House on a lake; toddler deathtrap?

[Rhubarbgarden]

We have fallen in love with a house on a lake. We have a one year old and plan to have another baby soon. Are we insane to even consider buying this place? The water is only metres from the house and it would be impossible to fence.

[nakedandangry]

Oh dear. It must be dreamy but have you ever seen that horrible film with Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie? THaT would put me off.

[ifitoldyouiwouldhavetokillyou]

I don't really understand how the house or lake would be impossible to fence but I will take your word for it.

Unless you are prepared to put your DCs in a lifejacket from the moment they wake until they are in bed (and be sure they can't climb out of bed and get out and don't sleepwalk) I would say you are asking for a good few years of stress until your DCs are confident swimmers. You would never be able to turn your back at times of the year when children want to go outside and would be forever checking doors are shut or locked. When they are teenagers you would never want your DCs to host a party.

But on the other hand living on a house on a busy main road might be equally dangerous.

[hellymelly]

Well I had my dds when we lived on a boat.DD1 was nearly three when we moved and is sensible around water,as she learned to lie down on her tummy to look in etc.I think the danger actually might be more serious to any children visiting.(My friend's son drowned in the pool house away from home )
But I agree that you would have to be very careful through the early toddler years.

[Rhubarbgarden]

Thanks. We went for a second viewing today and have reluctantly decided the watermill dream is over. The house could be made amazing, the views are knockout... But the village is just not very inspiring, and we're not quite ready for somewhere so rural. So dd won't have to run the gauntlet of open water, she will just have to continue to run the gauntlet of central London for a while yet.

Feeling very sad for your friend, Hellymelly.

[wonkylegs]

I grew up in a converted watermill complete with mill pond and leat(stream), I lived there from 6 to 17 and I'm the eldest of 4 so there were plenty of babies & toddlers over the years. It's just one of those things we were just very water safe and I cannot recall one problem in all the years we lived there, we also used to play on a 'beach' next to the nearby river. You just have to be frank with the dangers and consistently teach kids about it. My DS is fab with roads and traffic (we live in a terrace in the city) his cousins who live on a farm are in contrast rubbish around traffic but are good round the back of horses (DS is clueless),

[GrendelsMum]

I think Wonkylegs is right - kids can be very safe around dangers that they're made aware of from an early age. My nephew's brought up on a plant nursery, with poisonous plants all around him - he knows how to behave safely around plants, which a huge amount of kids don't know. Wouldn't trust him in heavy traffic at all!

[hellymelly]

Thankyou-it is a terrible story.They were on holiday and had just arrived at the house they were to stay in.Two families milling around and he managed to wander off unseen,they realised but found him in the pool.He was three.That sort of thing could happen to any of us,it was a tragic accident,but it has made me very anxious around water.
By the way we moved to a village from central london,and it is really nice.But yes,very different.No Selfridges....

[daimbardiva]

Our garden is very steeply sloped and goes right down to a river. However it is also in a very rural location, with no busy roads. When we bought it we had no kids but now have a two year old and another on the way. I realise that this scenario might be a nightmare to some and I know that awful things do happen, but awful things happen to children all the time, and I do think to some extent when kids grown up with something, they learn how to behave around it.

There will always be things you need to protect your children from, and teach them how to behave around it.

I say, if you think it's the house for you, go for it.