AIBU to move the first aid kit to a low cupboard?

[AddingMustard]

First aid kit and medicines have always been on a shelf "out of reach" of the DC.
They are now 9&12 and the 12 year old is almost as tall as me. I want to move all the first aid kit, including medicines to a low cupboard in the living room to free up space in the cupboard where they currently are. Is there a reason I shouldn't do this?

Could you put a child lock on the cupboard door? We have magnetic ones in our kitchen so there is nothing on the outside of the cupboard and we have a little magnet to open them. You could store the magnet somewhere high/safe.

You could store the magnet somewhere high
At what age is this redundant though. If it's somewhere "high" that I can reach, DS can too!

I think at 9&12 they should have access to the first aid kit in case they need it.

I agree that they should have access. They are old enough to have the talk about safe access to medicines and how to use them, although I wouldn't expect them to have free reign to self medicate - they should still ask for permission/ be monitored.

At 9 and 12 they should be sensible enough to know not to take medicines without asking. Mine are the same age and I've had our medicine cupboard at knee height for years.

Visiting children?

At 9 and 12 your children should be old enough to understand that you don't mess around with the first aid kit or medicines but obviously that depends on your individual child and you know them best.

If you think they are responsible enough then move it all to the low cupboard and show them where it is but tell them that they can help themselves to alcohol wipes/plasters if they cut themselves but they have to ask before they take any kind of medicine/tablet.

My DD is 12 and I have the first aid kit and medicines in a cupboard she can access and they are clearly labelled. The first aid kit with stuff like plasters, alcohol wipes, bandages, splinter tweezers etc is in one box and medicines like paracetamol, ibuprofen, antihistamines, cough syrup, eczema creams etc are in another box. DD knows that she doesn't need permission to go in the first aid box to get a plaster if she cuts her finger for example (I do ask her to tell me if she uses something but that's just so I can make sure we don't run out) but she needs to ask me before she takes paracetamol for a headache.

12 year old should be shown first aid kit and be allowed to access it when needed. What if they are home alone? I would think it safer to have easy access at these ages. Also what 12 year old needs to ask for a plaster or paracetamol

Also what 12 year old needs to ask for a plaster or paracetamol

My DD doesn't need to ask for plasters but I definitely want to know before she takes any kind of medicine

A 12 year old and probably a 9 year old should know all about what they can and can't have from the first aid box.

Mine is in the kitchen cabinet. My kids are 9 upwards....they could take a chair to the cupboardnifnthey wanted to. But they don't- they ask for paracetamol/cough medicine etc- actually usually they don't ask but come to me and tell me they are feeling poorly. Antihistamines are at the front so they can take their own - eldest and youngest have to have them everyday in season.

There is a box of plasters in the bathroom specifically for them to use.

Is there any chance you will ever have visitors with little people? We keep all medicines up high, out of reach of children, and we are a household of adults/young adults. We don’t have any young kids visiting on a regular basis, but it’s the type of thing that I would probably forget about rectifying with the rare child visitor so just easier to keep it all up as standard.

@JustWonderingIfYou

12 year old should be shown first aid kit and be allowed to access it when needed. What if they are home alone? I would think it safer to have easy access at these ages. Also what 12 year old needs to ask for a plaster or paracetamol

12 year olds should absolutely be asking for paracetamol because it's so easy to accidentally overdose. They may take something like lemsip without realising there's paracetamol in it, and they've already taken something else with it in it.

@TwoShades1

Could you put a child lock on the cupboard door? We have magnetic ones in our kitchen so there is nothing on the outside of the cupboard and we have a little magnet to open them. You could store the magnet somewhere high/safe.

At 9 & 12 years old?

I wouldn’t- to be honest even at older teen ages I think I would keep things like paracetamol out of reach/ locked. Maybe I’m paranoid but it’s not worth the risk. Lots of adults don’t even realise the risk of accidental paracetamol over dose, especially with things like lemsip. I certainly wouldn’t trust my 8 year old to remember dose times / spacing them out correctly.

Why don't you keep the first aid kit out but lock away potentially harmful medication.

Also what 12 year old needs to ask for a plaster or paracetamol
Paracetamol? All of them, hopefully!

I don’t think they should ask for a plaster at 12.
Re the medicines it depends on the child. My two never voluntarily took medicine and certainly wouldn’t be asking for any or looking for it.

@AlwaysLatte

Also what 12 year old needs to ask for a plaster or paracetamol Paracetamol? All of them, hopefully!

I trusted DD with paracetamol at that age because of period pain. I also taught her how to take them safely.

I'm not sure 12 year old knows what paracetamol is!
I wouldn't expect them to ask for a plaster and they do normally help themselves anyway. They've never asked me for medicine.

Argh, I think that came out wrong. When I said "They have never asked me for medicine" I don't mean that they help themselves, I mean they have literally never asked me for medicine. I have decided and given them some when I thought they needed it but not at their request.

I definitely had paracetamol in my blazer/ school bag from year 7 for headaches or period pain and I certainly wasn't the only one.

And I would be shocked at a 12 year old having such little common sense to take lemsip for the first time without reading the box or to have been previously given it without being told it contains paracetamol.

Some people really like to keep children dependant for far too long!

@JustWonderingIfYou

I definitely had paracetamol in my blazer/ school bag from year 7 for headaches or period pain and I certainly wasn't the only one.

And I would be shocked at a 12 year old having such little common sense to take lemsip for the first time without reading the box or to have been previously given it without being told it contains paracetamol.

Some people really like to keep children dependant for far too long!

Or alternatively, it's people trying to keep their kids safe. A quick Google of "accidental paracetamol overdose" shows they regularly happen, to people of all ages, even in places like hospitals where drugs are carefully monitored. It's an incredibly dangerous drug that most people treat lightly, so people should be careful with it.

It's an incredibly dangerous drug that most people treat lightly, so people should be careful with it.

And people should be taught to be careful with it. Which I have done, thus keeping my daughter safe. Perhaps safer than locking it away and telling her nothing.

I wouldn't give a teen unfettered access to paracetamol. I would perhaps make sure there is one blisterpack in there, but I would keep the main supply somewhere out of their way.