L = ALTER the Location of Activities for You or Your Child
Move to a Better Location to See Your Child or Move Your Child Closer to You
Another common strategy used by parents to improve their ability to monitor children is to change the location of activities, either for the parent or the child. While it can take a little planning or organization of the home, keeping you and your child within a visual space while you each do your own activities is a great way of ensuring your child’s safety. For example, planning child activities in or near the kitchen while preparing meals, moving your workspace closer to a child’s play area, or agreeing to do something together in the backyard.
Examples:
- Arrange a play area near the kitchen/living room so that you can monitor your child while doing chores or tasks.
- Arrange your activities, like folding laundry, near your child’s play area so that you can see your child play.
- If you feel you can monitor your child safely, you may like to find chores or tasks, like cleaning, that you can complete in the bathroom during your child’s baths.
- Identify activities or toys that your child likes that you can move to different locations to meet your need to do work or chores.