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Plumbing basics to teach your kids

At their early stages, children are fascinated with water; it’s why they rejoice when you bring out the paddling pool, and let’s be honest, you’ve probably found them splashing around in the toilet once or twice too!

However, this curiosity can lead to danger. Below is a list of the plumbing basics to teach your kids throughout each stage of their childhood.

Early years

This is the stage at which kids are flushing Minions down the loo so they can ‘go for a swim’.

Here, we need to explain the basic laws of nature to our kids, in terms of gravity, pressure, and water trying to find it’s own level. These concepts may sound like a lot for a toddler or young child to grasp, but they do understand on an elementary level – that’s why they’re sending Stuart the Minion for a swim in the first place – they know that the toilet leads to some other dimension.

Show your kids that, whilst you know it’s fun to play with the flush, your whole family needs the toilet and the rest of the plumbing system to be functioning properly to avoid getting poorly; you need the toilet to get rid of all the waste, you need safe drinking water coming into the house, and you need clean water ready for bath time, and to wash clothes and the dirty dishes with.

Also, when you’re potty training, deter your child from trying to flush their nappy down the loo, as you’re looking at an instant block if they think that’s where nappies are meant to go.

Junior years

When your child reaches the age at which they want to join you in the kitchen to prepare food and do the dishes, there are a few key practices to teach.

The first is to instil in them the dangers of gas. Never allow a child to touch the cooker, boiler, or other gas appliances, and make sure they know the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, so they can warn you if they start to experience them.

When it comes to teaching children about preventing blockages in the home, remind them of the things that can’t be washed away down the sink, such as oil, grease, and leftover food. You’ll also want to teach them to rinse dishes before putting them in the dishwasher and to empty their pockets before putting clothes in the washing machine, as these measures will help protect against damage to your appliances.

Teenage years

Once your child enters their teenage years, it’s likely they’ll begin to be home alone more, which means you need to aid them with practical knowledge in case they have to handle any emergencies.

If you know how to plunge a toilet and sink, pass these lessons on to them, and ensure your teenager knows where the stopcock is so they can switch off the water supply if a flood breaks out.

Finally, always keep your plumber’s number in an easy-to-find place, such as by the phone or on the fridge, so they’ve always got a professional on hand in an emergency.

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