Although summer is beloved by mostly all kids, it poses a lot of dangers. Simple pleasures such as a romp in the park can lead to a terrifying tick bite. Lounging on the beach could easily result in a nasty sunburn. And pools, although fun, can pose a serious risk.
One dad came up with the idea to put an electric fence around his pool to keep kids, including his own, safe when adults weren't watching. However, his family doesn't agree.
The dad begin explaining that he had a new pool built and the fencing company he hired won't be able to get out until mid-summer.
The dad says he has a huge fear of neighborhood kids or his young kids falling in.
"So I decided to put up an electric fence, the same kind you use to keep goats in," the dad wrote. "It doesn't hurt, it more just makes you jump back. It's not something you want to do again but there was no real pain. I've tested it many times as has my oldest child."
His in-laws, however, think it's totally out of line.
"My in-laws came over today and think it's child abuse," he wrote. "But have no viable alternative solutions. The fence is on a solar battery and is all the way around the pool but spaced 30 feet away so it cannot come anywhere close to the water."
The dad also noted that it has already paid off.
"And it has worked since he [the youngest] touches it himself, even after we told him not to a dozen times, he said 'ouch! I hate you!' (to the fence)," the dad claimed. "And hasn't gone back near it. But he didn't seem to indicate it was painful. It's just discomfort as anyone who has touched an electric fence would know. It's a hard sensation to describe."
But the dad wants to know: Is he way off base for installing this?
People, particularly those with any farm experience, thought his in-laws were being overly dramatic.
"You are doing everything right for normal pool safety but while awaiting needed supplies for that you rigged an inexpensive solution," assured one user. "You are acting to protect not abuse."
Others chimed in to reassure the dad that they had survived such "abuse" too.
"I grew up on a small family farm that uses electric fences for our cattle," explained one user. "Daring other kids (cousins or siblings, occasionally a friend) to grab the fence was pretty common. Getting shocked by accident is just part of farm life. It's not a big deal, it doesn't cause harm. I mean, what does she propose as a good alternative? Dead kids?"
