On child proofing the CH with locks on drawer and cupboards | <– Date –> <– Thread –> |
From: Sharon Villines (sharonsharonvillines.com) | |
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2019 08:00:42 -0700 (PDT) |
One of the things I do in my community that drives them nuts is writing emails looking at issues in a broader context than I object, though I do that too. I don’t remember discussing this issue here before so I thought this one on child-proofing the CH might be useful and even enlightening. Even if I say so myself. This one addresses the problems that child-proof locks create for adults and how they are counter productive for children. And make life less fun for everyone. Edited for clarity. A reminder that we had a long discussion about safety locks a few years ago and ended in the position that drawer and door locks would not be replaced without further conversations about where they are actually needed and where they are a needless inconvenience. Someone has replaced the ones on the drawers in the beverage bar and I'm about to take a hammer to them. Please stop doing this until we have a discussion about where they are really necessary and where they are just a nuisance. I can’t open the locks with one hand and when I need to get one open, I am usually carrying things. I have to use both hands. This is frustrating when I’m decluttering the CH and putting things away. I can’t just open a drawer or cupboard. The only places where there are dangerous things is in the kitchen — knife drawer and under sink cleaners. Children are not stupid. They learn very quickly what is okay and what isn’t. They don’t need locks to tell them. Like my tear-up-a-puzzle theory, each child will do it once. They will get into the markers, for example, once. They stop when they see how upset the adults are. We shouldn’t have waterproof markers in the CH (allergic reactions) and washable ones can easily be cleaned or painted over. I would much rather that a child learn to think twice about whether they should or should not do something based on substance not possibility. Locks everywhere teaches children that if it isn’t locked up, it’s free for the doing. Then the locks have to be used everywhere because their absence gives permission. And child-proof locks deprive kids of one of the few adventures left to them. Dumping tea on the floor is fun and hurts no one. Markers on the wall is a bit more bothersome but is it a catastrophe? Certainly doesn’t hurt the child. Until we have a serial tea dumper or a frenetic marker artist amongst us, I can’t imagine why we are worrying about it. (I pledge to clean up any of these messes anytime.) We used to worry that kids would figure out how to go to the basement and discussed a lock or key or something to protect them from whatever might be down there. Then one day the gang of 3-year-olds did go to the basement. They were proud of being so brave but also a little frightened — they couldn’t find the light switches — and never went again. In almost 20 years, only one trip to the basement by unaccompanied children. Can you imagine how inconvenient it would be to lock up the elevator? If we had a special needs child or adult, then the argument changes. But we don’t. (There are also locks available that can be used during parties when non-resident children are on the loose that can be used just for special events.) Sharon ---- Sharon Villines Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC http://www.takomavillage.org
-
On child proofing the CH with locks on drawer and cupboards Sharon Villines, June 26 2019
-
Re: On child proofing the CH with locks on drawer and cupboards Diana Carroll, June 26 2019
-
Re: On child proofing the CH with locks on drawer and cupboards Sharon Villines, June 26 2019
- Re: On child proofing the CH with locks on drawer and cupboards Diana Carroll, June 27 2019
-
Re: On child proofing the CH with locks on drawer and cupboards Sharon Villines, June 26 2019
-
Re: On child proofing the CH with locks on drawer and cupboards Diana Carroll, June 26 2019
Results generated by Tiger Technologies Web hosting using MHonArc.