what about electricity?

[Beauty4Ashes]

My older son knows how to remove the covers that go over the electrical outlets. Both my older son and my younger son unplug the vacuum cleaner while I am using it. My younger one also chews on the electrical cord of the vacuum cleaner when I use it. I caught my older son with a metal fork about to put it in the electrical outlet. For the most part the outlets are either covered by furniture or I use the outlet covers that are clear and hard for me to remove, but there are two that I need to be able to access. When my older one was about to put a fork in the outlet last night it scared me to death. I needed to vacuum today and finally I put my younger son in a stationary walker, but he cried the entire time. What else could I do? I am not going to slap their hands. I tell them that the electricity can hurt them and isn't for them, but I think my younger ds is too young to understand.

[Joanne]

Time. Consistency. And keep them safe until they are old enough to understand danger. By then, the outlets will have lost the appeal.

Somethings have to be done. And some moments with kids are just challenging. No amount of GBD (or even another discipline style) will change that.

[Cindy]

You do your best, but sometimes it takes that experience for them to learn. My ds learned about hot stoves and electrical outlets the hard way (while my attention was divided). No permanent injuries, fortunately, but that little jolt taught him a lot.

Sorry I can't be more help... :shrug

[freshwaterfish]

This isn't too helpful, but I was reading in my psych course that one of the few behavior training attempts that scientists have been largely unsuccessful with is teaching children to leave electrical outlets alone... of course their explanation was very evolutionary, which of course I don't agree with... but I still thought that was interesting...

[Cindy]

Is a fascination with electrical outlets instinctive behavior for apes??? :giggle

[milkmommy]

Those removable socket things are chocking hazzards you can replace the covers with ones that screw in and cant be removed put eaither flip down to open like these (http://www.safety1st.com/product.asp?productID=176) or others that rotate and prevent objects from being stuck in them.
As far as pulling them out lots of "no's" and redirrection I'd personally not feel bad about saying you have trouble following this rule so while I vaccum you need to pay in your walker of sit in your highchair/playpen make it as peacefull or fun as possible and consider if possible doing long heavy duty vaccuming when someone else (DH) can entertain him but in these cases "Safety first" wins. Some electrical shocks are more scarry than harmful but some can be very serious. I had a cord "break" on me once unpugging a lamp and nt only did it knock me across the room I have deep physical burns and felt extreme pain for quite a while I'd fear that with a child.

Deanna

[Cindy]

Some electrical shocks are more scarry than harmful but some can be very serious. I had a cord "break" on me once unpugging a lamp and nt only did it knock me across the room I have deep physical burns and felt extreme pain for quite a while I'd fear that with a child.


Definitely! I hope nobody thinks I am advocating the Jeff Foxworthy "Let'em pull it on his head a few times - he'll learn!" approach :O I did my best not to let my ds learn the hard lesson about electricity and I am grateful that he was not injured.

[mamaKristin]

Time. Consistency. And keep them safe until they are old enough to understand danger. By then, the outlets will have lost the appeal.

Somethings have to be done. And some moments with kids are just challenging. No amount of GBD (or even another discipline style) will change that.

:yes

You can get plug covers that are harder to take out (we have some, and WE can barely get them out!). my DS used to try to unplug the vacuum. I started getting him to help me vacuum, so I a)knew where he was and what he was doing and b) kept him close and involved, so he didn't try to unplug it. If your son tries to eat the cord, don't keep him on the floor while you are using it. My DH bit through a vacuum cord when he was little, he still has scars. It's not a lesson we are willing to let our children learn. :no2

[milkmommy]

Some electrical shocks are more scarry than harmful but some can be very serious. I had a cord "break" on me once unpugging a lamp and nt only did it knock me across the room I have deep physical burns and felt extreme pain for quite a while I'd fear that with a child.


Definitely! I hope nobody thinks I am advocating the Jeff Foxworthy "Let'em pull it on his head a few times - he'll learn!" approach :O I did my best not to let my ds learn the hard lesson about electricity and I am grateful that he was not injured.

:yes I knew just reconfirming unfortunally I have heard from many how its really "no big deal" :rolleyes Though not from here :hug My DD learned we don't climb the shelfs in the fridge when she colplased one sending food everywhere and the deafing sound of plexiglass crashing to the floor. Sometimes things happen despite our efforts :(.

Deanna

[freshwaterfish]

I just remembered that I bought these covers when I was in Georgia that go over cords that are plugged in. They are a large hard plastic thing that snaps over the plugged in cords. I could barely get them off myself, so I'm sure a child would not have the strength to unclip them... You should be able to get them at any walmart (that's where I got them), and they are well worth the investment. My son was and is totally fascinated with all things electrical... sigh... I really do know where you're coming from. The only other thing I can suggest is like someone already mentioned... only vacuum when your DH is there to occupy and supervise your boys. It's an inconvenience, but worth their safety... Eventually the WILL get over their preoccupation with them... mine did...

