When loading/unloading/opening/closing car doors, we have a real simple
check that has (so far) kept all our kids from getting smashed fingers in
car doors.
"OK - HAND CHECK" at which all hands (except mine on the handle) either are
clasped together and set on laps (when getting in car) or into pockets (when
exiting car).
Its a good idea and I do something like it with my three teenagers and 4.5
year old daughter but the 2 year old son just will not listen (no matter how
clear or loud I speak ) so we moved the car seats to the other side of
the van from the door.
I was referring more to inside doors however, and I have rules about that
which I hope will prevent any damage:
1. never leave an inside door open (beat teenagers regularly to enforce this
rule )
2. always keep child proof (yah right) covers on door knobs.
3. hold child when closing doors
Number 1 is a pain, but I haven't installed "locked open" devices on the
inside doors yet (new house) and I don't like any of the commercially
available versions I have seen. Any ideas for home made would be welcome.
I also took my eldest daughter to the kart track (and the stadium parking
lot for extreme driving lessons) and although she is a "wild child" and
regularly in 12 other kinds of trouble, she has yet to do any damage or even
stupid-stuff with a car.
I wish we could find better than our current automotive transportation
system anyway, did you know that we kill more people on the freeways every
year than died in 'nam? It's true. Also, more people have been killed on the
roads than have died in all the wars we ever fought (including both sides of
the civil war). Don't give you kids guns, but a nice car is ok.
Good luck with yours.
James Newton, webmaster http://get.to/techref
jamesnewton@geocities.com
1-619-652-0593 phone