Kids and Fire

[martel]

So, I am very close to having a woodburning insert in my family room and this forum has done nothing but fuel my anticipation! I am so very excited. Thanks for the inspiration to you all (not to mention the inspiration that $500 heating bills during a mild winter with the house at 60 degrees creates).

I am wondering though- we have a 10 month old baby girl who is starting to get into everything. Does anyone have tips or nightmare stories for having a small kiddo in a house with a stove?

Thanks in advance- I may need to make sure my wife doesn't find this thread!

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

I would buy a Kidco Hearthgate
(broken link removed to http://www.kidco.com/main.taf?erube_fh=kidco&kidco.submit.gateDetails=1&kidco.modelNumber=G70&kidco.bc=gc)

you should be able to find it local at a hearth shop

 

[HarryBack]

never had a problem with my kids and the stove. they seemed to inherently understand that it was hot after seeing stupid dad touch it time and time again, constantly getting burned. Besides, its hard to get to my stove, what with the knives, guns, barrels of acid and other toxic waste, broken glass, barbed wire, various dangerous household chemicals, and electric fence which is in the way. %-P

 

[CrazyAboutOrchids]

A gate is relatively inexpensive assistance against those freak accidents that you don't want to think about. Just do it. Yes you can train, yes you can supervise, but it does only take a second for her to toddle over, trip, fall and get burned. You can always check Ebay for a used gate, or sell it there when she gets older.

 

[Marcus]

We just ordered an insert and installed one of the Kidco gates. It really looks nice and can be configured exactly how you want it with additional pieces. Did my research on the net and found the cheapest place. They also had great customer service and fast delivery:

http://baby-safety-products.babycatalog.com/safety-gates-and-rails-banisters/hearth-gate-07070

 

[martel]

thanks for all the responses- i believe I will probably get one- although, i am sure this dumb dad will provide many experiences for her to observe and learn about burns from. she may even learn a few of those words we try so hard to keep form her.

 

[kregars]

I hate to say it, but my kids learned through experience (as did one of my cats) that when there's flickering light in the stove, it's no longer safe to play around. Nothing major but scared the heck outta myself and my wife.

 

[superduke]

The beginning of the 05/06 heating season, my I2400 regency insert was happily burning. My three yearold at the time (4 yrs old now) sat on the hearth beside the stove. I have always told her that it is very hot, don't sit beside it. She had her own idea's, before I knew it she leaned against the gold plated door with her arm. To make a long story short, she walks far away from it now.

 

[saichele]

we got a pretty inexpensive ($35) free standing wrap around fire screen that has worked pretty well. It keeps any waywayd toddler from making full contact with the insert, but does get hot enough to get their attention.

Steve

 

[martel]

steve is that just a screen that they make for a traditional fireplace?

 

[babalu87]

I have the screen and my daughter (1 year this past Wednesday) gets into EVERYTHING and leaves no stone unturned but she is really only interested in the stove when I am loading/tending to it
My 3 yo son is onld enough to know hot

We keep a screen up when they are awake just in case of, the screen allows for enough of a margin of safety
I made up a piece for the top so it can sit against the stove and wont slide further back

I feel the gate would have become a curiosity factor and it is not tall enough to deter them, they would drag a toy box over and climb it, the gate system is VERY short

(broken link removed to http://www.americanchimneysweeps.com/childuard_woodstove_screen.htm)
I bought mine at a local retailer (display model, got it for $75)

 

[wg_bent]

My two year old knows hot from being told food is hot, water is hot, etc... He managed to learn "HOT" before the wood stove, so when the stove went in, he was told over and over, "HOT!!" He gives it a wide berth, and it's not a problem.

 

[Scraper]

Like others, I had no issues with my daughter who is now 3 plus. My son is only 7 months, but seems to have those animal instincts not to touch.

 

[Rick]

I've had a stove since before my now 5 year old was born. The only issue we've ever had was earlier this year. I was loading the stove and she was playing in front of it. She pretended to warm her feet in front of the stove and touched the glass. That lightest contact was enough to burn/melt her sock down past her toes. I freaked out, thinking she had burned herself, she wasn't burned, just very confused as to what happened to her sock. That really drove home the point to me that all though she might not touch the stove, she may let barbie (or some other toy) touch it, so we really keep an eye on her when it's lit.

Rick

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

you should use freestanding screens with caution, they will easily fall over if grabed onto, and the screens get pretty darn hot themselves.

