June is a month for celebration. It starts somewhere between graduation parties and Father’s Day barbecues, goes through the Fourth of July, and culminates with Labor Day. In between those days, of course, there are countless outdoor birthday bashes, grill fests, and pool parties. They are memorable, but they can often be busy times when our attention becomes briefly diminished — and it is in these minuscule frames of time when accidents can happen in an instant. When you’ve got a full house and divided attention, it is important to remember these tips to ensure that your children (and your guests’ children) and pets are safe.
Pools
All it takes is one second for a child to fall into an in-ground pool. Children need to be supervised at all times. Consider having adults take shifts to stay by the pool at all times throughout the party.
Pets
July 4 is the worst day for dogs getting lost. The loud fireworks scare many dogs, and that combined with having company over and distracted owners is a recipe for disaster. The top three breeds that run away are Labrador retrievers, chihuahuas, and pit bulls. Above all, make plans for your dog before guests arrive. Try to keep him in a gated area where he can see people but cannot get out. Or, if he is an anxious type, consider keeping him in a quiet, but cool bedroom, and make it a point to check on him regularly (or have a family member take on this task).
Just for added insurance, place the proper identification tags on your dog that list his name, your name and address, and your phone number.
Alcohol
Children like bright, colored drinks, and the younger set will have no idea if it’s meant for them or not. Ask guests to keep an eye on their drinks. It sounds like simple advice, but every year, children end up drinking beverages containing alcohol.
When considering pets, simply keep your dog away from it by asking guests to not place them on low furniture or the floor. Drinking alcohol can cause alcohol poisoning, coma, and death in pets.
Burns
It’s not a good idea to give children or pets free roam of the yard when the grill is on. Burns can happen in an instant, so rope off the area around the grill and make it off-limits to children and pets.
Fireworks
Allow children who have sensory issues or simply don’t like loud noises a place where they can go to avoid the commotion. Turn up the TV in the living room, put on a children’s video, and have an older guest supervise. If your dog is afraid of fireworks, place him in a closed off (cool) room, and turn up the TV or radio to drown out the noise until the explosives are over. And even if you or your guests do any small fireworks or sparklers, keep your dog inside. That is precisely when dogs can get burned or run away.
Poisonous products
Keep matches, citronella candles, bug sprays, sunscreens, and lighting fluid out of children’s reach. Do a poison check (from a pint-sized perspective) before your guests arrive.
Danielle Sullivan, a mom of three, has worked as a writer and editor in the parenting world for more than 10 years. Sullivan also writes about pets and parenting for Disney’s Babble.com. Find her on Facebook and Twitter @DanniSullWriter, or on her blog, Some Puppy To Love.
