This is my first time asking a question on here, but I definitely need advice! When I put my son to bed last night, I saw he had taken the screen out of his window. The bedrooms on our the second floor, and both of my sons are over our exteneded living room, so they have a little bit of roof outside of their rooms. My son also, if he had fallen, would have fallen down to where he fell into the basement stairs (about 6 cement stairs.) Does anyone have any good suggestions of ways to allow my kids to open their windows, but not high enough to allow them to stick their heads out. Right now we have wood cut snuggly so he can not budge the windows - but I want him to be able to get fresh air when it is nice. Help! (Just to clarify, my children are NOT allowed to open windows or doors period. And they all 3 have fans in their rooms so they can turn them on to get air. I think he was doing it for adventure.)
Thank you to everyone for your help! I was a little taken back by some people thinking we let our children open doors and windows, this is not the case. My son did this of his own accord and knew he was in trouble for it. They are not allowed to open anything without asking. But we will stop by Lowes's tonight and try to get something - or else we will order the windows wedge's from One Step Ahead. Thanks again!
That is definitely a scary thing. I would look into some type of child proof lock for a window if their out there. I have not had that happen but I am glad you brought this up. I hope you find something to help prevent any harm happening and if you do please post on what happen. Good Luck and be safe.
Shannnon
We put a wooden baby gate in the window. The old school one when slid almost all the way together is small enough to fit a window opening and then the window can be open on the outside of the gate but the small child can get into the window opening. Also, because of the height of the gate if they push on the gate it will hit the top part of the window and won't fall out as well.
Good luck.
Last summer i came across a screen you screw into the window area in front of the screen so they get fresh air but they can not move it or get out of it. It is a childs safe screen I think you can get it at the hardware stores or not, try goggling it. good luck hope this helped.
Will your son obey you if you tell him to "never never take the screen off the window again." Af
R. I am a young mother of 4 and safety is certainly a big issue. There are windows with a clip to block the window from opening over 1 inch. We have those, so there would be no way for your child to fall out because he would not be able to open the window higher than 1 inch. Also, our alarm system has the feature where if any time a door or window opens we hear beeping. That way you are always aware when windows and doors are opened.
We have the Guardian Angel Window Guards from One Step Ahead and love them. Our windows go almost to the ground which means the kids can climb on the window guards, but they can not fall out the window. You have to put 4 screws into the wood window frame, but you can do that on the inside of the frame. They are a little expensive but worth it. They also have 2 release buttons in case of fire, but you have to use both at the same time and they are too hard for little kids to operate.
There are window locks you can buy... probably at Home Depot or Lowe's. I've never used them, but I know they exist. Good luck.
My niece when she was little actually did climb out the window & slide down the roof to the porch. Luckly she was not hurt. There are window baby gates that you can buy so he can not fall out the window. http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId...
They also have something called a Window Wedge. http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId...
Check out www.onestepahead.com they have a ton of safety items for windows (locks, guards & removable bars). Goos luck.
onestepahead.com has lots of safety gear from young ones. They have window locks that allow the window to be open to a certain point, depending on where you place the lock. You may also check Toys R Us, Walmart, Target.
D.
You can buy window gates and install them and make a rule that only you are allowed to open the window. Buy him a fan to turn on and off if he needs air to circulate.
They have window gates/ like baby gates...where the window can be safely opened yet the children are secured inside! Google them QUICK! boys are so good at escaping!
There are windows that actually have stoppers built in to the frame. They only allow a window to be opened a few inches, unless the stoppers are pushed in, but when both the stoppers are pushed in (good for fire safety).
My goodness, you have every right to be concerned. I am a grandmother of two girls, ages 3 and 6, and I would absolutely die at the thought of one of them opening a 2nd floor window, let alone taking or knocking out the screen. We also live in a 2-story house. But first, let me just say I cannot imagine a 4-y/o knowing he/she needs "fresh" air from the window. What I can imagine is a child this age doing what he/she is told or imitating what they have seen someone else do, perhaps on television, with no knowledge of the danger it poses. Since the windows are obviously well within his reach, my recommendation would be to childproof the windows. You can either secure them with nails or replace them with childproof windows which opens from the top only. I realize children today are more independent than they were years ago, but this should not be taken to mean their comprehension skills are so much more advanced. Also, I would let him know that in the future if he needs fresh air or wants a window open, he should ask for help from an adult, but he must never touch the windows. I am old school, and as such I fully believe there is such a thing as being too young to know. These days children die too often from freak accidents of this nature. I am glad you came forth before an accident occurred, and even more glad you discovered he's been playing at the upstairs window. Today, a lot of parents are too laxed to realize that although their children act grown-up, they are still only children...our babies. Honey, secure those windows immediately, and don't encourage that baby to seek fresh air on his own at the young tender age of 4.
