to expect parents to keep cleaning products out of childrens reach

[comingalongnicely]

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??

DH & I live in Scotland & were commenting on Glasgow council issuing child safety clips for cupboards. I must admit, it did make us eye roll - would you not just put them in higher cupboard? Personal responsibility & all that.

Yes, accidents have always happened, people make mistakes. But that is not the fault of the packaging, so it seems odd that is what people have chosen to hand-wring about.

By the age of 3 dd1 could open every child lock and stairgate we had. Dd4 who isn't yet 2 picks up the coffee table to climb on if she wants to reach something and the only reason she can't open our stairgate is because her hand is too small but it won't be long. Even safety equipment isn't infallible, children can work it out. I don't recall my parents having cupboard locks but then there wasn't the range of cleaning products either and no dishwashers.

I managed to get hold of a bottle of bleach the when I was 3- this was early 1970's. It was on a high shelf in the bathroom that my Mother could not reach without standing on a chair. I apparently piled loads of things onto the toilet seat until I could reach and then climbed up. Luckily I did not drink it, but my parents were horrified to learn that despite their attempts to keep it safely away I managed to get it. Some kids are little Houdinis. Will manage to get into everything.

Sadly not all parents are sensible and super responsible. And kids also climb etc

So what harm cupboard locks and changing packaging. .every little helps.

I dont lock them away. He knows they aren't food. If I am putting a wash on he will get me a liquid tab and put it in just as he will get a dishwasher tablet if I ask.

He gets me wipes, bleach etc too when I'm cleaning. He knows these aren't to be eaten and knows he only goes in the cupboard when I say he can.

Nothing in my house is locked away tbh

Having seen a 60+ year old in A/E who had swallowed bleach (accidentally) - accidents happen.

YANBU. What makes people think that putting dishwasher tabs, bleach etc in boring packaging will keep kids out of it? My 2 year old will happily mess with anything regardless whether it's in a plain brown box or a brightly colored shiny package.

Kids mess with things they shouldn't so, yes, the only answer is to keep dangerous things out of reach. And even then accidents will inevitably happen sometimes no matter how vigilant we are.

Accidents like these probably happen because exhaustion obliterates vigilance. It was under the very same situation that Gordy described that my then 3yo cillit-banged my leather sofa. It was only luck that the nozzle wasn't pointing the other way.

Doesn't everyone keep their cleaning stuff in the cupboard under the sink?

I do think that children need to be taught, but equally that you shouldn't give them too many chances to experiment with stuff.

Family friend of ours went to Grandma's house. Child (then aged 2) got hold of and managed to drink the bleach (quite a few adults around but everyone thought he was playing happily with someone else). It didn't kill him but it did partially burn through his windpipe and bugger his digestive system and lungs. He was hospitalised frequently for colds and was a very fragile little boy as a result. A couple of years ago, he contracted yet another cold, went to hospital with it, but they were unable to save him and he died aged 7. Granny has not, and probably will never, forgive herself, and neither have Mum and Dad. Children do need to understand that there is stuff they must not have, because if you are out of your own home you need to be able to try and avert situations like this one. But at the same time, a big part of me, having seen this, thinks I'm not about to risk my own child learning the hard way. Because much as you think you might always supervise, there will always be a time when you don't - the family above thought the lad was well supervised - and I wouldn't want to take the risk.