Little kids - do u really put menorahs near window?

amother

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 4:18 pm

Imas with little kids, do you really put your menorahs near a window? We have a 1 and 3 year old. 1 year old is moving chairs around and climbing up on them, climbs on the dining table even if we're not looking. 3 year old is still a liability around fire.

If we put the menorahs near a window in the kitchen / living room / dining room areas, they're not safe. Putting it in the middle of the kitchen counter is really the only safe place. What should we do?

amother

Tulip

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 4:20 pm

I don't take my eyes off the kids for thirty minutes and then I blow out the fires. It's a good time to be in the highchair eating or doing a project or opening a new present.

Highstrung

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 4:21 pm

We have a window by our kitchen counter so that’s where we light .
Before we had that set up we pushed the kitchen table or dining room table against the wall beneath the window (almost paralell to the window) and kept the menorahs on the table but you could still see it at the window

Like the poster above mentioned , DH is sitting and watching the lights for 30 minutes , that way it’s safe for 30 minutes and if needed for safety the lights can be extinguished

amother

Violet

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 4:22 pm

I gotta be honest. I don’t tolerate climbing on furniture 51 weeks a year so I certainly don’t on Chanukah. I’ve always drilled into my kids that furniture is not a jungle gym and there’s no standing on chairs etc. I get that it’s hard to undo when they’re used to doing this, but that’s my answer

amother

Wheat

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 4:23 pm

We light on a table that's next to a window and we gate that room off with a baby gate. It's not our street-facing windows since we don't have a safe place near them.

amother

Aconite

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 4:26 pm

amother Violet wrote:

Sweet. As many times as I remove my 18 month old from the table, she'll still try again at there next meal. Not the dining room tho bh(usually).

Op, it's on while we are there. Off while away. Remove all hazards so little fingers don't find them early morning while your back is turned.
The menorah goes in the middle of the dining room for the overnight.

amother

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 4:27 pm

amother Wheat wrote:

We light on a table that's next to a window and we gate that room off with a baby gate. It's not our street-facing windows since we don't have a safe place near them.

Are you supposed to light in a room where we ourselves can see and enjoy the lights?

We have a street-facing window in our home office, but we won't be in there during lighting time. Is it okay not to light in the "common" areas?

amother

Tangerine

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 4:31 pm

Are there any rooms you could close off with a good baby gate?
We happen to have a big bay window with a large shelf that’s a bit higher up and we put a table in front to deter the kids.

amother

Brown

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 4:33 pm

Yes and I either sit there or take all the kids with me to another room. Until the candles are out we do not leave kids unattended. We also sing the song aish is fire, and my kids no it's hot and big boo boo and they stay away from it from very young ages. But we still supervise.

amother

Thistle

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 4:35 pm

We light at the window. It will be a stressful chanukah this year, but will also probably keep my toddler on the second floor as much as possible so I don't need to worry.

Tao

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 4:36 pm

amother Tulip wrote:

I don't take my eyes off the kids for thirty minutes and then I blow out the fires. It's a good time to be in the highchair eating or doing a project or opening a new present.

Second this. Watch the kids closely and put them out after 30 minutes. (the candles, not the kids. Laugh

)

My husband's rav holds that in these times we should be extinguishing the flames after half an hr in any case due to antisemitism.

amother

Turquoise

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 4:49 pm

We push a table against the window so the kids can’t reach. And carefully watch the one kid who is likely to try.

I think the window just needs to be visible for the public and your office would be totally fine. Maybe verify with a rav.

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 4:52 pm

Tao wrote:

Second this. Watch the kids closely and put them out after 30 minutes. (the candles, not the kids. Laugh

)

My husband's rav holds that in these times we should be extinguishing the flames after half an hr in any case due to antisemitism.

Where do you live?

teachkids

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 4:55 pm

We make a wall of furniture blocking the candles so the kids can't get near them. We also give them chocolate coins to sit on the couch quietly during lighting

amother

Valerian

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 5:04 pm

I also have an 18-month-old, I take all the chairs out of the room (and anything else that can be used to get on the table). I put the table against the window so the menorah could be seen outside. I also put the chairs away or lay them down on the floor on Friday night or whenever else I'm not in the mood of her jumping off the table...

Ema of 5

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 5:06 pm

amother OP wrote:

We do, but we have a front entrance that has a door that separates it from the house, so little people can’t get to the table.

cuties' mom

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 5:09 pm

My asd kid is drawn to the menorah every year. We light at the window, and someone (usually me but I call someone else to take over so I can eat) sits in front of the menorah and makes sure ds doesn't set himself on fire. As we recently moved to a house with a basement, and all toys are kept in the basement, this year, I don't think I'll need to sit there so long.

amother

Tealblue

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 6:19 pm

When my kids were small I watched them like a hawk until the last candle was out. Usually we eat supper during that time, anyway. We don't ever, ever, ever light on the windowsill. You have to be crazy. We light on a table near the window and the lights are visible through the window.

amother

Lemonlime

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 6:21 pm

I put a folding table against the window and light on that. My windows are big and low in general.