Pure Parents

Question:

Despite all this kids have lovely soggy fingers all day long!  any wet fingers getting in the way of a partially pulled out plug is not a nice thought!    parenting is all about worrying to a certain extent (Ron I dont know if you are a parent or not) and if I think there is any risk from a plug socket, I sure as hell am gonna go out my way to prevent that risk!  I have twins and like Janet am constantly seeing them do things that you would not find a singleton doing! Oh and by the way folks – if you know of anywhere I can get these covers in the UK – please mail me! Susan Wood http://twins.cjb.net

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->UL approval not withstanding… >A child can pull a plug partly out of an outlet and get >their fingers down between the outlet and the plug and >touch the contacts.  This will give a nasty "bite". >I’ve been bitten this way.  I was trying to plug in >a lamp in the dark and was doing it by feel. >So If I could get my fingers in there, a child with >their smaller fingers can get a jolt. Low) writes: >Folks..  Electric sockets are UL approved to begin with. >To get a lethal shock, a kid would have to try pretty hard.  The easiest way >would be to take TWO paper clips and hold one in each hand and stick them in >two slots of the same outlet.  That way the current would pass through the core >of the body. >Unless there is a metal floor or the outlet is in a place with a great deal of >privacy – like a closet – just supervise your kids and explain the danger when >they get close.  The biggest danger is the possibility of the kid pulling on >the cord of a lamp or iron and being conked on the head. >- Ron Low >Levity is the dearth of gravity.  Brevity is the height of clarity. >non-commercial e-mail always welcome >Allow 2 days for replies >– >Just my $0.02 worth. >Hope this helps, >Gordon >PS: >To reply: replace ‘X.bleeb’ with ‘greeder’.

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>I’ll vouch for that.  We had two outlets that we couldn’t >put furniture in front of.  So we got the covers.  Work >great.   I also have seen a cover that goes over an >outlet strip so you can prevent the kids from unplugging >the computer.

THAT one I need to find.

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UL approval not withstanding… A child can pull a plug partly out of an outlet and get their fingers down between the outlet and the plug and touch the contacts.  This will give a nasty "bite". I’ve been bitten this way.  I was trying to plug in a lamp in the dark and was doing it by feel. So If I could get my fingers in there, a child with their smaller fingers can get a jolt. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Folks..  Electric sockets are UL approved to begin with.   >To get a lethal shock, a kid would have to try pretty hard.  The easiest way >would be to take TWO paper clips and hold one in each hand and stick them in >two slots of the same outlet.  That way the current would pass through the core >of the body.   >Unless there is a metal floor or the outlet is in a place with a great deal of >privacy – like a closet – just supervise your kids and explain the danger when >they get close.  The biggest danger is the possibility of the kid pulling on >the cord of a lamp or iron and being conked on the head.   >- Ron Low >Levity is the dearth of gravity.  Brevity is the height of clarity.   >non-commercial e-mail always welcome >Allow 2 days for replies

– Just my $0.02 worth. Hope this helps, Gordon PS: To reply: replace ‘X.bleeb’ with ‘greeder’.

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Folks..  Electric sockets are UL approved to begin with.   To get a lethal shock, a kid would have to try pretty hard.  The easiest way would be to take TWO paper clips and hold one in each hand and stick them in two slots of the same outlet.  That way the current would pass through the core of the body.   Unless there is a metal floor or the outlet is in a place with a great deal of privacy – like a closet – just supervise your kids and explain the danger when they get close.  The biggest danger is the possibility of the kid pulling on the cord of a lamp or iron and being conked on the head.   – Ron Low Levity is the dearth of gravity.  Brevity is the height of clarity.   non-commercial e-mail always welcome Allow 2 days for replies

