JIN MOUSA Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 My 4 year old has taken to stuffing tiny things in the grounding hole of outlets. I think we managed to extract everything he's put in, and tried to find any other tiny things he has. And they are newer outlets that don't activate unless both of the holes have equal pressure applied (so in theory, only electrical plugs). I'm concerned that this incident has just further fueled his curiosity. Also, he's in a phase of wanting the opposite of whatever DH and I want, and the more we want it, the more he is opposed to it. So though we've tried to tell him how serious this is, I'm worried that when he's alone in his room, he's just going to want to play with it more. I've considered just leaving the electricity to his room turned off (it's on a separate breaker than the HVAC, and there's a light in the hall right outside his room that would still work), but it leaves my dd's room off as well, and I don't think that's fair to them. For reference, this kid can open childproof medicine bottles, so I need something nearly impossible to get to. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopmom Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 We have put solid plates in a toddler room over the outlet opening instead of ones with holes for plugs. Only works for outlets you never use. And iirc, only worked on our older outlets? Not sure about that but remembering something like that. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JIN MOUSA Posted March 3, 2019 Author Share Posted March 3, 2019 6 minutes ago, Hilltopmom said: We have put solid plates in a toddler room over the outlet opening instead of ones with holes for plugs. Only works for outlets you never use. And iirc, only worked on our older outlets? Not sure about that but remembering something like that. Are you talking about something like this? https://www.amazon.com/Safety-1st-OutSmart-Outlet-Shield/dp/B01BTUNG0K/ref=sr_1_17?keywords=childproof+outlet+cover&qid=1551631305&s=gateway&sr=8-17 And yeah, I'd be fine having no outlets in there. But I'm not sure we'll be able to find an electrician to do work that's specifically not up to code (requires an outlet every n feet). I'm sad that we're approaching prison cell territory with this kid. 😢 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 What about a blank outlet plate? https://www.homedepot.com/b/Electrical-Wall-Plates-Jacks-Wall-Plates-Blank-Wall-Plates/N-5yc1vZc6qx He would have to unscrew it to take it off. I assume he doesn’t have access to a screwdriver even if he has the dexterity to take it off. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JIN MOUSA Posted March 3, 2019 Author Share Posted March 3, 2019 1 hour ago, Rachel said: What about a blank outlet plate? https://www.homedepot.com/b/Electrical-Wall-Plates-Jacks-Wall-Plates-Blank-Wall-Plates/N-5yc1vZc6qx He would have to unscrew it to take it off. I assume he doesn’t have access to a screwdriver even if he has the dexterity to take it off. Yeah, I think we're going to end up going with that. We've got a friend who can help us safely cap the wires inside, and then I think we're going to use screws with a hexagon head. Obviously I don't give my kids screwdrivers (especially not this one), but he's resourceful, which will surely be a good thing one day. But today is not that day. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 If he's that determined, I'd just screw something to the wall over his outlets until he's through with this nonsense. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JIN MOUSA Posted March 3, 2019 Author Share Posted March 3, 2019 1 hour ago, KungFuPanda said: If he's that determined, I'd just screw something to the wall over his outlets until he's through with this nonsense. Nonsense is exactly what it is, and I am so over it. If the blank plate thing doesn't work out, this is what I'm doing. Big ugly squares of wood screwed straight into the wall, over all 5 outlets in his room. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 I think the blank plates are a safe option. He also sounds like he's bored and maybe needs to start some serious school work to use up that brain power. Nature walks, math, read-alouds, crank it up. I was doing K'nex science kits and roller coasters at that age with my ds. K’NEX Education – Intro to Structures: Bridges Set – 207 Pieces – For Grades 3-5 Construction Education Toy K'NEX Education - Intro to Simple Machines: Gears Set – 198 Pieces – Grades 3-5 – Engineering Education Toy How is his language? My ds was unusually precocious with his fine motor and dexterity because the brain energy that should have been going into language development wasn't. When we got really good speech therapy, he stopped some of that behavior. So if there's something else on him that is behind, definitely look into pulling that up. The other thing is, and this is sort of in the category of untruths that I didn't know where untruths, but my mom always told me if you put your finger or whatever in the outlet you'd DIE. I didn't know till my mid-20s that wasn't the case, so I had already told that to my dd. My ds was told that too, that my mom always told me... And I'm still surprised he's not frying things and causing problems. My SO put a knife in an outlet (yeah, don't ask, it was dumb) and sparked and lost metal from the knife and made burn marks! So almost no where is that safe, seems to me. So I'd be giving him some stern imprecatory truths. Like maybe take him to a morgue online or something. But that's just me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 18 minutes ago, Arctic Mama said: My husband used to shove paperclips into the outlet and then drop one on top to finish the circuit and watch it spark. I feel your pain. When he was a kid or as an adult? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 7 hours ago, JIN MOUSA said: Yeah, I think we're going to end up going with that. We've got a friend who can help us safely cap the wires inside, and then I think we're going to use screws with a hexagon head. Obviously I don't give my kids screwdrivers (especially not this one), but he's resourceful, which will surely be a good thing one day. But today is not that day. I have a very resourceful kid too. It can be quite tiring. Hopefully this particular issue is a passing phase. Maybe when you get this solved you can figure out how to channel that curiosity elsewhere. If he’s interested in electricity maybe he would like snap circuits. