You know little kids; they can’t sit still,?ever. So when redesigning your home, don’t expect them to stay put.

When renovating your home, things get a little chaotic. You’re trying to tackle a bunch of different things at once, and you’re trying to get to that final project that you’re so excited for. Who can blame you? Remodeling a home can be a really exciting time?but if you have little ones running around, we have to remember the safety precautions that need to be taken place.

In fact, to children, a construction site can seem like a playground?even when Mom and Dad have warned them repeatedly about safety issues.? According to Consumer Reports?-?with Today’s Homeowner national contributor, Danny Lipford – children often hang around work sites, asking carpenters one hundred questions. ?To keep the area safe, Lipford says, make sure crews are very careful to try to restrict access to the area and make sure they talk to kids and ask them not to pass the yellow tape.?

If you’re remodeling any important aspect of the home?kitchen, living room, bathrooms?then thereshould be ground rules. After establishing these rules, make sure you’re ready to enforce them so they understand that this is a serious issue, and that they need to be safe. ?Looking at these quick home security tips can really help.

Help your children understand that staying safe, and listening to your rulesare important. This project won’t last forever, and they just need to hang tight and help out. Some ideas for rules?depending on the project:

• No running around the area
• Don’t pick up/use any tools they may see
• Don’t enter/go in the area

Sometimes it can be hard to remember notto walk into a room (especially if it’s the bathroom), so here are a couple tricks in keeping the little ones out:

• Put up a reminder sign
• Block off the entrance with a gate, or blockage of some kind
• Lock doors

If you’re implementing a project in a space that has to be used, try moving what you need to a temporary location. If you’re working in the kitchen, try moving things like a toaster, microwave, or mini fridge into the garage.

Another quick tip would be to remind the contractor (or whomever is working) to not leave any tools out after they’re done for the day. A power tool to a four year old could look like the coolest toy?let’s not let them play with it.

Working on a home renovation can take a lot of work, but in the end it will be well worth it. Keeping everyone safe during this project should be main priority, and in the end you’ll end up with your finished project, and a happy family.

Special thank to our Guest Naomi Broderick. A professional writer who is secure in her abilities and even more confident in her parenting.