| Electricity is a wonderful thing. Society could not | | | | allow you to insert them just as you would an |
| live without it. But you have no doubt been | | | | electrical cord. Using a device like this avoids the |
| shocked at least once in your life by electricity. As | | | | possibility of inserting something into the socket |
| an adult you understand that a shock can be | | | | and being shocked. |
| rather unpleasant. At the very least, just a tingling | | | | Electrical cords are another mystery of life for a |
| sensation in a portion of the body. But electricity | | | | child. Even animals, especially dogs, find an |
| can cause serious burns as well. | | | | electrical cord a play toy or something to chew |
| Children do not yet have the capacity to | | | | on. Try to keep cords off the floor. Floor lamps |
| recognize the seriousness of an electrical shock. | | | | and table lamps should be placed near the outlets |
| An electrical outlet or a cord hanging out of a wall | | | | and the additional cord can be wrapped around |
| is just something else to experiment with in life. | | | | the base of the lamp. If possible, put furnishings |
| Any number of items, from an eating utensil, a | | | | around lamps to form sort of a barrier. |
| paperclip, a pen, a pair of glasses or a bobby pin | | | | Computer and phone systems present yet |
| (my favorite as a child) could be inserted into an | | | | another challenge. There are wiring harnesses |
| electrical socket. Fortunately, there are simple | | | | available for computer systems. They are |
| ways to keep these or other items from being | | | | designed to separate and isolate the myriad of |
| inserted. | | | | cords required to run today's desktop and laptop |
| The easiest way to keep children from being | | | | computers. Plastic zip ties are an alternative to |
| shocked is to cover unused electrical outlets. | | | | the harnesses. If possible, have the systems on a |
| Plastic socket covers are reasonably priced and | | | | desk against a wall close to the outlets. The idea |
| available at most home improvement stores. Most | | | | is to keep wires out of harm's way. |