View Full Version : She keeps turning my chair on. HELP!
Violet is obsessed with turning my power chair on, it's all she wants to do. She drove me into the desk and broke it. How can I teach her not to?
"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow"
~ Anon
Brad_D
05-14-2004, 01:49 PM
This has happened to me a few times. It seems like every child under the age of three that has wandered in the vicinity of my chair is somehow magically drawn to grab the controls. I don't know how to stop your little one from turning it on, but they just don't fully understand the implications of fiddling with the controls at that age.
30something
05-14-2004, 01:58 PM
Oh boy, do I remember those days!
My boys are now 9 and 5, but when they were little they loved to touch the joystick. I just had to make it a BIG NO-NO from the start with a handswat whenever they tried to touch it. It worked, though. They learned very quickly not to touch my controls.
Good luck!
Shannon
I wonder if theres anyway to program it (Jazzy 1120) so that 2 bottons have to be pushed at once to turn it on?
"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow"
~ Anon
Brad_D
05-14-2004, 02:29 PM
Originally posted by Emi:
I wonder if theres anyway to program it (Jazzy 1120) so that 2 bottons have to be pushed at once to turn it on?
Try WCJ (http://www.wheelchairjunkie.com/cgi-bin/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&forum=WheelchairJunkie+Juke-Joint&number=3) forums. There are a bunch of people there who might be able to help with that question. BTW the guy Mark who runs the site, works for Pride Mobility, who make the Jazzy.
Carl R
05-14-2004, 07:42 PM
Emi, This is kind of a hassle but you could pull the cord that plugs into the back of the joystick. It's a simple plug and comes in and out easily. I usually pull the joystick plug on my second wheelchair when my daughter's friends come over. That's probably not a good answer though.
What cured my daughter was when she was about two years old, she pulled the joystick and the wheel ran over her toe. She's now 5 and drives about as good as I do.
hubofagreatwife
05-14-2004, 10:20 PM
I think the obvious question is what else are you willing to modify?
This should be a no no no......
If you don't draw the line here, where?
Is she learning that you will fix most anything?
The stove is hot! but you would instead have a key to turn it on? Why not run out in traffic? the car should have a safety feature to stop!
"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow"
If she doesn't have the opportunity to learn from yesterday, she will only live for today, and there will be less hope for tomorrow!
my two cents don't take away the learning process from her!
espousal
05-15-2004, 06:18 AM
Emi,
Same problem here. The kids are magically drawn to buttons and lights. At Violet's age, most of the "experts" would tell you that you can't "teach" behavior. Instead, they would suggest anticipating the behavior and removing the opportunity for its occurance.
So, whenever Barb is out of the chair, she pulls the flip handle on the motor clutch (Invacare Ranger-X). Griffin can play with the buttons and joystick all he wants and the chair isn't going to move.
In the chair, just have to be ever vigilant. She has pretty limited range of motion in her neck, so spotting a little guy sneaking up on her is difficult.
1 Fine Spine RN
05-15-2004, 06:34 AM
Emi,
I'm sorry honey...I know I should not giggle but it made me think of the time that a pillow went sailing across the family room and took out the entire nativity scene that took me two and a half years to handpaint. Of course...correct her, say NO NO to her, and accept that now and again she will get one over on you. It sounds like there are some great suggestions here. I have nothing to add but to say that you will only have to blink twice and she will be calling from her cell phone asking for just 30 more minutes before she comes home.
violet is a cutie..come to auntie mary's house you can push all the buttons you can find over here....lol and have some candy too... http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif
good luck honey...its a wild mommy ride
Thanks. I'm just going to have to teach her I guess. Right now shes hanging half out of her highchair trying to reach it.
"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow"
~ Anon
brian54806
05-15-2004, 01:55 PM
Put in some kind of hidden or remote switch
1 Fine Spine RN
05-16-2004, 03:39 PM
Seriously Emi,
I want you to envision how you are going to teach Violet not to play with wires, plugs or to open an oven door. How will you teach your toddler to respond to your voice command when she goes darting into a street. Start practicing now on that power switch. She is old enough to modify her behavior. She can understand NO. Repetition is the key.
Mary
Well I've started saying no and gently tappung and removing her hand and so far she just laughs at me. Maybe I need a sterner tone ofd voice..
"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow"
~ Anon
JJmagna
05-17-2004, 11:47 AM
Emi,
Like I told you in chat you might just have to full proof the whole house. Pillows and padding all over...LOL
JJ
Emi, I have a similar problem with my little monsters. I use a manual chair but they are both (especially my son) fascinated with the wheels. They both gang up on me, grab the wheels and start shaking the whole chair as if they want to throw me out of it. http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif Then I can't roll away cause I'd run over a small foot or hand or something. Kids are too cute & funny!
Baby proofing is a must. Here's what my house looks like now:
"When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do sir?"
-- J. Maynard Keynes
Looks like my house! When I use my manual chair Violet tries to pull the axle out.
"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow"
~ Anon
AnneOfGreenGables
05-23-2004, 05:31 PM
When she touches something that hurts say "hot". Kids love the word hot. They figure out quick it means it will hurt, so when she tries to touch the control say "NO HOT" as if you are afraid she will be injured. Like with real umph. She will get it. I know, its a little like training a dog, but I think it may work.
betheny
05-24-2004, 04:42 AM
I hadn't thought of it, but Anne is right. We use the word HOT lots on my granddaughter. HOT she gets. NO is her favorite word. Ah she's going to be a handful http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif.
C5/6 incomplete, injured Aug. 2000
1 Fine Spine RN
05-25-2004, 10:07 AM
Hey Mike I had a similar gate system. One day I came home from shopping to find him playing happily on the outside of the fence, his father sleeping soundly on the floor inside the fence. Apparently the toddler used his father's comatose body as a step stool to freedom! So don't go to sleep inside the fence!!! http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/images/smilies/tongue.gif