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >Folks..  Electric sockets are UL approved to begin with. >To get a lethal shock, a kid would have to try pretty hard.  The easiest way >would be to take TWO paper clips and hold one in each hand and stick them in >two slots of the same outlet.  That way the current would pass through the core >of the body. >Unless there is a metal floor or the outlet is in a place with a great deal of >privacy – like a closet – just supervise your kids and explain the danger when >they get close.  The biggest danger is the possibility of the kid pulling on >the cord of a lamp or iron and being conked on the head. >- Ron Low

Perhaps you’d like to come to my house and watch three 27-month olds for a few days?  Then tell me (with as much condescension as you can still muster) not to worry? –Janet Triplets  (10/21/96)

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>>Does anyone know of any safety covers to cover the plug when it’s in the >socket as our 16 month old finds it great fun to either switch off the >socket or pull the plug which doesn’t help our computer. >Rosey >Safety 1st (or The First Years, can’t remember) makes an outlet cover >that might work.  One part, the base, screws into the outlet itself, >the cover fastens over that and over the plugs, with a hole in the >bottom for the cord to go through.  We used these for quite a while. >My kids never did figure out how to get the cover off.

I’ll vouch for that.  We had two outlets that we couldn’t put furniture in front of.  So we got the covers.  Work great.   I also have seen a cover that goes over an outlet strip so you can prevent the kids from unplugging the computer. — Just my $0.02 worth. Hope this helps, Gordon PS: To reply: replace ‘X.bleeb’ with ‘greeder’.

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devices?  I have plenty of them in my home and believe everyone should. Marie B. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >Well, yea, I’ve used many of them.  You push them in the socket.  "You", >having done that, would know how difficult it is to pull them out.  If, >by chance, the socket was either old or otherwise the cover was very >loose, I.e. easy to pull out, you’d take note. >I think *Marie* is one of those people who doesn’t believe in safety >devices and just says this type of thing.  Those little plastic things, >IF accompanied by a UL certification, are appropriate safety devices.  If >they are not UL certified, then beware. >– >Curlytoons > Or maybe she’s just referring to the little plastic things with prongs that > you put in each hole? > –Janet > Triplets  (10/21/96) > >Properly installed U.L. listed electric outlet safety covers would have > >to be defective or improperly installed not to perform their intended > >use.  It’s silly to state otherwise.  My guess is that Heidi didn’t > >install hers properly. > >– > >Curlytoons > >> Please don’t take this the wrong way, but we shouldn’t judge other > people’s > >> children in anyway.  Sure, a 14 month old that YOU know may not have the > >> strength but who’s to say Heidi’s kid doesn’t????? > >> Marie B. > >> >> My son figured out how to pull out the electric outlet safety covers > when > >> he > >> >> was about 14 months old. > >> >> Heidi > >> >He may have figured out how to pull them, duh!, but a 14 month old > >> >doesn’t have the strength to pull out a U.L. electric outlet safety > >> >cover. They aren’t like a straw in a sippy cup. > >> >– > >> >Curlytoons

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Please don’t take this the wrong way, but we shouldn’t judge other people’s children in anyway.  Sure, a 14 month old that YOU know may not have the strength but who’s to say Heidi’s kid doesn’t????? Marie B. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> My son figured out how to pull out the electric outlet safety covers when he > was about 14 months old. > Heidi >He may have figured out how to pull them, duh!, but a 14 month old >doesn’t have the strength to pull out a U.L. electric outlet safety >cover. They aren’t like a straw in a sippy cup. >– >Curlytoons

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You can order them from the One Step Ahead catalog. CM

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Or maybe she’s just referring to the little plastic things with prongs that you put in each hole? –Janet Triplets  (10/21/96) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >Properly installed U.L. listed electric outlet safety covers would have >to be defective or improperly installed not to perform their intended >use.  It’s silly to state otherwise.  My guess is that Heidi didn’t >install hers properly. >– >Curlytoons > Please don’t take this the wrong way, but we shouldn’t judge other people’s > children in anyway.  Sure, a 14 month old that YOU know may not have the > strength but who’s to say Heidi’s kid doesn’t????? > Marie B. > >> My son figured out how to pull out the electric outlet safety covers when > he > >> was about 14 months old. > >> Heidi > >He may have figured out how to pull them, duh!, but a 14 month old > >doesn’t have the strength to pull out a U.L. electric outlet safety > >cover. They aren’t like a straw in a sippy cup. > >– > >Curlytoons

