Forum home Family life & relationships Childcare & work

How your child sees the microwave oven

One of the best ways to keep your children safe from burns or other harm is to view their world the same way they do. A child looks at the microwave as a box with a window—nothing to be scared about, right? However, four children every month receive third‑degree burns from these very safe‑looking appliances. What’s wrong with this picture?

We teach our children about the dangers of our stoves early on. They know from a young age not to grab anything off the top of these appliances, because we have told them repeatedly, "Don’t touch, it is HOT!" If they do touch the front of the oven while it is on, they can feel the heat. This reinforces in them that the stove is HOT, and that they must stay away from it.

On the other hand, we can touch the microwave when it is cooking, and it doesn’t feel hot. When we take something out of the oven we always use a potholder. But how many of us use a potholder when removing food from a microwave? A child would naturally assume that the microwave is not hot. In fact, even if the container holding the food feels only warm, the contents can be scalding. Food cooked in a microwave often heats unevenly and can end up frozen in one place but burning hot in another.

So when you teach your children about safety in your home, remember to include the safe use of the microwave oven. Better yet, make the microwave totally “off-limits” to any child under the age of 7, and properly teach and supervise children over age 7. Finally, remember never to hold a child in your arms while removing items from the microwave ‑ because even grownups can sometimes forget that it’s not just a “box with a window.”
Sign In or Register to comment.

Featured Discussions