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JIN MOUSA Posted March 4, 2019 Author Share Posted March 4, 2019 17 hours ago, PeterPan said: I think the blank plates are a safe option. He also sounds like he's bored and maybe needs to start some serious school work to use up that brain power. Nature walks, math, read-alouds, crank it up. I was doing K'nex science kits and roller coasters at that age with my ds. K’NEX Education – Intro to Structures: Bridges Set – 207 Pieces – For Grades 3-5 Construction Education Toy K'NEX Education - Intro to Simple Machines: Gears Set – 198 Pieces – Grades 3-5 – Engineering Education Toy How is his language? My ds was unusually precocious with his fine motor and dexterity because the brain energy that should have been going into language development wasn't. When we got really good speech therapy, he stopped some of that behavior. So if there's something else on him that is behind, definitely look into pulling that up. The other thing is, and this is sort of in the category of untruths that I didn't know where untruths, but my mom always told me if you put your finger or whatever in the outlet you'd DIE. I didn't know till my mid-20s that wasn't the case, so I had already told that to my dd. My ds was told that too, that my mom always told me... And I'm still surprised he's not frying things and causing problems. My SO put a knife in an outlet (yeah, don't ask, it was dumb) and sparked and lost metal from the knife and made burn marks! So almost no where is that safe, seems to me. So I'd be giving him some stern imprecatory truths. Like maybe take him to a morgue online or something. But that's just me. 11 hours ago, Rachel said: I have a very resourceful kid too. It can be quite tiring. Hopefully this particular issue is a passing phase. Maybe when you get this solved you can figure out how to channel that curiosity elsewhere. If he’s interested in electricity maybe he would like snap circuits. This version of the nonsense is part of a larger pattern of nonsense. It may very well be that he is bored, but it's also combined with must-not-agree-with-mom-about-anything-ever. I've asked him if he wants to do school with me (yes) and what he wants to learn (how to write). So we tried some, but all he wanted to do was argue with me over how to write each letter. I've tried all sorts of things with this kid, but he doesn't want my help and so things go one of two ways: he can't do it on his own and gets super frustrated, screaming and throwing things; or he can do it on his own and he gets bored with it and squirrels it away in his room (like the Hotel California, lots of stuff in, NOTHING out). The above, plus other nonsense, for months on end, is how I ended up enrolling him in preschool last month, which has mostly been fine, until the day he decided he didn't want to go and I got to carry him in screaming and thrashing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 (edited) 26 minutes ago, JIN MOUSA said: I ended up enrolling him in preschool last month, which has mostly been fine, until the day he decided he didn't want to go and I got to carry him in screaming and thrashing. Is he going now or did you drop it? It sounds like he likes novelty. 26 minutes ago, JIN MOUSA said: I've tried all sorts of things with this kid, but he doesn't want my help and so things go one of two ways: he can't do it on his own and gets super frustrated, screaming and throwing things; or he can do it on his own and he gets bored with it and squirrels it away in his room (like the Hotel California, lots of stuff in, NOTHING out). What you might try is some activities where you work on non-verbals and joint attention. Sometimes that behavior is masking that something is wrong (glitched, missing). So google RDI and do some activities that work on joint attention. You can play them as games or do activities together where you drop the language and just do it by pointing. Make a brownie mix together totally silently or do a knex/lego kit together using only non-verbals. It can improve pairing, compliance, and promote calm. Relationship Development Intervention with Young Children: Social and Emotional Development Activities for Asperger Syndrome, Autism, PDD and NLD Edited March 4, 2019 by PeterPan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JIN MOUSA Posted March 4, 2019 Author Share Posted March 4, 2019 1 minute ago, PeterPan said: Is he going now or did you drop it? It sounds like he likes novelty. What you might try is some activities where you work on non-verbals and joint attention. Sometimes that behavior is masking that something is wrong (glitched, missing). So google RDI and do some activities that work on joint attention. You can play them as games or do activities together where you drop the language and just do it by pointing. It can improve pairing, compliance, and promote calm. Relationship Development Intervention with Young Children: Social and Emotional Development Activities for Asperger Syndrome, Autism, PDD and NLD He's going now. The rough day was the last day he had last week, and I've already started prepping him for today. And I'll look into that resource. I forgot to answer your other question - his language is fine. In fact his sense of debate may be overly developed? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 Hang in there! I don’t have any advice but sure wish I did. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 9 hours ago, JIN MOUSA said: He's going now. The rough day was the last day he had last week, and I've already started prepping him for today. And I'll look into that resource. I forgot to answer your other question - his language is fine. In fact his sense of debate may be overly developed? He's being a threenager, except he's 4. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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