Rule about tying knots in things?

[Adair]

Dd enjoys tying knots around things (eg she'll use a scarf to tie around a cuddly toy to be a 'lead')

It freaks me out tbh. She can untie them but it takes effort.

So far my rules have been
-no tying on people (though she does tie them round her waist)
-no tying round necks (no, not even cuddly toys to reinforce the point)
-no double/triple knots
-only in my eyesight

I try not to have dressing gown cords etc in her room but she finds stuff to tie... and well, I can't shelter her from real-life forever.

Is that reasonable? Any other safety things I should consider? What do other people do?

No possible nooses, i.e. no tying big loops to other things.

Thanks for this. DS is in a knots phase but at 3 they're hit and miss. For example, he can't tie his dressing gown but he can place multiple elaborate knots in DP's workboot laces on mornings he's running late!

I'm trying to find a lace toy I can give him so I can ban knots elsewhere - would that be an option for you?

Oh GOD, I remember this so well from my own DS's.

It was terrifying. DS2 used to tied knots in stuff around his neck, it was AWFUL.

So...

we bought something like this

and something like this

and told DS that these were his tying/knotting toys.

I did also tell him that is he tied a knot around himself or any other living creature that they/he might die. I know that seems harsh, but it's bloody TRUE.

I wonder if I'll get flamed for that last bit.

i just let ds1 get on with it tbh

he was warned severely about nothing round necks

that said i don't think we have anything in the house long enough, or attached to anything, that he could do any damage with

he tends to play with string from the abel and cole box, or old shoe laces which he ties round all sorts of stuff

OhLittle, I had the same conversation with mine. It's honest.

Thanks all. I err on the 'let them get on with it' side but after untying yet another load of dogs I just had one of those 'what would mumsnet think?' moments.

Yes, she knows that if you tie something round your/someone else's neck you might stop breathing and then die. And has known that for a year or so. She is 4.5 and quite sensible most of the time.