 

[saichele]

steve is that just a screen that they make for a traditional fireplace?

Yup. It's about 42" wide by 32 tall, and about 10" deep with the bend.

Steve

 

[wahoowad]

True story. My buddy's kid was just getting old enough to try and mimic everything he did. One day the little boy kept wanting to put logs in the fire - wouldn't listen to dad to stay away. The next time the kid started trying to pull a log from the hearth log holder, dad threw a whole pack of firecrackers in the fire. The kid must have shot a stream of chit a mile long. His eyes and mouth were as big as the moon as he hauled ass away inthat spastic way a 3 year oldruns. The 2 dogs, 1 cat and kid all collided in the doorway leading out of the room. Mom was PI**ED, I mean out of control. Freakin' hilarious, I'm sorry, it was one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

 

[the_guad]

I can only say that even I'm curious about how hot the thing gets. I'll definitely be buying a gate when the time comes. Money well spent for the piece of mind.

 

[adrpga498]

True story. My buddy's kid was just getting old enough to try and mimic everything he did. One day the little boy kept wanting to put logs in the fire - wouldn't listen to dad to stay away. The next time the kid started trying to pull a log from the hearth log holder, dad threw a whole pack of firecrackers in the fire. The kid must have shot a stream of chit a mile long. His eyes and mouth were as big as the moon as he hauled ass away inthat spastic way a 3 year oldruns. The 2 dogs, 1 cat and kid all collided in the doorway leading out of the room. Mom was PI**ED, I mean out of control. Freakin' hilarious, I'm sorry, it was one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

I would pay top $ to see what you just described. Too funny lol.

 

[moog5]

My kids are 6 and 8. When the first was born, I bought the Kidco Hearthgate. I highly recommend it. I doubt that either would have touched the stove, but provided me a great piece of mind. I have a corner freestanding install, and the gate fit almost perfectly around my hearth. 2 sections perpendicular from each wall, and one at a 45 angle (the gate) across the front of the stove.

 

[the_guad]

I had two of my friends kids come over last weekend (3 and 4) and the 4 year old skirted the stove like it was a monster, the 3 year old however ran around it like he didn't get the danger. I will be getting a gate but will probably only use it when friends bring their kids down. Kids that grow up around them seem to understand but visitors...

 

[Eric Johnson]

Kids are smart enough to stay away from the stove, but you have to watch out for the kind of roughhouse accidents that could put them in contact with it inadvertantly. If you're gonna have a stove, in other words, make sure your kids understand and respect the danger.

As to tending the stove, I think that's something you should really not let kids get involved with at all. I see nothing wrong (in fact, much to be gained) by teaching them as much as you can about it, but I don't think it's smart or fair to ask (or allow) them to actually run the thing until they're almost out of the house, and then only if they're exceptionally responsible.

Now hauling and stacking wood---that's a whole 'nother issue. I say get them involved early and often, and work 'em hard.

 

[Czech]

My twin 4yr boys figured it out really quick, just talked and showed them, no gate. I agree it's the rough housing and throwing stuff like pillows that may land on top that is a danger but they are never left alone too long. Every night before bed, they go down by the stove, drop their undies, bend over and warm their butts. Too funny. Haven't burned a butt yet!

 

[Geoff]

I was brought up around a stove. I think my parents taught me not to touch it so I didn't. Teach the little squirts young and maybe they'll listen...

Of course they never told me not to do other things... I can remember peeing on it once when mom was hogging the bathroom ;-P Hey, it just goes away!

Keep an eye on the little monsters!

 

[carpniels]

Hi Guys,

I have a 2.5 year old and an 11 month old (both sons). The younger has started crawling. Ever since the first one started crawling, I have had a gate up. It is one of those plastic ones with six 3 ft sections that you can make into a circle to put in the yard so the kids can play in the grass without running away. It is 2.5 ft high. I took it apart so I have 18 ft of fence to put up. I have it round the corner install stove and along the wall. Very sturdy and keeps the kids away.

Kids are too precious to let the learn by experience with a stove.

The oldest does help: he crumbles the newspapers for lighting the fire.

Get a fence. I got mine at a garage sale for $20. It looks exactly like this one:
http://tinyurl.com/gwmao

Good luck

Niels

PS. No the plastic never even got above warm to the touch. Never melted. Even with the stove over 700 degrees.