With the holidays fast approaching, it’s the time of year when we bring our children to all sorts of celebrations. My son has spent a lot of time at his grandparents’ house -- and not only for family holiday events. My parents often pick him up after daycare or care for him on occasions while my husband and I are at work.

Over time, there have been many changes in recommendations regarding car seat installation, sleep positioning and toy manufacturing that can be overwhelming for caregivers. Here are some of the strategies we utilized in an effort to keep our son as safe as possible while in others’ care:

1. Car Seat

My parents transport my son in their vehicle, and they decided to purchase their own car seat. As many of us have researched various car seats before purchasing them for our own vehicles, I would first encourage you to relay your information, knowledge and preferences to anyone who might be purchasing a car seat to transport your child.

One helpful resource to our family has been a local police officer who is certified in car seat installation. By checking online you can find a police officer or car seat clinic nearby so that your parents, friends or babysitter won’t have to worry about the stress of installing the car seat properly.

When Gavin was an infant, my parents often asked for reassurance and reminders about how to buckle him inside the carrier appropriately. I borrowed an extra base for his infant carrier from a friend, but I first made sure to check the expiration date on the base – and learned from my friend that the car seat had not been in any accidents.

2. Crib

Many grandparents are excited to redecorate an area of the home into another “home away from home” that includes a crib and changing area for our little ones. However, as cribs can often be expensive, grandparents can be very resourceful, and as was the case in our family, as my mother was able to get a “hand-me-down” crib from a friend to set up in their home. We visually inspected the crib to make sure the slats were regulation size, all the nuts and bolts required were present, and the mattress was in good condition. We checked to be sure that the crib met all current Federal and voluntary standards. There did happen to be a missing nut and bolt lost in transport, but we were easily able to order replacement pieces from the manufacturer.

As sleep recommendations have changed since many of us were children, it can be difficult for grandparents to remember all of the nuances of the “Back to Sleep” campaign. We removed the bumpers from the crib since they were far too pillow-like, and I reminded my parents that during naps, he was too young for any extra blankets or a pillow.

3. Feeding Seat

A portable feeding seat or booster seat with a tray also lives permanently in the trunk of my car for on-the-go mealtimes. It has provided great positioning support for him to eat his meals, and also creates another place for him to play so my parents can accomplish other activities in the kitchen.

In terms of mealtimes, if I am not going to be present, I often bring food from home I know he has eaten before and typically likes. I pre-cut the food into a manageable bite size for him, so my parents don’t have to guess what he might like or worry about whether the size of the food they are providing is too big. When he was drinking formula, I also portioned out his formula into a container and placed the water in the bottles so they also didn’t have to worry about remembering the formula to water ratio.

4. Pets

My parents have the most lovable dog in the universe, but we have always abided by the rule that animals can be unpredictable, so the dog was often safely behind her own gates if Gavin was claiming his stake on the living room floor.

5. Portable Cribs (Such as Pack & Play, Playard)

Our Pack & Play is always in the trunk of my car, and I have quickly perfected how to assemble it in minutes. My mother has an arthritic knee, and was having difficulty carrying my son up and down the stairs, so we set this up in an adjacent room on the main living floor for his naps. It also serves as a containment area when my parents need a safe place to put him to play.

6. Safety

I would suggest bringing a handful of extra plug protectors to be positioned in high traffic areas. A few extra cabinet latches may be helpful in certain areas, such as under the sink, where many people keep their cleaning products. Make sure bathroom doors can be closed, install extra baby gates if needed and check to be sure outside doors or gates leading to a swimming pool cannot be unlocked by children.

I always do a quick visual scan of any environment when I drop Gavin off to identify any potential hazards. I also try to inform my parents each time about some of the new developmental skills he has learned since their last visit, especially if we are challenged with him at home with great new skills, such as climbing furniture, crawling upstairs or placing certain toys in his mouth.

7. Toys

My parents have saved a lot of our old favorite toys, but some of these older toys don’t have the same safety standards today, and might be small enough to pose as a choking hazard for children. I solved this problem by bringing similar toys or duplicate books to my parents, and placing them in a small container for Gavin to play with while he visits.

With some extra planning, and plenty of clear communication, you can ensure that your little ones are safe and happy while enjoying time with their grandparents.