who's the loon, me or DH?

[sniffycat]

Does anybody consider doors dangerous for kids? Not just shutting their fingers in them which is obviously a danger, but that sharp bit that sticks out of the door that clicks into the wall when it's shut?.....sorry don't know the technical name for it.....the tooth?

In our old place DH put masking tape over that bit on all the doors. He says it's to prevent the kids slicing their faces open/losing their eyes on them etc etc when they're running about. That's because they are at head height and are very sharp.

I on the other hand tend to overlook that sort of thing. I kept/keep my kids safe with plug covers, stair gates, corner covers on sharp edges, bleach out of reach etc - I don't think I'm irresponsible.

But now we have moved house - DH is away all week working and home at the weekend. This weekend we had a huge row when he came home because I have overlooked putting masking tape over that bit on all the doors.

Am I being unreasonable for thinking he's a bit of a loon? Or is he in the right?

Thanks

WTF!!! I have never heard of anyone being worried by a child injuring themselves on that bit of the door.

I would say he is being OTT. I do the same things as you, keep knives away, bleach etc. There will always be something they will injure themselves on. My friends DS fell off the sofa onto the carpet and broke his arm. My friends neice broke her ankle by slipping on a mat!

I have 3 children and it has never occured to me to do that. I think he's barking. You can't prevent accidents and they will no doubt hurt themselves on something you didn't think of.

He is a loon.

He's a loon. I've never seen or heard of a door-tooth injury, nor have I ever seen the door-tooth taped up in someone's house. He's on his own with his lunacy.

Um, unless your kids have some serious condition that means they're easily damaged, I think YANBU and he's a bit of a loon...
Those bits are on a sort of spring and should retract into the door if hit, thus preventing serious damage.
You can't protect kids from everything, surely you have tables with corners? Better that they learn to be careful.

A bit OTT I think! You can't hide every potential danger, YANBU.

You have just reminded me that this was the case in my house when growing up and I had completely forgotten about it until now

I don't think you're being unreasonable in not having done the tape thing, but as I now remember it from my childhood, it doesn't seem OTT to do it.

Not sure if that helps

he is without a doubt a complete loon

tell him the rhino has spoken

So did none of the doors in your old house shut properly then?

I am going to avoid the word loon, but I do think that your husband is taking safety-awareness to extremes, far beyond what most people would do.

Easier said than done, but if your husband thinks that your children are racing around the house in such a way that they will injure themselves, the more obvious solution is to encourage them not to run indoors - which is a rule in this house and many others that we visit.

he's the loon...but I can't talk. my dh tried to put padding on the corner of a wall in our garden so ds1 didn't give himself a concussion turns out ds1 more than capable of finding other areas to crack his head open/give himself black eyes/bruises/skint knees

He's being over-cautious, and a bit silly I think. A door latch is no more dangerous than the door handle. Has he bubble wrapped the handles?

YANBU I have never seen this done, or even heard of it in my life.
And I am old!

I have never heard of this practice

It seems pretty OTT to me

The world is full of sharp jaggy things that could have your eye out. Look at all the sticky out bits on a tree; are you going to put masking tape around them?

The most common cause of damage to kids IME is pavements --> skinned knees. My kids don't wear knee pads...

Your DH is therefore the loon on your relationship

will he visit school/nursery and do the same thing to all the doors there ?

Glad my DH hadn't thought of that when DD was born. Anything that could be cushioned/padded/filled/ was to protect her from harm. Sadly he couldn't predict that I would throw her into a ceiling fan and fracture her skull [OMFG} or she would fall over and break her leg. Accidents happen and luckily for us, he's come round to my way of thinking.
Let them take chances, obviously minimise the chances of danger )cycle helmets etc), but let them be kids.

"It could take your eye out"

He's a loon.

We had duct tape over one of these once, but that was cos if it shut you couldn't open it again and as it was the door into the kitchen, somewhat important!

Your DH is a well meaning loon

It's called the catch.

And he's a loon. The doors won't shut with masking tape over that bit, surely?

oh yes, he is well-meaning

it's kinda sweet, but very, very OTT

Bless him. But yes he is rather over zealous isn't he.

It's not you, it's him. He's a loon. :o

Reminds me of my now thankfully estranged poison dwarf of a stepmother. She wouldn't allow her son to open fizzy drinks bottles as "The pressure might build up, the top might fly off and hit him in the eye and blind him!".

Loons, I tell ya, loons.

leave him !

< ahem >

Sweet? Is it really? I'm not convinced. He means well, I am sure, but being so risk-averse bodes ill for the future. Will the dc ever be allowed to ride bikes without wearing a full set of body armour and with a paramedic on standby?

Such cosseting can be very stifling and counterproductive in the long run.

He is being over cautious. But then plug covers also have their own dangers - I wouldn't use them personally (if you live in the UK).