3 year old and the yard gate

[Bob Haller]

I have a good fiend with a son he will be 3 in august. Highly intelligent he is a houdini

He has repeatedly defeated the gates to his yard. He has to be kept in so he doesnt get hit by a car.......

I have added a variety of things to that gate,

tried spring loading the latch with a door spring, he worked hard to defeat it it had to be so tight a adult had trouble.

earlier they put a clip thats hard to open on the latch, but he figured it out......

so I added a metal shield inside the enclosure, clearances were pretty tight but after 3 days he managed to still open it.

anyone been thru this?

he doesnt mind getting swatted on the back side, I think he enjoys the attention......

he is watched carefully, him mom is a childrens minister, but this litte fellow is amazing child proof stuff only slows him down sightly.

it would be funny if it werent for the safety issues

 

[Van]

Pad lock is your best bet or a series of spring latches spaced at the length of adult fingers and hands. You can also put spring latches on both sides of the gate wich should work unless he is 5ft tall, I would place the outside spring latch halfway down, it may be a pain for the adults and older children but it would help to keep him safe.

 

[Van]

Tell his mom to get him involved with puzzles, not the ones you put together but the ones you solve such as rubics cubes and the metal ones.

 

[Bob Haller]

Tell his mom to get him involved with puzzles, not the ones you put together but the ones you solve such as rubics cubes and the metal ones.

excellent idea. he wasnt even 2 and knew colors and numbers, he is amazing.

he is a only child his mom is 49 he is a busy boy. she also has a 26 year old daughter.

were old friends from high school

 

[Van]

She should look into getting him into some courses for gifted youngsters now, it sounds like she may really have a genius on her hands and if so then now is the time to get his education into drive.

 

[Bob Haller]

at not quite 2 he casually walked in the living room, picked up the tivo remote, turned on the tv, selected doodlbobs, set it to play, laid remote down, and settled in on sofa. I stood there in amazement, this was shortly after they got tivo...... it hadnt been there long.

he ran it far better than their parents or I could......

he couldnt read but knew what his show looked like.....

plus he did it so casulally...... relaxed, no messing about. utterly amazed me...

he has excellent memory....


such a nice busy boy....

 

[StevenD]

Sounds like some discipline is in order. Why cant parents control their children anymore?

 

[Van]

Sounds like some discipline is in order. Why cant parents control their children anymore?

Lack of routine, lack of atention, parents that argue infront of the kids ( monkey see monkey do ).

From what Bob has said it doesnt sound like a discipline issue so much as a potential child genius that wants to learn and explore.

 

[Bob Haller]

Lack of routine, lack of atention, parents that argue infront of the kids ( monkey see monkey do ).

From what Bob has said it doesnt sound like a discipline issue so much as a potential child genius that wants to learn and explore.

mother spends tons of time with him, he says i want to go to school. he isnt suffering from lack of attention, although his dad is working lots of overtime

mom had him knowing colors and numbers before his second birthday. we went to the butler fair last year before his second birthday and went down rows of animal cages, he ID the colors of all the water bottles, and sticker book yesterday ID all sorts of animals.

Odd thing he has a room of toys but little interest in them. has learned to use his moms cell phone and knows how to use the speed dials, he knows which button is which person. he has called me HI BOB. was doing that perhaps 6 months ago.

at first i thought it by chance, but he calls others by name on the phone too. .

 

[Van]

Its funny how quickly kids pick up on how something works, my daughter has learned how to surf the web now, she gets on one of the computers when we arent looking and brings up a couple of sites that are saved wich is fine but she has started figuring out how to get to other sites wich reminds me that I wanted to warn everyone that zwinky has a virus on its site so be warned.

 

[Bob Haller]

Its funny how quickly kids pick up on how something works, my daughter has learned how to surf the web now, she gets on one of the computers when we arent looking and brings up a couple of sites that are saved wich is fine but she has started figuring out how to get to other sites wich reminds me that I wanted to warn everyone that zwinky has a virus on its site so be warned.

how old is she?

i want to get him some age appropiate software he would enjoy...

 

[Van]

Mines a little over 3 now, the first pediatrician we took her to down here thought she was speach delayed because she didnt talk to her much, come to find out she is normal to advanced in most area's ( $300 for half hour session, thanks doc ).

Age apropriate for him may be alot older than his age, I would be interested to see how quickly he would pick up a foriegn language. From everything I've heard and read Rosetta stone is supposed to be the best learning program but its gawd awful pricey.

 

[Bob Haller]

checking on software tomorrow......

any good suggestions for some cheap computer fun sftware to start? awhile ago someone mentioned paint

right now were all fiancially challenged err broke.

 

[Van]

To be honest I dont have anything that I can suggest, you might want to head over to the local barnes & noble or to the local school and see what they can recommend.

 

[Bob Haller]

well for the moment the gate is secure

I added about a 2.5 foot by 2.5 foot metal plate to the gate covering the entire area of the latch and lock location. his arms are too short to reach around the plate.

the little one cant even see the latch handle let alone where a lock would go. were keeping a clip there but the little fellow is very unhappy.

no doubt he just like every prisoner will find a new area to breech......

some friends suggested a invisible fence, shocking him when he leaves the area.

mom says she would get charged with child abuse, but it would be justifable.

the kid is fascinated with backhoes, bulldozers etc. the max gate challenge is coming, storm sewer install is coming on their street, which has flooded way too often.

mom is going to be busy

 

[Bob Haller]

Poor little kid got on phone today mad about the big thing I added to gate, he is ticked off.

thats way better than him hit by car on busy street. still having won temorarily I feel kinda bad its a hollow victory.......

 

[Van]

still having won temorarily I feel kinda bad its a hollow victory.......

Hollow victory because you have done something to decrease the chances of this little guy from getting out the gate and hit by a vehicle or picked up by some crazy psycho nut job who gets pleasure out of doing unspeakable things to children? You did a good thing Bob, dont look at it as if you have sent him to his room and bolted the door, heck his mom seems to be lax enough on his welbeing that she allows him to play outside unsupervised so atleast you showed more concern for his safety than his mother seems to be.

 

[Bob Haller]

Hollow victory because you have done something to decrease the chances of this little guy from getting out the gate and hit by a vehicle or picked up by some crazy psycho nut job who gets pleasure out of doing unspeakable things to children? You did a good thing Bob, dont look at it as if you have sent him to his room and bolted the door, heck his mom seems to be lax enough on his welbeing that she allows him to play outside unsupervised so atleast you showed more concern for his safety than his mother seems to be.

its odd once I heard him mad kinda felt bad, he doesnt and cant understand.

Mom watches him closely, but he is FAST, one moment and gone, all a game to him.

I kinda understand I was the same way when I was a kid,,, loved running off hiding in WT GRANT, my mom would spaze
to me the ultimate game, sneak away.

I have walked thru that building today its a giant eagle, I am 50 time sure flies.

having never been blesed with kids I am enjoying him, zoo trip soon.