Keeping the little ones off the heart

[babalu87]

We have a Morso 3610 (fairly large stove) on a hearthpad in our living room
We've been using a large "baby" cage to guard the stove from our little girl
We want to try something less cumbersome (I may wind up burning myself climbing over this thing to service the stove0

What do the rest of you use , if anything.
I have been told that children will gravitate to a heat source and then back off but I wouldnt trust that logic

 

[saichele]

We have a large fireplace screen. It's in an arc, so it stands by itself. and kind of wraps around the insert. I just pivot the thing on the hinge side of the stove and it works pretty well. Gets warm, but not so hot you'd burn yourself. Least not in any reasonable time.

That said, I had a woodstove in the house from the time I was 3, and a younger sister and brother who had them from birht, and no one ever got any burns from woodstoves. Irons, kitchen stoves, campfires, the occasional electrocution, but the woodstove was not a problem.

Like my wife says (of our daughter), "She's a toddler, not an idiot." Of course, we still have the aforementioned screen...

Steve

 

[babalu87]

Well at 3 our son knows to stay away from the stove and oven but Shannon, walking on her own any day now @ less than 10 months :gulp:, is very mobile and too inquisitive for me to just say "well she should know to stay away"

I know I would feel like the idiot waiting in an emergency room with a 10 month old who has burns on her arms and hands :sick:

 

[babalu87]

Yeah huh
She is 10 months old next week and a BEAST ;-)
Problem with the Hearth Gate is the sections arent wide enough for the front of the stove

I was thinking of one of these:
(broken link removed to http://www.americanchimneysweeps.com/childuard_woodstove_screen.htm)

I was also thinking of manufacturing one myself

 

[saichele]

The screen we have is very much like the American Chimney Sweep model. And yes, despite some laissez faire perspectives, we do ahve the screen anyway. She may not be an idiot, but she is a toddler.

That said, she has shown a distinct apprehension about the insert. Downright fear for the first week or so. Got upset anytime my wife went near it. She's getting better, but still goes to the far end of the room if I open the door to load it. Hopefully she stays scared until she's old enough to understand not to touch hot things...

Steve

 

[carpniels]

Hi,

I have 2 sons (2.5 years and 8 months) and the older one walks. I use a plastic kids fence around my VC Intrepid II. It is one of those fences that has 6 panels of about 3 ft wide and 2.5 ft high and you can attach and detach them where you want. It is intended to be made into a 6 sided circle to keep you kids from running away while they play in the yard.

I have all 18 ft set up in a semi circle with 3 panels flush along the walls (my stove is in a corner). It works great, does not get warm and has not melted yet. It is ugly, but my kids skin is worth it. When both of them are 3 or 4 and up, I might remove it.

Hope his helps

Carpniels

 

[BS-N]

I use the KidCo hearth gate. As said, you can get as many sections (all different shapes and sizes) as you like. I bought what I needed to make it look good and attach to the wall. It is a pretty durable product and matches the decor. You may pay a few hundred dollars, but I believe it is worth while. After paying almost $3,000 for a new setup and install, why not finish it properly and safely.
(In the pic, also notice the Kidco Gate and the stairs.) - Good stuff.

 

[webbie]

Yeah, the advice that kids will "know to stay away" is almost too foolishly cavalier to discuss.

How old is your kid?

Under 1.5 years, I'd say heartgate and good parenting.

After 1.5 years, I'd say good parenting.

So bascially we are suggesting that kids under 1.5 are dumber than the dumbest dog, cat or even puppy!
Even a bird knows better...and I doubt even a roach would climb onto a hot stove...
(Probably true, or else we are simply too inquisitive!)

In reality, the "accident" where a child falls against the stove if probably the most likely. I would suggest that we still have instinct to get close to warmth, but not too close.