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>Does anyone know of any safety covers to cover the plug when it’s in the >socket as our 16 month old finds it great fun to either switch off the >socket or pull the plug which doesn’t help our computer. >Rosey

I know they exist because we used them when our children were babies. I think we bought them at Sears. They are a clear plastic cover that is screwed on to the outlet after the item is plugged in; there is a space to allow the power cord to come through. Good luck finding them. C.

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Super. But the question was about covers that go "over" the plug to prevent the child turning the computer off.  Not the basic safety covers. –Janet Triplets  (10/21/96)

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->My son figured out how to pull out the electric outlet safety covers when he >was about 14 months old. >Heidi

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>Does anyone know of any safety covers to cover the plug when it’s in the >socket as our 16 month old finds it great fun to either switch off the >socket or pull the plug which doesn’t help our computer. >Rosey

Safety 1st (or The First Years, can’t remember) makes an outlet cover that might work.  One part, the base, screws into the outlet itself, the cover fastens over that and over the plugs, with a hole in the bottom for the cord to go through.  We used these for quite a while. My kids never did figure out how to get the cover off.

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I got some at our local hardware store.  Big white plastic box.  There is a plate that you put on the wall (it attaches to the outlet cover, using the same screw that you already have in there).  Then you put your plugs in and then you snap the dome over the top.  Made by Safety 1st, Inc.  Cost under $5.  But if you’re in the UK … –Janet  (in her guise as The Merry Queen of Babyproofing) Triplets (10/21/96) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >Does anyone know of any safety covers to cover the plug when it’s in the >socket as our 16 month old finds it great fun to either switch off the >socket or pull the plug which doesn’t help our computer. >Rosey

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I just bought some like what you want from Walmart.  They screw onto the outlet plate itself and have a cover that snaps on and of over the plugs. One of my catalogs also has them; if you can’t find them at your Walmart, let me know and I’ll dig out the catalog for ya. Marie B. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >Super. >But the question was about covers that go "over" the plug to prevent the >child turning the computer off.  Not the basic safety covers. >–Janet >Triplets  (10/21/96) >My son figured out how to pull out the electric outlet safety covers when >he >was about 14 months old. >Heidi

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In the past we have used masking tape to hold plugs down.  It was not totally "kid proof" but would slow the child down enough that we could get to her/him before the plug was actually pulled. ~Jan (who also ‘making taped’ her desk drawers closed… now the beautiful desk has permanent masking tape marks on it)

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My son figured out how to pull out the electric outlet safety covers when he was about 14 months old. Heidi

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Does anyone know of any safety covers to cover the plug when it’s in the socket as our 16 month old finds it great fun to either switch off the socket or pull the plug which doesn’t help our computer. Rosey

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Hi Rosey, I’m in Canada, so I can’t help with the socket thing.  (We have some here that you can use to stop the child from pulling the plug, but it’s more for safety because our plugs are a bit different. I grew up in N. Ireland so I remember that the plugs in the UK have the first part of the prongs covered in an insulator to prevent electric shocks while they are being plugged in or pulled out. That’s a great idea.) My suggestion, though, would be to put something in front of the socket so that your child can’t reach the plug.  I know it’s a pain, because you will have to move it to reach it yourself!  The things we have to do. . .   Our son is almost 21 months old and at last has the concept of "danger" where electical sockets are concerned.  We still have all our outlets covered, though. Good luck, Deirdre – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Does anyone know of any safety covers to cover the plug when it’s in the > socket as our 16 month old finds it great fun to either switch off the > socket or pull the plug which doesn’t help our computer. > Rosey

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