Your toddler is excitable and curious, which is terrific news for you as a parent — this may not be great news to hear as a homeowner. These are just a few damages that your rambunctious tot can cause and the ways that you can deal with them.
Objects Flushed Down the Toilet:
Kids often think of a toilet like a fun game where they can pull a lever and send toys, food and household itemsaway forever. One news story reported that a mischievous toddler flushed precious jewelry belonging to his mom down the drain, including a pair of diamond earrings, her engagement ring and her wedding band.
One way to avoid this plumbing disaster is to put a child-proof lock over the toilet seat—this won’t stop them from repeatedly flushing the handle, but it will keep the wrong things from going down the drain. You can also childproof the bathroom doorknob, so they can’t open the door unless you’re around.
If you haven’t set up these obstacles just yet and they have made a stubborn drain blockage, you will need to call a plumbing company like the Sewer Squad to perform an emergency drain clearance. This type of clogged drain won’t go away with the help of a plunger.
A professional will come to your house the day that you call and remove the obstruction right away without destroying the plumbing or making a big mess. You can visit the Sewer Squad Plumbing Co website to see just how they can quickly clear up any toilet drain and repair any plumbing fixtures for their stressed customers.
Drawings on The Wall:
One day, your crafty kid will be inspired to draw on the beautiful white walls. The extent of the creative damage depends on what they decided to use:
| Art Supply | Cleaning Solution |
| Wax Crayon | Scrub with non-gel toothpaste |
| Lead Pencil | Scrub with non-gel toothpaste |
| Magic Marker | Wipewith rubbing alcohol |
| Pen | Spritz with hairspray and wipe |
If they still escape your vigilant watch and draw a portrait on your walls, you can frame the kiddie wall art and treat it like a miniature piece in an art museum — it will be a funny story to share with guests and your toddler when they get older.
Playing with Shelves:
A popular game with toddlers is grabbing the things on a shelf and pulling them to the floor. If you want to keep the items on your shelves safe, you can cover them with cabinet doors secured with child-proof locks. An easy DIY for bookshelves is to put a bicycle innertube around the middle to block them from tossing around your collection.
Toddlers also like to climb onto shelving units like they are ladders. To keep the unit from falling over, tether it to the wall.
The best way to keep your toddler from tearing up the whole house is to keep an eye on them. Being in close proximity doesn’t mean that they won’t try something destructive, but you will be able to stop them before it’s too late.