especially on bunk beds and loft beds, but also on low beds - certainly for smaller children.
Even with a safety rail in place, my daughter has sometimes managed to take the foot-high fall from her single bed once or twice.
Not an enjoyable experience.
Look closely at the bed to see if there might be anywhere a hand, foot or other body part could get stuck.
Look in the instruction manual for the bed, to see if it conforms to safety regulations in effect where you live.
This should cover specific distances between the parts of the bed, making sure kids up to a certain age can't get stuck in any way.
Remember - if there is a hole, kids will stick something in it.
Toxic substances do not belong in kids beds This is a slightly tricky thing to avoid sometimes.
What about paints, finishes and materials used in the bed? Are these toxic, or do they emit toxic fumes? Particle board contains formaldehyde and will emit it to some degree - especially when new.
This doesn't have to be a problem if the emission happens slowly and you remember to ventilate the room for at least half an hour a day - which you should do anyway.
Some textiles can also contain additives that aren't exactly healthy.
I would never allow mattresses treated with fire-retarding chemicals in my house for sure.
Sometimes the dye used in covers and the tents that come with some theme beds can also be toxic.
If in doubt, trust your nose: if it emits a strong chemical smell, it probably isn't good.
Also stay away from soft plastic parts, as they could contain potentially dangerous softeners.
That was a lot of information to digest at once, but remember that kids beds are typically in use for years - time in which you children will spend more than eight hours every night in their beds, and often play in them during the day.
Nothing is really too good when it comes to kids beds then, is it?