April

[Cheyenne]

I need to get some more of those that go over the plug because she unplugs things too and that is very frustrating. My youngest is very drawn to outlets. :(

[AmyDoll]

Can you playpen your kids while you vacuum? We have the kind of outlet covers that slide into place - I ordered them from the internet from this site http://store.yahoo.com/perfectlysafe/
And here's a $10 off coupon code: w99prq10

[Beauty4Ashes]

Thanks everyone for your responses. I put both boys in their high chairs while I vacuumed. After about 15 minutes, they started crying. But it was so much easier without them unplugging the vacuum or worrying that ds2 would chew on the cord. I just have to be extra vigilant of those electrical sockets. Dh caught ds1 experimenting with a car key and the electrical socket.
Tammy

[Beauty4Ashes]

Thanks everyone for your responses. I put both boys in their high chairs while I vacuumed. After about 15 minutes, they started crying. But it was so much easier without them unplugging the vacuum or worrying that ds2 would chew on the cord. I just have to be extra vigilant of those electrical sockets. Dh caught ds1 experimenting with a car key and the electrical socket.
Tammy

[AmyDoll]

Sounds like you can vaccuum in 15 minute chunks! I'm glad you found something that works for you!

:hug

[ArmsOfLove]

great ideas already and ITA with Joanne on this one. At the same time, I don't remember how old your first is, but when mine become fascinated with cords I stop and teach them what they are and how to use them. I have them help me plug appropriate things in and prevent them from getting near the outlets with inappropriate things and they lose interest with playing with them.

[Beauty4Ashes]

Crystal,
He'll be 20 months on the 24th of this month. What are some appropriate things that he could learn to plug in? Right now I just want for him to stay away from them because he has in the past tried to put a car key or a fork in the electrical sockets. Pretty scary stuff.
Tammy

[Bonnie]

I LOVE the plug covers that go over the plugged-in cords. http://www.onestepahead.com/product/86200/399762/117.html Ours don't shorten cords, but this is similar. We use them for "permanent" things like lamps. In the kids' room, for the three outlets we knew we'd never use, I went to the hardware store and bought blank covers for less than a dollar. Similar to http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/diy_main/pg_diy.jsp?CNTTYPE=PROD_META&CNTKEY=misc%2fsearchResults.jsp&BV_SessionID=@@
@@0368455040.1139845893@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccefaddgmlfjlihcgelceffdfgidgjl.0&MID=9876
0&MID=9876 If we ever change our minds, we can remove them and put the regular outlet openings back on.
Our biggest problem here is that both kids seem to want to ride the vacuum. Unfortunately, that beater brush can burn you big time.

[hsgbdmama]

It is simply a firm rule you will need to set: We do not play with the outlets or stuff plugged in. Period. Redirect, redirect, redirect. I gate mine off in another area (where I can still see them) while I do things where I don't want them because of safety reasons.

Getting more child-proof covers will be a good idea too.

[hessedmama]

My son has just begun to be curious about all things electronic in the past month. (He'll be 9 months on Saturday). I was hoping to find some way to teach him to avoid the outlets, but from the sound of your experiences I guess that is a ways away. One other thing I heard which works for outlets you don't need regular access to is to pull the cover off, put electrical tape over the outlets and then screw the cover back on to keep the tape in place.

Any suggestions on how to convince him that the remotes are boring? He doesn't even know what TV is (we never have it on when he's awake) and STILL he always wants the remotes!!

[toastedsalmon]

I'm inclined to agree w/ letting them explore the item, whether it's electrical outlets, knives, whatever, see the correct use so that it's not mystical and forbidden, and then childproof for safety as needed beyond that. AFA electricity goes, my dd learned the hard way accidentally when dh had the cover off of an outlet, not realizing dd was nearby, he turned and it only took a second for her to reach in and get a shock. Thank God she wasn't hurt, but she can tell you that electricity is hot and she has never tried to stick anything into outlets other than plugs (she likes to help when I vaccuum, too, and can use the plug properly).

I'm hoping this doesn't come off as neglectful or mean, but I feel like my dd is more cautious than a lot of kids her age and understands that when we say something is dangerous it means it might hurt her because we have let her experience some danger in safe ways. When she was learning about the edge of the bed, I told her what it was, that she could fall, and to be careful, and then I let her fall off into my arms. She was never in any danger, but she was able to learn what it meant to fall off in a safe environment and became more aware of where her body was while playing on the couch or bed. I've always served her food at the same temperature as the rest of the family, and told her when it was hot, and showed her how to test its temperature w/ her hands. I didn't give her anything hot enough to burn her, and that's how she learned what "hot" meant, and now I can give her very hot things at her table and tell her it's hot and to wait for it to cool down before eating and she can manage it herself while I'm still working on dinner.

I guess what I'm saying is that if there was a way to let my kids safely experience an electric shock, I wouldn't be averse to letting them feel it in order to understand that when I said it will hurt you, I meant it will hurt you. I just don't know how to let them experience that particular danger in a way that is guaranteed to be safe, so I have to rely on the the other small dangers being enough experience that they trust what I say about electricity being hot, too. And, of course, babyproofing, which it sounds like is necessary in this case.