The Dr. Spock's of the world might suggest that you crawl through your home on your hands and knees to see and experience what is not safe for the little ones in your vacation home. While this might seem a bit over the top, you should at minimum walk around and make an assessment of the safety of your vacation rental home.

Here are some common things you should look out for:

1) Chemicals and cleaning agents in low cupboards in your kitchen or bathrooms—instead store these things in higher cupboards or on high shelves inside closets.
2) Blind chords, drapery chords and tension devices on vertical blinds and drapery cords. For older blinds, cut the cord loop, remove the buckle, and put safety tassels on each cord to avoid accidental strangulation.
3) Post poison control center's phone number in your home.
4) Assess the corners of your coffee tables, end tables and night stands. If you have sharp corners, consider sanding the corners to smooth the edges or replace them all together. Steer clear of glass top coffee tables and other tabletops that can easily move or fall off if a toddler is walking around it.
5) Have a supply of small plastic cups for tiny hands. Small children have an especially difficult time gripping larger cups, which increases the chances of spills.
6) Limit knick-knacks and breakable décor on coffee tables, end tables and bed side tables.
7) Safety locks and gates around pools and hot tubs.

Making you vacation home child friendly will likely make your renters much more relaxed while in your home and will consequently make your life easier.

Families with small children are a large part of the vacation rental market and by not catering to them you may be missing out on significant business for your house, condo, cabin, or cottage.