Managing interactions between babies and household pets. Even friendly dogs and cats can accidentally hurt a baby. Never leave a baby alone with a pet, teach gentle touching as kids get older, and watch for signs of stress in your animals.
Related Terms
Active, attentive watching of a child, especially around water, heights, and hazards. Supervision doesn't mean scrolling your phone while your kid plays near the pool. It means eyes-on, within arm's reach when needed, and knowing what to watch for at each developmental stage.
The room where your baby sleeps and spends a lot of their time. A safe nursery starts with a compliant crib, a firm mattress, and no loose items in the sleep space. Anchor all furniture, secure cords, and keep small objects out of reach. Think of it as your highest-priority room to childproof.
A barrier installed in doorways or at the top/bottom of stairs to keep babies and toddlers from entering unsafe areas. Hardware-mounted gates screw into the wall and are the only safe option for the top of stairs. Pressure-mounted gates work for doorways and the bottom of stairs.