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Parenting

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Original poster

Open Coal Fires

17 replies

popidle · 23/12/2003 09:28

our 19m dd is very curious and quite fearless. for this reason, we've not been lighting the fire til she's safe in bed. but - seeing as how bedtimes will get later and the winters wont get any warmer - whats a suitable age to start introducing dd to the idea of a real coal fire??

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TinselDragon · 23/12/2003 09:39

Thinking about it, DS1 and 2 never had any problems with my in laws' real wood fire at Christmas, right from 9 months or so. If you're watching them constantly and reinforce that it's HOT then it shouldn't be a problem. Get a fire guard if you're really worried.

I've just realised that I've never lit our gas-coal fire when the boys have been around - I'd forgotten that they'd experienced the wood fire before.

Tinker · 23/12/2003 09:53

popidle - think I first lit the fire when my daughter was about 2 or 3. Didn't have a big fire guard but probably should have had one.

My mum tried to reassure me, reminding me that most kids had open fires when she was younger, "and you only saw a few that had been burnt"!

ponygirl · 23/12/2003 10:40

We've always had open fires and just been extremely vigilant and remained in the room. Also have a big fireguard and a small one for when we have to leave the room. Have to say, though, that both ds1 and dd kept well back naturally, probably because of the heat and the occasional popping sounds. Now ds2 (10 months) is mesmerised, but doesn't even attempt to get close. I am always careful with it and worry quite a lot, but it's cold now and we need to light it. Proceed with caution!

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GladTidings · 23/12/2003 10:46

We were brought up with a real coal fire. I don't remember having a fire guard when my sister and I were young, but by the time my brothers were born the fire guard was pretty much a permanent feature until the youngest was 4!

Metrobaby · 23/12/2003 11:59

We have real fires and have had ones since dd was born. We always use a big fireguard and make sure we are also present in the room.

snowdonim · 23/12/2003 12:19

We have an open fire with an all-encompassing fireguard and a spark guard. I think it's pretty safe if you take all precautions.

Pacific · 23/12/2003 13:47

We have always had a coal fire but used a full fireguard firmly attached to the wall. DS especially was always mesmerised by the fire and still displays pyromaniac tendencies. However, one day when he was cruising around the furniture naked after a bath, he stood holding onto the fireguard staring at the fire as usual. All of a sudden he started peeing straight into the fire! There was a great hissing and clouds of green steam billowed around the room. DS roared with laughter and thought this was a great game! Be warned!

WiShuaMerryXmas · 23/12/2003 13:54

We have a gas coal effect fire and use it with a firegauard for our 16 month old DD. My Mum, OTOH, has a real fire (woodburner) in her lounge which happily roars away with DD in the room (the grate doors are open). She has displayed a very small amount of interest but that soon waned. I think it was one cautious look and she walked off ! It does help that the fire is in a deep inglenook so even if DD stood toe to toe with the hearthj, she would still still be 12ins away from the actual fire/flame.

If I were you I'd introduce her to it now, obviously exercising the usual caution. I think it would help you to teach her about how to behave around fire sooner rather than later. That way when she get REALLY curious at around 3/4 the novelty of the fire/flames should have worn off !

WiShuaMerryXmas · 23/12/2003 13:55

Sorry about the rogue letters in there ! I forgot to add that my mum hasn't got a fireguard.

Original poster

popidle · 23/12/2003 14:27

thanks for all the input! We've got a full fireguard thats attached to the wall, so I reckon I may spark it up on Xmas Day and take it from there. dd does understand the meaning of "HOT!" so I reckon we should be OK!

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Katherine · 23/12/2003 14:52

We've got a coal fire and a rayburn in the kitchen too. When DS (now 5) was a baby we had a big fireguard and when DD (now 3) arrived we also had it. But last winter we lent it to our neighbours and it disappeared. We've never replaced it. The children know about things being hot. Don't see the point in flapping about the fire when we can't put anything round the rayburn so we've just brought them up to be aware of when its lit and to stay clear. I do try not to leave them alone in the room if its lit but I'm a big beleiver in teaching about safety rather than just blocking it. Otherwise there will be a time or a place when there is no guard and you'll be terrified. Just be sensible about it and it will be fine.

snowdonim · 23/12/2003 22:12

Pacific, your story has reminded me why we also use a spark guard. When we just had a fireguard I once discovered DS1 lobbing teatowels over the top of the guard, whereupon they burst into flames and blazed merrily away on the hearth.

jasper · 02/01/2004 23:47

WE have three coal fires, three kids under five , and fireguards screwed onto the wall.
We have used them from birth with no problem.

jodee · 03/01/2004 09:59

DH clearly remembers his mother putting his hand into the open fire when he was little - not to burn, just to warn that it was extremely hot and dangerous - and he never went near it after that (this was in the mid 60's in South Wales, all coal fires and no guards in those days)!

DaddyCool · 13/01/2004 13:15

Talking of fireguards, does anyone know where I can get a decent looking one. Some of the safety guards you see are massive cages that look like they are designed to contain a wild beast. They can be quite ugly.

I've got an enclosed cast iron room heater. I accidently put the edge of my finger on it for about 1/10 of a second and spent the rest of the evening with my finger in ice water.

Does anyone know where I could buy something safe for my DS but pleasing to the eye?

JanH · 13/01/2004 13:42

I think to properly enclose a fire you have to get a cage, and attach it to the wall. This one is nicer looking than the square bronze one though.

Paula71 · 15/01/2004 22:35

Um,dont mean to worry you but those big cages that fit round the fire can be climbed so be very careful.

The reason I know this is that when I was 2 my mum walked into the living room to be greeted by the site of me, sitting happily on top of the cage, trying to get my socks on. She had put them on the top to dry! You can imagine her horror.

I also broke into the top cupboard using an ingenious plan of stand on bin, climb on counter, mission accomplished and into the biscuit tin! Poor DM wondered where the biscuits were going, why I didn't want to eat my tea and why the bin lid was caving in!

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