Are you a parent planning to ask your own parents to help with child care? Or maybe you’re the grandparent who’s agreed to lend a hand.

Either way, the well-being of the children is everyone’s goal. But it’s a big responsibility. Much has changed since today’s grandparents raised their own kids, so clear communication is key.

And there’s a lot to talk about! Let’s get started.

Be aware

No matter where care is being provided – at grandma and grandpa’s house or in the parents’ home – “the important thing for grandparents to remember is safety,” said Blair Mayfield, a pediatric nurse practitioner at Akron Children’s Hospital in Ohio.

“If you’re babysitting in the child’s home, it’s being aware of where the medication is located, important phone numbers, knowing the address of where you’re located in case of an emergency.”

If little ones will be at their grandparents’ house, childproofing may be needed. This includes finding potentially dangerous items and either safeguarding them or moving them out of the kids’ reach.

Other steps:

• Place baby gates at the top and bottom of all staircases.
• Use soft covers or bumpers around solid or sharp pieces of furniture.
• Install childproof latches on lower cabinets as well as those containing cleaning products and medications.
• Keep medications – and purses that might contain them – out of kids’ reach.
• Move chemicals into a garage or toolshed, where kids can’t get to them.

Check products for safety

Young parents: Have your parents kept the crib or bouncy seat you used as a baby stored away, with plans to reuse it? If so, it’s probably not safe, because government standards have changed.

The same goes for old toys. They could contain high levels of lead – or be a choking hazard. “Think LARGE,” says HealthyChildren.org. “Make sure all toys and parts are larger than your child’s mouth to prevent choking.”

You can stay up to date on recalled products by subscribing to Consumer Product Safety Commission alerts at cpsc.gov.

Another hazard: Button batteries. Found in toys, TV remotes, key fobs, watches and flameless candles, they can be extremely dangerous – and even deadly – if swallowed. Keep them out of kids’ reach.

And small items aren’t the only concern. The CPSC says that from 2018 to 2020, an average of 22,500 Americans were treated in ERs for injuries after furniture, TVs and appliances tipped over. Remember that kids love to climb. To prevent tip-overs, secure heavy items to walls using brackets, braces or straps. You can find them at home improvement and hardware stores.