Decorate with Safety in Mind

Cordless window blinds and shades are recommended for childrens' rooms.

Most expecting parents start to mentally furnish their baby's room the moment they hear the good news. While there is great excitement and fun in gathering ideas and choices for furniture, rugs, accessories and window treatments, parents should also consider how they can make their child's room as safe as possible. The first five years of a child's life are marked by curiosity. By the time children become mobile, around eight months or so, it's vital that parents have made their kids' rooms child-proof. ACTIVE CHILDREN Start by looking around the room. Do changing tables have safety straps? Are the baby products you'll need for changing easily accessible? Do all electrical outlets have child guards? Do rugs have skid-proof undermats? Another important area that needs parental attention are the windows. Babies start to stand in their cribs as early as six months; active children may be able to climb over and out in just a few more months. If a crib is near a window, a child may be able to reach over the crib railing and become entangled in dangling window cords, leading to a serious accident or strangulation. For several years now, the Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) has offered parents and consumers free safety devices for child-proofing corded window blinds, shades and draperies. However, there are a number of recent window innovations that are making many of these retrofit safety devices unnecessary. In addition, many manufacturers are now producing cordless window coverings. FASHIONABLY SAFE Probably the most talked about product innovation is the spring-loaded cordless mini-blind. To raise or lower the blind, all you do is pull down or push up on the bottom bar. Cordless pleated shades also are gaining in popularity. Even vertical blinds are now available with a cordless device that controls both the rotation of the vanes and the open-and-close functions. Many, if not most, window covering products can be made to operate with motors, which eliminate the need for control cords and further enhance the usability of the treatment. With their streamlined look and design, cordless products offer the additional benefit of decorating flexibility. Whether topped by a valance or framed by drapery panels, cordless products lend themselves to decorative layering for a variety of looks. And as the child grows, all that's needed to change the decor is a different valance. From balloon toppers in pastel florals to gingham jabots or tailored valances in primary colors, cordless blinds and shades can be quickly transformed from safe and practical window treatments into decorating focal points. Although cordless products are more expensive than their corded counterparts, the Window Covering Safety Council urges parents to seriously consider the safety benefits of using cordless window coverings in a child's room.