In yesterday’s Standard, “Toddler dies in yacht accident” is one of the key stories on the front page.  It saddens me to know that this could have been prevented.  Yes, there are freak accidents, but in this story, I lean towards blaming both the parents and the domestic helper for causing this boy’s death.

The story is that an 18-month year old boy and his domestic helper were on this yacht.  The domestic helper leaves the boy to go make lunch and when she hears nothing, returns to find the boy strangling from a cord of the blinds.  For starters, how come the domestic helper didn’t bring the boy with her?  I thought the one most important rule for any parent (or caretaker) is to “NEVER LEAVE YOUR CHILDREN UNATTENDED”?  OK, I admit that I don’t always go by this rule either, because sometimes I need to go the washroom or wash my hands or something, but then make sure that they are in a 100% safe environment if you are to leave them.  This means, a cot, a play pen, or a child-proofed room (even if they don’t like it - too bad, it’s for your own safety!).  I’m also following Cycle 12 of America’s Next Top Model and there is one contestant, Tahlia, who had 80% of her body burned when she was 18 months year old by a hot pot of coffee.  Her mother had left the coffee pot on the counter with the cord hanging over it and Tahlia as a child, went to pull on it, only to have the whole thing come crashing down on her.  Luckily, the burns were only to the lower half of her body.

Call me crazy or paranoid, but my house is pretty child proof.  But now that I think about it some more,  I am going to make improvements to it and become more vigilent in not slacking (like I am thinking right now how my new vacuum cleaning is sitting right under the kitchen table and there’s a cord extension running under there as well - YIKES).  I also repeat safety to my domestic helper over and over and over like a brainwashing activity.  I don’t do this for only my children’s safety, but for the safety of the children that are visiting.  You can never be too careful, but we should certainly do what is within our power and ability because all it takes is one time (within a span of a few seconds as well) that could change everything.