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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to expect parents to keep cleaning products out of childrens reach

35 replies

comingalongnicely · 13/09/2013 07:47

rather than complaining about how "pretty" they look?

This is in regards to the "story" on BBC this morning about the high number of kids that have ingested cleaning tabs.

Call me old fashioned, but when our kids were young, everything like this (bleach, cleaning sprays etc) was in a cupboard that the kids couldn't physically open - we had problems sometimes because the child catch was a bugger.

Do people not do this anymore? Rather than legislating to make the manufacturers change the packaging etc - would it be unreasonable to legislate that parents who don't lock these items away are sent on a "Danger Awareness" workshop or similar??

OP posts:
CoffeeTea103 · 13/09/2013 07:53

Yanbu. It's like people want no responsibility these days. I don't see what's so difficult in keeping all these products in a place out of reach, locked up. Seems like a course in common sense is needed rather.

Tee2072 · 13/09/2013 07:55

I wouldn't brag about your incredible common sense when there are already 2 or 3 threads about this on the site.

Surely it is common sense to check if others are already discussing something so topical?

Or did you just want your judgement to stand out?

Original poster
comingalongnicely · 13/09/2013 08:04

I wouldn't come onto a thread and make a comment of amazing uselessness to try & show how clever I was, but hey - we're all different!

Biscuit

Thanks for your contribution anyway, have a nice day now...

OP posts:
Tee2072 · 13/09/2013 08:05

Instead you'll post on an internet forum about how clever you are compared to, apparently, everyone else in the world?

You want to believe you're less smug than I am. You believe wrong.

But I don't have time to banter with you. I have real work to do.

Tee2072 · 13/09/2013 08:06

Sorry, I forgot: YABU

cory · 13/09/2013 08:14

I think you will find that statistics show that accidents happened at about the same rate in whatever remote past you inhabited.

I'm approaching 50 and I find this "in my day we all did sensible things" approach a total bore.

People made mistakes in the 1960's from my recollection. According to my mother and MIL, people made mistakes in the 1930's. Reading my grandfather's autobiography, there are clear indications that people made mistakes in the 1890's as well. As a medievalist I can assure you that the evidence shows that people also made mistakes (leading to accidents to children) in the 1100's, 1200's and 1300's.

Trapper · 13/09/2013 08:15

Even in 'old fashioned' times, people accidentally left products within the reach of children and they were ingested. Things are put down for a second to answer the door / deal with child 2 who has just fallen down the stairs etc...

If course the blame does not reside with the manufacturers, but if it was possible for manufacturers to reduce the risk through redesign (without affecting sales) then it should probably be considered.

Original poster
comingalongnicely · 13/09/2013 08:15

You still here? Have another Biscuit

"Everyone else in the world" locks their bleach away. I was referring to the 1400 people in the UK that thought the "pretty things" were OK for their kids to see & play with & didn't lock them away.

I'm not being smug, just wondering why they were so stupid irresponsible when surely it's not rocket science.

It seems you want to attack rather than contribute - any particular reason?

FWIW - there was no topic covering this on the first page of AIBU, and that's as far as I tend to look....

OP posts:
gordyslovesheep · 13/09/2013 08:18

well maybe people, being human and all, make mistakes sometimes - it happens - not something that especially makes my judgy pants itch to be honest

Trapper · 13/09/2013 08:20

I've given you a couple of scenarios to consider - hopefully these with ease your 'wondering'

Tee2072 · 13/09/2013 08:21

Oh you are amusing. I wish I had more time today.

Shesparkles · 13/09/2013 08:23

YANBU, that was my first reaction on hearing that story.

Shesparkles · 13/09/2013 08:23

Did some of you get out of bed in the wrong side this morning?

AnneUulmelmahay · 13/09/2013 08:24

Yabu and quite a smug mc smuggo

cory · 13/09/2013 08:24

Do you have any statistics to show that there were fewer accidents to children from cleaning products in any previous era?

pongping · 13/09/2013 08:25

Comingalongnicely, do you mean that some people said they actually give their children cleaning products to play with because they're pretty? That is indeed a very bad idea.

On the whole I tend to agree with Cory that mistakes happen and have always done (arf at people in the 1100s also made mistakes :o), which is why I think a change in packaging and design to make them harder to access/less appealing is a good thing. Alongside sensible storage.

gordyslovesheep · 13/09/2013 08:27

my sister drank peroxide in 1965 - shit happens regardless of the era

maybe those parents kept the tabs out of reach, fetched them down, put them on the side to use, there's a knock on the door and they answer it - bingo child eats tab - people are fallible - including you OP

NoComet · 13/09/2013 08:28

Because children grow bigger and more devious.

The shelf that was out of reach last week isn't this. The child that couldn't possibly move a chair can.

My DSIS burnt her hand very badly on the iron as a toddler. Mum had put it right at the back of the work surface, she went and got a fat teddy to stand on.

Why! my DSIS didn't climb, she wasn't one for getting into mischief.

Accidents happen, small children are strange impulsive creatures, they do things you'd never imagine.

BeenFluffy · 13/09/2013 08:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Writerwannabe83 · 13/09/2013 08:31

As part of my job I go and visit families if a child has been in A&E for various reasons and I have met a few families where the child has ingested something - usually dishwasher tablets Smile

I have never felt the incident was down to negligence or 'lack of common sense' but always just a case of children being children and them finding a way no matter how many precautions parents put in place. Sometimes things just happen and I think it is a bit Hmm to make general sweeping statements about the 'parents of today'

trixymalixy · 13/09/2013 08:43

DS ingested a dishwasher tablet. Our cleaning products were locked away in a cupboard. What had happened was that the dishwasher tablet hadn't dissolve properly in the dishwasher tablet compartment. I opened the dishwasher to empty it and didn't notice. I turned away to put some stuff in the cupboard and dS picked it up and ate some.

It was an accident, it happened within seconds You just don't know the circumstances.

ll31 · 13/09/2013 08:47

You are being smug and silly op, a pleasant ccombination. Perhaps you only posted by accident

PoppyAmex · 13/09/2013 08:53

"Frankly in this case I think the manufacturer should package them less attractively or if not put a massive warning label all over the supermarket packaging [...] Then parents could at least have the information to seek other products or ensure stored tabs are secure."

Do parents really need the information that cleaning products shouldn't be ingested? Confused

On a lighter note

coraltoes · 13/09/2013 08:53

I dont lock them away, i supervise, never leave DD unattended in the utlitiy room, and never draw attention to the products. Then again i've never done stair gates/ socket covers etc. i prefer to teach how dangerous things are than hide everything away. I am lucky that she can be trusted around tables with cups on etc- i know not all children are like this. If i had an inquisitive monkey, i'd be more cautious.

Either way i would never judge someone who had a child who was ill due to a momentary error.

justanuthermanicmumsday · 13/09/2013 08:56

It's so bad in Glasgow I heard the council will be issuing child safety clips for cupboards. I don't think council money should be wasted on that. I didn't get free safety gates when I had my first baby what's the difference here.

Maybe early education health visitor and midwife before having a baby leaflets from council to all those receiving benefits for children under 5?

Not an excuse but in a lot of deprived areas people are living in boxed homes there's no space for storage. So parents may unwittingly put cleaning goods under the sink or on a windowsill.

Manufacturers should make dishwasher boxes that are difficult to open like bleach bottles and medicine bottles I'm sure they can whip up a cheap safety device.