The world is already a pretty dangerous place for a child. And in the summer time, with outdoor temps rising in the 90s and beyond, depending on where you live, there’s a specific danger that’s facing far too many kids: the risk of death from being stuck in a hot car for too long. Jut yesterday in Arkansas, a 3-year-old girl was pronounced dead after being trapped in a hot car with her sister, who is in critical condition. But we’re not here to hammer home the risks of leaving kids unsupervised; what we’re really here to tell you is that for every danger out there (and in here), there are also inventors and entrepreneurs — some of them parents — who are figuring out ways to keep kids safe. We’re lucky to be living in an age that decided outlet covers and car seats aren’t enough for our little ones.
The other great advantage of having all these new safety gadgets and apps at our fingertips is that their very existence may alert us to risks we didn’t even know to worry about. And now instead of worrying, we can have peace of mind (or something near it, anyway). There are baby breathing monitors that will help us sleep at night, as well as car seat alarms to remind us there’s a kid in the backseat. Though those kids get a little more self-sufficient as they grow, you’re still going to be there to make sure they don’t drown in the pool or find themselves at a sketchy party with no way home. There are even apps to protect them online and as they start to drive on their own.
These products don’t take the place of being a good, attentive parent. But every good parent knows not to turn down a little help when it’s there.
A version of this story was originally published in May 2020.
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Car Seat CoPilot Automatic Alert System
None of us wants to admit it, but any of us could have one of those days when we accidentally leave our child in a hot car. This system includes an extra buckle to attach to your child’s car seat and a fob for your key ring that will sound an alarm if you walk more than 10 feet away from a buckled sensor.
Angelcare 3-in-1 Baby Monitor
We’ve come a long way from the audio-only baby monitors that just let you know when your baby was crying in the next room. This monitor includes a video camera, a temperature indicator, and a breathing sensor that fits under the mattress, setting off an alarm if your infant stops breathing. It does all this with relatively low electromagnetic frequency emissions, which is a concern for some parents.
Sense-U Breathing Monitor
Clip this little sensor to your baby’s diaper and download the app to your phone and voila, so much peace of mind. In addition to detecting breathing movement, the monitor can tell you when your baby isn’t sleeping on their back, as well as when the ambient temperature in the room goes above or below your pre-set range.
Kidde Carbon Monoxide & Smoke Detector
OK, so this is one you probably already knew you needed, but if you’ve neglected to place one of these in every bedroom of your house, here’s your reminder. We like having a purely battery-powered option, because it will beep when your battery is low, but won’t freak out when your power goes out.
Door Pinch Guards
We’re listing plenty of ways to prevent deadly accidents here, but you would probably like to avoid minor ones too. Toddlers are remarkably good at closing doors on their fingers — unless you have these clever spongy guards stopping them.
Kars 4 Kids Safety App
If you have an Android phone, you might be able to forgo that CoPilot purchase and instead rely on the Kars 4 Kids free app to remind you to check the backseat for any kids you may have forgotten. Just pair the Bluetooth to your car, the app will alert you when the car is turned off.
Toddlermonitor
By the time you’ve got a toddler, you don’t necessarily need a baby monitor to hear their cries in the night. What you might need instead is a way to tell if they’re trying to sneak quietly out of their room undetected. They’ll think this cute little guy is just a decoration, but you’ll have it connected to an app on your phone that can tell you when your escape artist is on the go.
Secure My Legacy Fireproof Waterproof Bag
We hate to imagine any of the scenarios in which you might need this, but there are many. Place your family’s most important documents — wills, birth certificates, passports, etc. — in this pouch, so you’ll have easy access to it in case of an emergency.
Safety 1st Magnet Locks
We’ve never been too certain that toddlers can’t figure out the regular plastic cabinet and drawer latches that keep dangerous cleaning products and sharp objects out of reach. This magnetic lock is actually even adult-proof — until you grab the key (high up on the the fridge is a good place to store that.)
Safety 1st Easy Install Tall & Wide Walk Through Baby Gate
You could pick up a cheap gate at the hardware store and spend the next few years struggling to open and close it all day long, often knocking the whole thing out of place in the process. Or you could spring the few extra bucks for something like this gate, which has an electronic indicator to show you it’s properly secured. Adults can also open it with one hand, while little ones won’t be able to do so with two.
GE Personal Security Window/Door Alert
If your little escape artist has figured out how to unlock the doors or windows exiting your house, and you don’t want to install a complete security system, you might want sensors like these little guys. They’re especially necessary if you have pools or bodies of water nearby.
Pool Patrol PA-30 Pool Alarm
If you’ve heard one story about a child accidentally drowning in a pool, you’ve heard too many. This sensor works in both above-ground and in-ground pools, detecting any waves caused by a child or animal getting in the water. The alarm will sound by the pool and in your house.
Bark
As if the real world weren’t enough to worry a parent, there are all those dangers lurking in the virtual one as well. Rather than reading over your kids’ shoulder every time they log on, or snooping on them nonstop after-hours, you can use this app to monitor their online activity for you. Using an expert- and research-backed algorithm, it can then alert you when they have dangerous interactions with adults or peers (including cyberbullying, sexting, and expressing suicidal thoughts). Bark app rates range from $5-$14 per month, or $49-$99 per year.
Relay
When your kid is too young for their own phone but old enough to be going on solo play dates without you, you can use a device like this to keep in touch. It lets you talk to your child from your phone (walkie-talkie-style), and you can send each other audio messages. It also works as a GPS tracking device. (Note, you do need to pay $9.99 a month for cell service.)
Life360
Sorry, there’s no app that will make you stop worrying about your kids, especially not when they’re teenagers with wheels. The good news is that this app can connect the whole family, letting you know where each member is at all times, and even alert you and emergency services in case of an accident. The location-sharing level of the Life360 app is free, but crash detection and roadside assistance cost up to $7.99 a month for the family.
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