R., I know some stores sell window locks that will prevent the window from opening all the way. Check out onestepahead.com for the window super stopper. It's $7.95. I'm not sure if Wal-Mart or Target sell something similar. You can check. Good luck. I know it is a scary thing.
My son did the same thing at 4 years old. He actually fell out the window, though (no injuries, thankfully). Our solution was to screw a screw in the window track. You can put it in the track wherever you want, so he can still open his window to any point you allow. I reccomend putting a screw in each side of the window, just to be sure. Put it in tight so that he cannot remove it and you have a permanent fix. It works on windows that slide up and to the side.
Google window safety or window locks and you should come up with a company that deals w/ that very issue. My friend has windows that she opens from the top, so the air can come in.
I would never let children that age open windows-period. A fiour year old should not be allowed to do that. My girls are not allowed to open doors/windows/etc. Our house is so old (1860) that the windows are actuially aniled shut nayway everywhere accept the kitchen. If my girls are hot, I either turn up the air or put a fan in thier room. If theya re hot I tirn up the heat or give them extra blankets. In addition to the age being so young opening things, having your window open, especaially at night, is dangerous! There are crazy people out there, no matter how safe your neighborhood. My daughter wakes up ealry and styas in her room and reads, thank goodness.. She is not allowed to wantder the house/open doors/etc. It is just a scary and a little sad thought for me to know that your 4 year old is not only allowed to open windows but that he is on the secpond floor doing it at night when youa re sleeping and can't help him if soemthing were to happen. I would definatley get locks and lock the windows so he can't even open them and put a fan in his room when he wants to be cool. Here it dosent' even relaly warm up until the end of June.
Will this work for you? Window Wedge: http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId...
I've personally haven't used this or have had the need for it but I always check the 'One Step Ahead' website for their safety products.
Someone also brought up an alarm system that would help notify you - if a window was opened. However, if the window is already open and you wouldn't want it to go past a point then the wedges might be a good idea. Keep in mind though that kids are a lot smarter than we think! - He might be able to figure out how to take the wedges out.
Wow- that's one adventurous 4 year old. How about opening the window from the top for ventilation and keeping the bottom closed?
Good luck!
Our solution to the flimsy screen problem is only to open the windows from the top, rather than the bottom. This is way out of a young child's reach and much safer. It doesn't provide quite as much air as opening the window from the bottom, but we think the tradeoff is worth it. Good luck!
We bought our house this way so I don't know if it's something you could by at Lowe's or something but they all have a little clip about 4 inches up from the middle of the window where if the clip is pushed in the window opens all the way but if its pulled out the window wont go up any further and only opens up about 4 inches or so. I still have them open in my son's room and he is 7. Not that I don't trust him but well...I don't. He too knows he's not to do it and knows why but what he in his mind thinks could happen if he falls, I don't know. They are kids and don't always understand the very dangerous consequences. Good luck.
You can buy these things a Lowe's that you nail into your window frome up high on the window. It flips over to keep the window from opening more than about 3-4 inches, and then you flip it back to open the window all the way. It's too high for the kids to reach. I have them on every window in my home. And it's good also to keep out burglers since they can't open the window far enough to get in either. They are small and cheap.
You can buy the gates or you can simply do this:
I had a floor to ceiling window in my daughter's room. I only opened the top window. The lower window was too heavy for her to open.
Open the window as far as you want it to open. Drill a hole through the sashes on the top corners of the bottom window into the wood on the top window. Insert nail - make sure you use the nails with the flat heads so you can get them out... The window cannot be opened any more than that.
You can also cut a piece of wood to length and set it along the track when the window is open. This way he can't open it more than it already is.
There are also window alarms you can install on the windows. They are to prevent burglars, but I'm sure it would stop a 4 year old. The sound is loud and scary.
YMMV
LBC
it is real easy,
to start with i would not recomend a 4 yearold be allowed that kind of responsibility
how ever. easy solution figure out how high you will allow them to have it open and then drill two scews into the frame one on either side above the window that opens so it can go no further .
that way they can open it but there is a permanent stopper.
that way if you move you just have to take them out.
They make lots of window locking devices that allow the windows to be only open a little bit. Check at the local hardware store.
