Keeping Kids Out Of Tanks

[Raf485]

How about teaching them positive interactions with the tank, such as allowing them to feed them at certain times and it being their responsibility, rather than teaching them that their going near the tank will result in a telling off?

I can't work out how you'd manage to put a padlock on the lid but it can't be impossible.

This is a good idea, and something i do with my daughter. She been watchin me fees the fish and then always want to be lifted. I give her a pippette and she hekps me feeds the fish (well trys).

Then whn its not feeding time, and she asks to be picked up to feed i explain not yet. She got the hang of it now and only sometime asks to feed when i am actually feeding. The novelty has worn off.

Another trick i use, not related to topic. When tank lights go off, i use that as an excuse that the fwish (as she calls them) have gone sleepies and so should she.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

Its a shame that telling them wont work. I have tanks in the open at my house. I occasionally have to remind my kids they are too close, but they generally do not do anythign in the fishtanks unless they are helping me feed

 

[michaelh]

Some pretty good ideas tbh.thanks guys.
Atm theirs only 1 danio in there( he would have become food like the other 6 so i donated it lol).
This is a last ditched atempt really. Shes getting fish tomorrow and if they dont lay of a bit im taking the tank. As far as the tank going over that is he big issue really (i can replace a fish for a couple quid but not a brother lol). Nobody like the idea of lifting the tank with yellow pages or somthing?

 

[phocoena]

If their autistic use whatever visual prompts they use.

ie Keep the No/Stop card handy of they use a form of PECs.

 

[Ny82]

My 2 year old would sit for ages just staring in amazement at the tank. Then once it wasn't enough to just watch the urge takes over and she would wait until I did water changes and climb onto her chair and try and grab the net. I had to get a net for her but it was something new so any kid is curious.
I get her involved so she knows now not to touch until I tell her. She wakes up in the morning and runs through shouting give the fish some food
When i'm about to do a water change-she runs and gets her chair to stand on and gets her net to help get the debris out. They are so cute and eager to help and learn at that age-turn it into a positive

 

[michaelh]

If their autistic use whatever visual prompts they use.

ie Keep the No/Stop card handy of they use a form of PECs.

Its being done but really not that great.
Seams like you know somthing of autism. Quite a long process of teaching them that their not aloud to touch the tank even with their motivations ect. But again thankyou for the suggestion.

 

[DBT85]

Maybe some kind of child proof system? There are some that have sticky backs to stick to flat surfaces.

http/www.amazon.co.uk/BabyDan-8247-98-75-Child-Safety-Multi-Lock/dp/B000MLMGE0

 

[Baccus]

I knew people that put one of those kiddy cages (the wooden ones that open out and makes a confined safe play area) around their Christmas tree and TV to stop the kids mucking around with them. Something like that might keep them out until the kids interest wanes and they find othr things to amuse themselves. Also what was her reaction to catching the kids stiring the water? Did she laugh? Making the kids think it was funny and a good thing to do again. Or did she stop them immediately and send them away from the tank? Either reaction will set the tone for future interactions the kids have with the tank.

 

[Lufbramatt]

hmmm autism makes things much harder. My sister in law is autistic so I know how hard it is. She will do things that she knows she shouldn't but she does it to get a reaction from us. If we ignore her or just walk away without making eye contact she'll stop doing it and carry on with what she was doing. In this case where a living creature could be injured I think the tank should be made inaccessible to them rather than wait until they learn to leave it alone (which they may not at all). Certainly the top of my tank is over 4 feet from the ground and my 18 month old cousin can only just see over the substrate let alone reach the top, so i think rearranging the furniture so they can't stand on the sofa is the only option.

 

[Tizer]

If they are autistic maybe you could buy them some paint, brushes and canvas and get them to paint the tank instead of touch it.

 

[swanseastilo]

If they are autistic maybe you could buy them some paint, brushes and canvas and get them to paint the tank instead of touch it.

Lol i could just imagine coming in to either seeing the fish tank glass painted pretty or them stirring the fish tank with paint brushes covered in paint.

Good idea thou.

 

[Mowbz]

Appreciate the issues your having if they're autistic.

Perhaps try introducing the tank as part of their daily routine, helping with maintenance etc, it might help them have a better understanding of what the tank is. (A living environment, not just "something new". Even if you have to make up something you can do daily, perhaps a gravel vac, if they like stirring the tank?!) Failing that, as phocoena said, try building it into their Picture Exchange Communication System so they can better communicate about it.

 

[michaelh]

Wel they havnt been in the tank atall today. A feeding rota has been drawn up so they each get to feed them and the yellow pages were just to wobbly.
The initial reaction to finding them in there was "OMG" not funny. Now they dont get any attention (reasonably) from touching the tank they seam to be laying off a bit. My mum is leaving he fish until tomorrow ho just to be safe lol.

 

[nanoMama86]

Does your mom do the squeeze technique with them? I ask because my nephew is autistic and gets upset by all the noise and motion of my fish tanks when they pop over for a visit, so she brings his squeeze blanket and wraps him up tight and plops him in front of the tank and then he is content the rest of the visit.


Autism sucks! I hate it and I wish the big corporations would quit pumping toxins into our world and poisoning us. My sis lives a few miles from a coal power plant and there are a LOT more babies with autism in her neighborhood than in mine. Does the power company want to admit it? Heeck no!

 

[Rummynose]

If I were in this situation I would
1)re-arrange the furniture to remove quick access to the tank,
2)block access to the room with baby gates (especially handy when mom gets a phone call or needs to put a load of laundry in the washing maching...),
3)be vigilant in their supervision!

The good thing is, it looks like the autism must be mild, they were able to come up with a plan and execute it as a team! There were 2 cases of autism in my children's school and both children would never have been part of something like that! They were too locked in within themselves, and brought to focus outside of that only with immense difficulties!