I CAN lock up everything in the house! - Huffing...

Praecepta

Active Member
I told my huffing kid's P.O. that "I can't lock up everything in the house!" That was after I read the long list of common household products which kids can "huff" [inhale]...

Well for certain foster kids, they EXPECT YOU to lock up everything which can be huffed in your home. And that left me with a problem with my glass front medicine cabinet in the bathroom. I can't exactly drill a hole in the glass to install a lock...

But SUCCESS! I found a "magnetic activated lock" which works without drilling any hole. I now have locks installed on the glass medicine cabinet and every door/drawer on the cabinet below the sink. (And regular key locks on kitchen cabinets with chemicals, medicines, or alcohol in them. Note "alcohol" includes vanilla extract!)

Anyway the magnetic lock product is called "safety 1st magnetic lock". Safety 1st is the brand name. And magnetic lock is the type of lock. I found these at Target and Ace hardware. You can also search the internet for the words...
child magnetic lock
-or-
safety 1st magnetic lock

FYI - Here is the LONG list of household chemicals they might huff/drink [including air, oven cleaner, and WD 40!]...
http://www.narconon.org/drug-abuse/inhalants/products.html
 

UpandDown

Active Member
Great info!. I am going to look into those locks. I had a safe that I kept all of our medicine in but a while back, son drilled it open because he knew I hid his weed in there after confiscating it. Unbelievable. So now when we need cough syrup or anything I have to run out and buy it. Can't keep it and it is a ridiculous way to live.
 

susiestar

Roll With It
Be aware that ANY strong magnet can open those locks. My dad drilled the hole for one too far in and even the cheap weak magnets that barely stayed on the fridge would open the lock. Luckily it didn't hold anything dangerous, just the pots & pans that Wiz liked to bang if left alone for 30 seconds.

But do NOT get a false sense of security from that lock. Even the properly installed ones only worked until Wiz was about 5 - after that he just found stronger magnets.

I am sorry because I do know how hard it is to lock up everything securely.
 

susiestar

Roll With It
If you have children who huff, PLEASE do not keep any type of spray oil in the house. NOt PAM or Baker's Joy or any other brand. It only takes ONE spray of that and they are dead because the oil coats their lungs and then oxygen cannot get in well if at all. They suffocate and there is absolutely NOTHING that will clear it out of their lungs. If you must spray oil, get one of the bottles that you pump full of air and then spray - Pampered Chef has one, Misto is another brand and I see them at TJ Maxx and other stores fairly regularly.

PLEASE pay attention to this. PLEASE. It isn't like other substances where one spray could kill them. Huff an oil spray like PAM and one spray WILL kill you!
 

Praecepta

Active Member
FYI - The instructions on these magnetic locks say DON'T let your kid(s) see you opening the cabinets. Don't let them see that you use a magnet nor where you place it to open the cabinet. And of course don't tell them how it works.

In my case I only have these in the bathroom and I can close the bathroom door before opening a cabinet or drawer.
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
Kids today are extremely tech savvy. They will look up on the net how to get around locks. This doesn't provide security unless you are dealing with very young kids - like, the ones that can't read yet.

Wish there were easy answers. So often, there aren't ANY answers at all. At least this might buy you time with the P O
 
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