to demand DH put dangerous things out of DS's reach?

[sprinkles77]

DS is 21 months and obviously very inquisitive and an agile climber. This morning I found him playing with a box of paracetamol that DH had left on his desk. I suspect they taste too nasty for him to actually eat, but you never know, and he could certainly choke on one. This happens fairly frequently, also with coins. DH was at work, I had no idea they were there and I was in the shower. I am beyond livid. I phoned him at work to bollock him. I warned him, as I have done before, that if I have to call from intensive care or worse still the morgue, he won't be seeing either or us ever again. Why do I have to be the only one taking responsibility for DS's safety?

we had locks and latches on internal doors. if there are any rooms that you want to make sure your child can't get into unsupervised, then what about fitting a latch high up?

Now, sit down, have some choc and agree to disagree.

Mmmmm chocolate

Thank you thisis and fem for the most ridiculous bun fight ever!

Straitjacket ?

glad to be of service!

still really do want to know the answer to my question. but I'll accept that it's clearly a sore point

Thank you Mmelindor :)

i've often wondered if you can get baby-sized straitjackets actually.

and toddler sized.

and bigger children.

what I want is a big shed down the bottom of the garden kitted out as a soft play.
with a big lock on the door

"Did no one else nip in the shower quickly when they had toddlers then?"

I always bathed or showered in the evening when DD was a sleep. During the day I used to put her in the playpen if I wanted the toilet, but DD was used to being in a playpen because I started putting her in it from 6 months. She sometimes used to fall asleep in it. At 21 months there was no way she could have climbed out of it as it was one of those old fashioned, high sided wooden ones.

I agree with a lot of others, shower during naps or when other people are in the house and that will solve a lot of problems. I get up early and shower when my kids are asleep so that they are not out of my sight and getting up to mischief, when they are old enough to know better I'll shower in my own free time.

Now there's a fantastic idea thisis! Could be a business idea!

No, thisis* not a sore point.

obviously the two second comment was throwaway ...I came back and explained what I did and how quick I was, even with a

You still pressed.

It was silly.

You can either think back ...or imagine what might happen in around two seconds can't you?

Anyway...if you were really just genuinely curious I am sorry for snipping.

DD1 was an impossibly inquisitive climber, you just had to child proof somewhere up stairs and somewhere down stairs and stick stair gates across the doors. Every room had to be checked for breakable or dangerous items and especially pens on entering. (years later we moved a large piece of furniture and found a sneaky scribble done where only toddler fingers could get)

nickname
If I had done that, then I would have gone all day without a shower. DH left early morning, was alone till 7pm normally.

When visiting we too wondered about toddler and older straight jackets
At 13 she's just getting better at looking rather than fiddling.

OP, YANBU

Why should you be the only one that has to think about safety in the house? It's irresponsible to leave paracetamol laying around, and coins.

I wish I had the chance to shower or bathe on my own. My daughter won't leave me alone! She follows me everywhere (even into the toilet) so I think I am pretty safe on that front. Although I will gate her in the back garden for few minutes whilst I go and sort the washing (we have a utility room which you can't access from inside the house.

OP YANBU, I would also have a chat with my husband if he left medicine lying around, or anything else dangerous.

so worra, you think it's the mums responsibility to take the baby with her wherever she goes, rather than just asking dad to stop leaving harmful things in reach?

Errrr no. But she's asked him repeatedly and he still frequently leaves dangerous stuff laying around....therefore it does not make sense to leave a baby toddling around that environment while you're in the shower.

Im really amazed at the OP getting a pasting for having a shower - it's rather beside the point, as one person simply cannot have a beady eye on a toddler for their every waking moment, always being within reach and able to prevent an imminent accident.

Her dh left a drug that can be fatal or cause permanent health damage lying around on a desk within reach of their toddler. it's idiotic and dangerous, and he shouldn't do it.

Do people genuinely take their children into every room with them all day? How do you get anything done?

I live in a bungalow and my 20 month roams freely. If I'm in the shower then I shut the door to the kitchen and leave the bathroom door open so she can come and find me if she likes. If she does she tends to find things to throw at me while I wash.

The door to DS's room is always shut as he has toys with small parts but most of the time we potter round with me doing jobs and she finds things to do. I thought that was normal... seems not! I shall await the call from SS.

No, I didn't watch my children every second of every day.

However, I didn't then criticise anyone else for not taking the safety of my children seriously.

Forget balaclavas and suits of armour. What you need is a safety harness, like climbers wear, for your DC. Attach one end of rope to the harness and the other to a hook in the ceiling, making sure rope is just long enough that said DC isn't dangling from the ceiling

Seriously though, poster's seem to be missing the point that the OP's DH is an adult who should be taking responsibility for making sure he puts anything dangerous away out of reach. There are many people who will forget occasionally, no one's perfect but he's constantly forgetting from the sounds of things and that's not acceptable.

OP YANBU

I think YAboth being a bit U. It doesn't sound as though your husband is taking your childs safety seriously. But YA also BU imo because if my dh left stuff like that lying around regularly then I would do a quick scan of everywhere after dh had left for work to ensure nothing dangerous was left out.

OP my sympathies on also having an imbicile DH. My DH used to empty his coins out of his pockets when he got home from work. Onto a low hall table, which he did while my DS was standing in front of it. Pound coin straight in the mouth, within seconds. Luckily I saw what happened as my DH didn't. He also mopped the floor after a spill and left the bucket of bleach in the utility room which is between the kitchen and the playroom. When challenged he said 'but he shouldnt have been in there'
He just doesn't think sometimes.
I can easily see him leaving a packet of pills on the bedside table if he was ill.
Just have to keep our eyes peeled and keep on at our DHs.

On the showering debate, am an evening bath person so bypass the whole issue that way.

You can't complain about someone else's safety blindness when you leave your "inquisitive and agile climber" 21 month old unattended whilst you are showering out of sight and earshot.