I grew up in S Florida and we live here now. I'm not opposed to fireplaces but am not really used to them. When I lived up north, I had a gas fireplace but I was single. My in-laws have two gas fireplaces that they have never used when I was there in the last 9 years . My FIL bought a wood burning stove and put it into the middle of the family/great room. This is where his grandkids usually play. I haven't heard from my SILs their thoughts but our first visit will be for Thanksgiving. I have a 5 year old and a 12 month old. My baby is walking and will be running by Turkey Day. How do I keep him safe?
Thanks! C.
I am not concerned about the gas fireplaces. They are always there and have NEVER been used. I am super concerned about the wood stove that is in the middle of the house. The kids are used to running through there - and mostly the baby. If it is cold, my FIL will be playing with his new toy. I hate to buy a gate or impose that on them - is it reasonable to ask that they NOT use it when baby is awake during the day and only use it in the evening.
A one year old can learn 'hot', the 5 year old should have absolutely no problems learning this. I wouldn't worry.
If it were me, we wouldn't be going. They do make gates that could go around it. I wouldn't pay for something we would use so seldom.
Reasonable not to use it? Only if you don't mind it being about 50 degrees in the house, or paying about $300 a week for their old heating system (assuming they still have it and it's functional) to be turned on.
It's like only using the aircon at night when it's humid and 90. The house will NOT stay warm or cold unless the system is running. And everything gets damp.
We had a gas stove, also in the middle of the living room when my son was a toddler. Never needed any kind of "keep away", because he learned "No. Hot." the same way he did with the oven, the bbq, the camp fire, etc. Also, at that age, he was never out of sight. I know some parents have "lump babies" ;) (the kind that will just sit and play happily in one spot) they can just leave in other rooms, but my son wasn't. Eyes on at all times until he was 4 or 5.
If you're really concerned; hexagonal "play yard" either for around the unit, or for your baby to be in so you don't need to keep eyes on. A LOT cheaper than paying for alternate heating.
I think you are over-thinking this...if the fireplace is going - most kids will back up from the heat of the fire instead of getting closer.
If you are afraid of the hearth and them falling? not sure what to tell you - we didn't baby proof our home...we tried the outlet items but our boys got around them anyway...so we just taught them instead of "protecting" them.
You can teach him what is safe and what isn't...just like going to other people's homes and what they can and cannot touch...we never moved anything we taught our kids to LOOK NOT TOUCH and if they felt the need to touch - it was with ONE FINGER...
Sorry - I can't be of much help to you. I think he will be fine and that you are over-thinking it.
It is NOT reasonable to ask someone not to use their fireplace when you are guest in their home.
Your 5 yo should understand that it could be dangerous and you can explain why he should not go near it. As far as the baby, you'll have to teach him NO and you'll need to keep a close watch on him. If necessay put him in a playpen.
You could ask your in laws to put a gate up around it. Your 5 year old is plenty old enough to understand that it's hot. We havent had to block our pellet stove and my youngest was 3 when we got it we do have a 5 or 6 section gate that we take apart and put around it when babies and young toddlers are over to visit.
Constant supervision and a portable gate system.
hexagonal play yard that looks like it's made of baby gates. when baby is in the room, put it around the stove. you may need to get 2 of them but they interlock.
My in-laws also have a huge wood burning stove in the middle of their living room, and that is their only source of heat during the winter months. My son is almost 3 and hash spent hours a week over there and has never had any contact with the stove because we taught him from early on that it was "hot! No touch!" so he has always stayed away from it. Watch your toddler when you're over there and just move him away from it if he gets too close and tell him that's it's hot and it will hurt him.
I live in the Pacific Northwest where wood stoves are common. Even when they have a case around them they put out heat which keeps away the curious toddler. They can actually feel that it's hot and are uncomfortable close to it. You will want to show the kids the stove and tell them it's hot. Have them come close so they can feel the heat. Perhaps allow them to touch it with one finger if it has an insulated case so that they can get their curiosity satisfied. I don't see that having a wood stove will be a problem.
The stove is a large object. Surely your kids wouldn't accidentally run into it. Do they run into walls, doors, large pieces of hard furniture? I just wouldn't be all that concerned. It's an opportunity to learn about hot things.
Only using it in the evening won't help much. The stove holds heat for several hours.
You keep him safe the same way you do around your stove. You say "No! Hot!" I'm sure you won't be letting your toddler roam the house alone, will you? You'll be right there with him.
We have a large wood-burning fireplace in our family room. Even though we watched closely, our daughter touched the glass door once with one finger as a toddler. We held her finger under cold water for a minute and it was fine. She never touched it again.
Our sole source of heat used to be a woodstove. Some of them are in a heavy metal casing, so the outside isn't as hot. Hopefully this is the case for your situation. If it is, then the stove won't feel as hot on the sides, the way one would without the casing.
You or your husband will have to follow your 12 month old around (or enlist one of the in-laws to help at times) to make sure he/she will not touch the wood stove. It will be a bit of work but if you all take turns at least one of you won't be tied to the baby the whole time.
Well that's annoying. A 12 month old will not learn that easily. The 5 year old will get it right away and will have to slow down. I would ask them what their thoughts are. A running toddler can only think of so much at one time, which will be trying to get from A to B not what's in the way. Plus, how (not fun) for you who will end up constantly watching your toddler. Others just don't watch well enough, and you will default into the position most of the time.
Plus, even if it's not hot it's prob. not fun to smash your face into if you fall into it.
Sorry I prob. made you feel worse, I would just be annoyed. Maybe make a circle around it with all the chairs in the house. LOL Or insist that it be kept off when the kids are up and tie a bunch of pillows around it.
we put plexiglass over the fireplace for 4 years when our kids were young.
It looked nice (you really couldnt tell it was there) and it worked great at keeping hte kids out.
it is cheap... maybe it will owrk for your visit?? or buy a gate for $40 and gate the fireplace.
No, a 12 month old can NOT learn "hot" and put cause and effect together, as in "If I touch that, I will get badly injured." Hot and cold are concepts, not concrete objects, and a baby has NO idea.
I wouldn't bring my 17 month old around a wood burning stove unless there were a circular gate placed around it, or a promise that it wouldn't be used. Have your husband talk to his father, express the concerns the two of you have about safety, etc.
I am from PA and we had a wood burning stove in our living room. I had a gate around it, even when it wasn’t on. Ours was cast iron with soap stone and bricks under and behind it. I was more worried that my daughter would fall on it and hurt herself. The only time we used it was if we lost power from a snowstorm.
I would suggest asking them not to use it for fear of burns (they get very hot), and let your kids know not to play near it.
