Why do people still run the risk of toddlers and garden ponds?

[JackandDiane]

We all know it is not a risk worth taking? Parents, grandparents, whoever
WHY?

In a professional capacity I know of someone convicted of child cruelty/neglect when a child sadly died in an uncovered pond

Pond netting costs a few quid. My Sis has personally known of 3 kids drown in swimming pools.
There is no excuse; would you let a child play near a motorway?
A pond can be made safe with strong wire mesh/gridding. A pool needs to be cordoned off.

I used to have a pond at home and both my University friends fell in it when they came to visit. It turns out you really can't be too careful around water.

Just put a good metal grid over it to keep the herons from getting your fish, and it's safe enough.

Ifailed - really?! Do you want to know why my husband should be the one to build a cover? Should I attach a CV to my posts so that you know what my strengths and weaknesses are?

It's not because I'm a pathetic woman. It's because he does a lot of woodwork, fitting kitchens, building things etc, so he'd build something a lot sturdier than I would. Heck, I wouldn't even know where to go to buy the materials in this country.

Sorry for not fulfilling your idea that women have to be gifted in every single area so that they can live entirely independently...

Filled ours in when we moved here. We had an escape artist and I wasn't going to take the risk.

Ditto!!
In laws have a massive pond, which they refuse to cover, and a driveway sloping steeply down to a busy road.
Guess what ? No gate! and young grandchildren who are expected to visit on a regular basis.
Are people mad/ evil or what?
I'm at a loss......

Is this about the gosberton risegate story with the little 19 month old who has just died at his grandparents house?

"Sorry for not fulfilling your idea that women have to be gifted in every single area so that they can live entirely independently..."

Well said!

Notness, couldn't read and not post. So sorry to hear about your daughter.

I fell in my grandparents pond when I was a toddler, I remember getting my foot stuck (in reeds or something I suppose) but I don't remember being pulled out. They didn't cover or fill in the pond even after that - they didn't want to disturb the frogs

Their garden backed on to a canal, i remember climbing up the embankment a few times.

There's no way I would think that was ok as an adult.

There are some people's homes where you can't leave your DCs to just play without being close by and watching them at all times. The people with lots of breakable expensive things at toddler height. The people who have all their super sharp knifes out on display at easy to reach for small person levels rather than in a drawer or up high in a knife block. The people who have bleach and cleaning products on the floor next to the loo rather than on a shelf/away. The people without gates on a main road. And the people with ponds/swimming pools.

You don't get to sit and have a brew while they are playing nicely, you have to just watch them at all times and stay near them. I wouldn't expect a grandparent to fill in their pond, I would expect a grandparent not to leave a child alone in the garden, or leave the back door open (to give them free access to the garden) when the DCs were at their house, or even I wouldn't leave my DCs at their house, but insist on staying with them.

There are some people's homes where you can't leave your DCs to just play without being close by and watching them at all times. The people with lots of breakable expensive things at toddler height. The people who have all their super sharp knifes out on display at easy to reach for small person levels rather than in a drawer or up high in a knife block. The people who have bleach and cleaning products on the floor next to the loo rather than on a shelf/away. The people without gates on a main road. And the people with ponds/swimming pools.

You don't get to sit and have a brew while they are playing nicely, you have to just watch them at all times and stay near them. I wouldn't expect a grandparent to fill in their pond, I would expect a grandparent not to leave a child alone in the garden, or leave the back door open (to give them free access to the garden) when the DCs were at their house, or even I wouldn't leave my DCs at their house, but insist on staying with them.

Because it's an easily managed risk? We never considered filling in our ponds, we just watched DD like a hawk whenever she was in the vicinity, and taught her water safety early.

I realise that depending on various factors this may not be an option for all families , but equally it is wrong to say that all families with young children must fill in their ponds or be branded deeply irresponsible.

Equally it is not wrong to have stairs in your home, or to own a car.

you THINK you will do that - every family thinks they will do that

then they dont

I have a pond and a 5 and 1 yo. It's hard to understand why you think there is actually a risk of drowning at all.

The garden can only be accessed from the house via a double door with a multi-lever lock operated by key only. You can't open it without the key. The key is hung up at my eye level. If they could manage to open that door, then they could open the front door too. Which is also locked with a similar mechanism. And a lot less stiff. I have never heard any one hysterically say why do people still run the risk of toddlers and a street with cars

I think parent should cover their ponds definitely but I don't expect my parents, ILS or anyone else to change theirs. It was my decision to have a child and don't see why anyone else should have to change things.. Supervision is all that is needed when near water x

smudged Don't do it. It's not worth it. The risk is too serious, the price to pay is too high.

You do realise not every actually play in their gardens? We never do. Don't see the point at all. We just take them out to the playgrounds. Either walk or cycle depending on which one they want to go to. They have climbing frames and swings and slides that are much better than anything I can afford.

We removed ours whilst our first baby was still tiny, long before he could crawl. I would never risk it.

I know one can argue that they will always supervise their kids but kids escape! They do unexpected stuff.

I hate visiting my in laws, they have 2 ponds, one of which is a couple of feet from the sliding back doors. They frequently leave them open. I watch my 19 month old like a hawk, but after grannie took her for walk around the garden I didn't expect her to send her back to the house unattended. Luckily I was sat 'guarding' the pond when she came around the corner.

I don't trust my in laws.

why do people end a post with a kiss?

I agree with dinosaurs and itsallgoingtobefine - I wouldn't dream of telling in laws to drain their own pond in their own garden- the death of any child is tragic but this is extraordinarily rare, so surely it's clear why people don't fill them in? They just have a different attitude to risk. Maybe OP you're really lax in some areas they worry about

Totally agree, why risk it.

FUCKING HELL wards off huns