As I was heading home this morning, I drove past a house whose garage was boarded off...
A couple of weeks ago the garage burnt down to the ground and they were lucky the house didn't go with it. The firemen are near our place and were obviously swift to attend and protect the surrounding areas. Still, it would have been devastating to the people involved.
It is an issue with a young child who is obsessed with playing with anything he can lay his hands on - how truly safe is our house? There are times when I think he is asleep (we are talking 6 AM here!) and I sneak downstairs to have a quick shower. Despite the early time slot, I come back to find him playing with bowls and implements in the kitchen. I have also found him turning the timer on the oven the moment my back is turned for just one second. I never bothered with an oven lock - it looks like I'll have to get one :(
It is also amazing what toys children of any age are able to lay their hands on and at what age events can occur. Many years ago, my cousins were mid-primary age and they burnt part of a back room of their house because they laid their hands on matches and were just egging each other on.
Up to now, we've done our best to keep this house child safe indoors and outdoors. Any matches or lighters are locked in a cupboard too high for him to reach, the heating is central etc. Still, we don't have surge switches on the electrical equipment and the oven doesn't have a lock.
The Little Man is 4 years old but he Autistic and has no sense of safety (how long that will take I do not know). I guess he has to watched like a hawk, and my showers are going to start at 5 AM while the other half is home (yawn...)