Is this child abuse?

[boobaloo]

we have an electric fence on our property to stop the dogs escaping, and it's done none of us any harm.
i think some of the extremist posters on here need to get off thier soap box - protecting a child from being hit by a truck or bitten by a snake is nothing like child abuse. if the poor bugger didn't care about her child, she wouldn't go to the effort of putting up a 300m electric fence to protect him.

[aussienic]

we have an electric fence on our property to stop the dogs escaping, and it's done none of us any harm.
i think some of the extremist posters on here need to get off thier soap box - protecting a child from being hit by a truck or bitten by a snake is nothing like child abuse. if the poor bugger didn't care about her child, she wouldn't go to the effort of putting up a 300m electric fence to protect him.

I totally agree with this..

I couldn't imagine having a child that would escape all the time let alone the fear of what could go wrong if he did wander to far.. My eldest used to laugh when he learnt to open the front door so we bought a chain lock. Obviously it was just the one door but I think if I was in your situation I would consider the electric fence.

and if anyone asks I would just say it was to keep any animals out

[christy]

As someone who has lived with it... it is exhausting, frustrating, terrifying and crazy to live with an escaping child. The fear that they could get hurt if you aren't one step ahead is something I will always live with. I endured 5 years of escapism, we still have moments of it. If DD1 gets something in her head about doing something outside (let's say go to the park) and has to wait more than 5 minutes, she opens windows and jumps out, scales the 6 foot fences (different house, same size fences) and runs. We put nails on the windows for 6 months so that they couldn't be opened more than 5cm, but she wound up bending the nails through pressure and it became worthless.

I forgot about KidSafe, so I reckon thats a good idea as well. Its so hard to figure out how to keep these kids safe. I have never thought about electric fences or the alarms for the elderly and if we could afford either, I probably would do it. I wouldn't think twice.

[fionas]

Given the state of the child welfare system in Victoria (and probably other states) they should have higher priorities than even going out to check on an electric fence erected by a very concerned mum.

A neighbour has a fence around her house to fence in her horses. The top bit has an electrified bit (as an ex city dweller, I'm really not up with the jargon) The fence faces the road/footpath. There are numerous children who play, walk and cycle in this road who would potentially go to say hello to the horses and potentially get a shock. My own children included. I'm sure some people would complain to the horse owner that their poor children could get shocked. We live in the real world. One little shock is not going to do a great deal of damage and will teach my child not to go sticking her hands where she shouldn't.

[angelaartsstudent]

My DD already knows how to open both front doors and out back door when they are key locked! She is SO fast too...has got out a couple of times and WHOOSH she's gone! We live right on a busy highway (no front yard or anything, just front door then highway) so I know I'll be doing whatever I need with locks or etc to avoid her getting flattened.

I think OW did the right thing in bringing it up...we all have different circumstances and all want our kids to be safe, so discussion is required.

OW - hope you find a solution soone rather than later!

[mrscricket]

OW - we grew up on a farm and were surrounded by electric fences. The cow paddocks had them, the stallion paddocks had them, the dams had them. No-one even considered it child abuse, it was just what you did. And the shock from an electric fence is not massive, for those who have never felt one before. It is basically a 'shock' and a tingly feeling. It is not like OW is suggesting zapping him with a cow prodder (which does hurt by the way ). We were never tramatised by the fences in anyway and still - 20-30 years later - all have a ' day I got shocked by the electric fence' story to tell. My dad still has an electric fence around certain horses paddocks and they are made sure to be switched on when the grandchildren visit (and that includes my DS).
Our garden at the farm had a massive fence around it - almost like a wire mesh type fence - that was too flimsy to climb but very high (no good with heights but would say about 7 or 8ft high) and also was fixed into the ground, so there was no chance of going over or under it. I would imagine the most expensive part of it would of been the high posts that held it up.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do - your DS does sounds very intelligent and active. I know the feeling of having a little boy who just wants to be out where the action is!