making HOT radiators babysafe ???

missk_ensington

This is obviously your first child!! I'd stop being so neurotic and get a grip or you'll drive yourself mad when the kid gets to two! Where does it end? Locks on bathroom cabinets? Locking up anything they can drown in? Putting a code on the cutlery drawer? Locking the oven? Removing doors to prevent trapped fingers? Removing your dining table incase he decides to climb on it and jump off?
Trust me, a hot radiator is the least of your worries!
Keep it in perspective, it's hardly a live plug socket with a metal spoon and wet fingers!

And if you're watching him, or at the very least, in the same room you'll see him heading for the radiator (although in reality kids tend to head for the washing machine/fireplace/scissors/shiny or exciting things, not radiators!)

wonderfullife_2

missk_ensington wrote:

This is obviously your first child!! I'd stop being so neurotic and get a grip or you'll drive yourself mad when the kid gets to two!

Hi
I don't think trying to protect your child from hurting themselves is being neurotic, so you would just let them wander into the fire would you? and forget about a fire guard or no stair gates??? Do you remember how fast kids can be, turn your back for one second and "watch out" or if you get distracted or go to answer the phone......
I just use to say "hot" and pull a face and my 2 soon got use to it, as for being a first child, maybe, but I can still remember how daunting it was, and my two are 5 and 9 now. Of course you can't protect them from everything, and who wants to, but theres nothing wrong with trying to make a child friendly home, how many kids end up in casualty every year, through accidents at home and for their parents to say "If only" but different strokes for different folks and to ask advice and get ridiculed for it, I don't believe thats the way to go. Sorry

missk_ensington

In that case, where does it end? My son just turned two, and can now drag the dining chairs to the sink and turn the taps on, he can drag chairs to the worktops and climb up onto them, he can pull the cutlery drawer anf get knives out, climb stairs (sod the stair gate he can open it) he can climb out of bed...You cannot wrap children in cotton wool. The prospect of a baby climbing out of his cot and falling 3 foot and banging its head has worse implications than a burnt hand (and were not talking 3rd degree burns herem were talking a cm red mark). And to spend £200 covering 6 radiatiors? Why not just put the baby in a capsule like that nutty Amber on Footballer's Wives (Which is supposed to be far fetched! )

missk_ensington

PS. I'm not suggesting for one minute we shouldn't protect our kids, but everything has to be put in perspective. Yes, an open fire could be hazardous and should be covered, leaving a chaild near open stairs has potential to harm but you cannot go over the top. We are all so neurotic these days, our houses are so clean our kids inhale dust and because our body sn't used to it, it forms anitbodies to fights it off, thinking its an enemy and the kid developed an allergy. Same for nuts (we now have something like a ten fold increase in nut allergies and dust allergies)

When we're pregnant, it's like we're ill. Cant touch this, can't go near that. Some people take it in their stride, and others are just ridiculous. Obviously, you should never smoke or take drugs in pregnancy but denying yourself of A glass of wine one a week is daft; or saying you can't carry A shopping bag, or change a cat litter tray in case you get infected, or feed the ducks in case you get bird flu. We are all too neurotic! Bloody women in Africa give bith in the paddy fields, then pick up the baby and carry on with what they were doing! Genius!

southwestmaid

missk_ensington wrote:

In that case, where does it end? My son just turned two, and can now drag the dining chairs to the sink and turn the taps on, he can drag chairs to the worktops and climb up onto them, he can pull the cutlery drawer anf get knives out, climb stairs (sod the stair gate he can open it) he can climb out of bed...You cannot wrap children in cotton wool. The prospect of a baby climbing out of his cot and falling 3 foot and banging its head has worse implications than a burnt hand (and were not talking 3rd degree burns herem were talking a cm red mark). And to spend £200 covering 6 radiatiors? Why not just put the baby in a capsule like that nutty Amber on Footballer's Wives (Which is supposed to be far fetched! )

I can understand new mum being worried about her baby and the hot radiators. Personally I would just turn the thermostat down a bit. We didn't have radiators when my kids where babies, but to be honest I don't think they will get hot enough to do any lasting damage(I've checked mine and although they get very hot I think you would have to leave your hand there a long time) I know its not easy but they learn very quickly and don't think baby would do it again.

I agree you can't wrap kids in cotton wool and accidents will happen, but I've seen a lot of accidents in my time that could have been prevented with just a bit of thought and its better to be a bit cautious and try and be one step ahead of them if at all possible.

My 'babies' are now 25 and 22 and its going to start all over again for me in August when I am to be a granny for the 1st time.

raymond

A "hot" radiator is not going to be hot enough to cause burns.

Kids are not stupid, they are born with natural instincts .. like if they touch somethign thats too hot they pull their hand away. Boilng liquids and fires are different as even if they can pull their hand out the burning may continue.

If you are really worried then forget radiator cabinets and towels and just turn the temperature down, covering it will only reduce its output .. just like turning the temp down.

plumb1_2

Get some LST radiators fitted, same output/heat, but only warm to touch.

clairehi

raymond wrote:

Kids are not stupid, they are born with natural instincts .. like if they touch something thats too hot they pull their hand away. .

my sister got a burn from a hot rad as a baby so it does happen.

our old ch system had no thermostat but there was a knob on the front of the boiler to turn up/down.

missk_ensington

Congrats to the lady about to become a granny! My mum in law says its the best thing-all the joy of kids without the sleepless nights!

Think we can be too overprotective, although please dont think for one minute Im suggesting we shouldn't be careful and try and prevent accidents, I'm just saying it can go a bit too far, like a friend of mine who sent her cat to the RSPCA when she was pregnant because she read somewhere that she could get mixamatosis from it! Or another who only drank bottled water for 9 months cos she thought tap water would hurt her baby! lol