kidproof the roof

The code for deck railings is 42" high, but 40" is sufficient for a 2 year old...if the balusters are vertical. If they are horizontal, then she might climb. Make sure not to put a chair or bench near the railing.
Other than that, you could put her in a harness, or lock her in her stroller :-)

Posted by: guest at May 7, 2008 7:35 PM

I'd advise you to use a harness and leash. She won't like it, but she'll get used to it. I know some people are going to freak over this, but for this summer and maybe even next year when she's 3, you need more than the railing. Kids her age and older accidently go out windows every summer in new york. Please don't let her be one of them. Your wife is right.

Posted by: guest at May 7, 2008 7:45 PM

It's kind of ugly, but you could attach snow fencing--or better yet bamboo or willow--to the existing fence for this season. It could be 5 or 6 feet which would prevent climbing or vaulting, but not ruin your your view. If you wire it on, it would also be easy to remove in the future when your daughter develops some impulse control : )

Posted by: guest at May 8, 2008 9:55 AM

Agree - 40" is definitely not high enough for for the money-ish two year olds I know. (Not all kids are as active - but if you have an active kid, that railing won't stop them.) And two year olds turn 3, then 4, and while they do develop reason and control at some point, it isn't before 5, and for a lot of kids who are active, I wouldn't trust them at 5 either.

Even if you think it is high enough, or later that she might be old enough, why would you even take the risk? The result of a miscalucation on your part would be too awful to contemplate.

I like the snow fencing idea. Ugly, but safer. Though I'd probably do something safer like higher iron myself, with sharp tops curving in or something else designed to be as safe as that. (Imagine 7 or 8 year olds daring each other to climb later on - you can't watch them at every moment.)

And you also need the vertical slats on the iron fence to be close together enough to keep any kid's head from fitting between the slats. I knew a kid who fell between the railing slats from a third floor balcony and landed on his head when he was 2 or 3. Freaked his parents out - luckily, the kid had a really hard head and was fine - but had he landed on his face, or spine, yikes! Freaked out the management of the rental complex too - they retrofitted the entire complex with a second row of railing slats interspersed with the first so no other kids would fall through. (Was a stupid oversight on their part to begin with.)

Posted by: guest at May 8, 2008 1:32 PM

Can you block access to the roof deck, ie locking the door and keeping the key hidden?

Posted by: guest at May 8, 2008 3:14 PM

I would just never ever do it. There was a kid who fell off the roof and died in park slope a zillion years ago (well, 30ish), but it still makes my blood run cold when I think of it.

Posted by: guest at May 8, 2008 5:30 PM

A high fence is not enough. My son at 18 mos was dragging whatever he could to use as a stepstool to get over and on top of things.
Maybe you could put up another fence 1 foot inside the existing one? or the bamboo (which is cheeper and what I did)

Posted by: guest at May 8, 2008 8:28 PM

you should check into the latest forcefield technologies. an invisible containment forcefield would definately do the trick and it wouldn't be unsightly.

Posted by: guest at May 9, 2008 2:22 AM

Have you tried being really really strict about staying away from the fence? Even at 2, they can respond to strong clear discipline. If she doesn't comply, don't go up there, no matter what the fencing.

Posted by: guest at May 9, 2008 9:56 AM