How To Make Your Kid's Diwali Safe?

Diwali is a time of joy and merriment. But it may not be the best atmosphere for your baby. Younger the baby, harder the time it is going to be for him or her. Read this!

By Subodini Menon

Tuesday, October 17, 2017, 13:20 [IST]

Diwali is a time of joy and merriment. But it may not be the best atmosphere for your baby. Younger the baby, harder the time it is going to be for him or her. The people around you will be bursting crackers and enjoying to their fill.

The house will be decorated with lamps, lights and candles. There will be a string of visitors that may visit your home. All of these factors together may overwhelm your baby no matter how calm your baby usually is.

It is normal to want that your baby participates in his/her first Diwali. But it is also your responsibility, as a parent, to make sure that your baby has a safe and comfortable Diwali.

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It is easy to overlook the emotional and sensory overload that your baby will face during the festivities when you are so excited about your baby's first Diwali. Therefore, you need to put in that extra effort to help your baby cope with it.

An overwhelmed baby is often cranky and restless. When your baby is in such a mood, you may feel that the whole evening has become stressful and unenjoyable. Let's make sure that this does not happen.

We have compiled a list of things that you must keep in mind while preparing for your baby's first Diwali. So, read on to make sure that you, your baby and your family have a good and joyous Diwali.

Avoid Too Many Strange Faces

If your baby is older than 6 months, he/she probably can tell strange faces apart from the familiar ones. The baby will feel comfortable around familiar faces. Strange faces may cause him/her to panic.

Make sure he/she always has someone he/she considers familiar. It can be a parent, grandparent or an older sibling.

Stick With The Baby’s Routine

A daily routine inculcates a safe and familiar feeling in the baby. He/she feels comfortable when a routine is followed. You must take care not to disrupt the routine, even during the Diwali celebrations.

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It is very easy to go off-track of the routine during the festivities. If the routine is disrupted, you may have a cranky baby in your hands.

Choose Comfortable Clothes

Synthetic fabric is not good for your baby. Choose clothes made out of cotton or other natural fibres. These are flame retardant too. Make sure that the clothes are not embroidered with choking hazards like beads, tassles and mirror work. Keep away from costumes with draw strings, as they may come loose and pose a threat.

Choose Age-appropriate Food For Your Baby

During Diwali, your baby will be surrounded with sweets and savories of different kinds. It is best to keep your baby away from these.

If your baby is less than 6 months of age, do not feed him/her solids yet. Breast milk or formula milk is the best option. Home-cooked food is the best option for your baby. Keep a baby younger than a year old away from honey. Do not offer him sugary or fizzy drinks.

Never Leave Your Baby Unattended

There will be a lot of guests that will visit you. It may not be possible to keep an eye on the strangers that may enter your locality or even your home. Be alert and make sure that a parent, a grandparent or someone reliable is always there caring for your baby.

Beware Of Allergies

The Diwali cleaning and decorations bring with it a lot of dust and allergies. You may not yet know what your baby may be allergic to.

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So, make sure that the baby is away from the dust of the cleaning and decorating process. If you plan to decorate your house with flowers, make sure that it is the last thing you do. Also, spray it with water before you place it in your house.

Choose And Place Your Decorations Well

If your baby is over 7 months of age, he/she might be mobile with differing capacities. You need to keep your decorations out of reach of the child. The lamps and lights need to be placed well above the reach of your baby. Make sure that there are no wires running on the ground within the reach of your baby. Floating diyas are very pretty, but they pose a drowning hazard. So, it might not be suitable this year.

Keep Your Baby Away From The Area Where Crackers Are Burst

Crackers and sparklers can pose a serious burn threat. Babies that have started walking, or crawling around by holding things are very unpredictable. They can suddenly run into the bright lights formed from the crackers. It might be wise not to take your baby to watch the crackers this year.