A portion of the back of packaging for a child safety lock. The background is yellow and features two photos of the product at the top with text underneath that reads as follows: "CAUTION: This product is only a deterrent. It is not a substitute for proper adult supervision. Discontinue use when child becomes old enough to defeat it. This product may not be suitable for cabinets with small knobs. Check latch for security after installation. Discontinue use when child becomes old enough to defeat it. Check for security after installation. Your child will eventually be able to defeat this product. To keep this product effective as long as possible, avoid letting children see how you operate child safety devices. Watching you disengage a lock, latch or cover could enable them to learn sooner how to defeat it. DO NOT use this product if damaged or broken. These products are not toys. DO NOT allow children to play with them. NOTE: Toxic and dangerous substances, as well as sharp-edged or pointed objects, should always be placed "high up" or made otherwise inaccessible to children."
design observations product packaging

Your Child WILL Defeat This Lock

by Mary

It’s been a while since I’ve found product packaging that strikes me as strange or curious enough to share, but I recently ran across something that fits the bill.

A child safety lock, the type that is plastic and loops over a couple of cupboard knobs to keep them held shut, contained packaging language that made me question why anyone would buy the product.

A portion of the back of packaging for a child safety lock. The background is yellow and features two photos of the product at the top with text underneath that reads as follows: "CAUTION: This product is only a deterrent. It is not a substitute for proper adult supervision. Discontinue use when child becomes old enough to defeat it. This product may not be suitable for cabinets with small knobs. Check latch for security after installation. Discontinue use when child becomes old enough to defeat it. Check for security after installation. Your child will eventually be able to defeat this product. To keep this product effective as long as possible, avoid letting children see how you operate child safety devices. Watching you disengage a lock, latch or cover could enable them to learn sooner how to defeat it. DO NOT use this product if damaged or broken. These products are not toys. DO NOT allow children to play with them.NOTE: Toxic and dangerous substances, as well as sharp-edged or pointed objects, should always be placed "high up" or made otherwise inaccessible to children."
A portion of the back of packaging for a child safety lock. The background is yellow and features two photos of the product at the top with text underneath that reads as follows: “CAUTION: This product is only a deterrent. It is not a substitute for proper adult supervision. Discontinue use when child becomes old enough to defeat it. This product may not be suitable for cabinets with small knobs. Check latch for security after installation. Discontinue use when child becomes old enough to defeat it. Check for security after installation. Your child will eventually be able to defeat this product. To keep this product effective as long as possible, avoid letting children see how you operate child safety devices. Watching you disengage a lock, latch or cover could enable them to learn sooner how to defeat it. DO NOT use this product if damaged or broken. These products are not toys. DO NOT allow children to play with them.
NOTE: Toxic and dangerous substances, as well as sharp-edged or pointed objects, should always be placed “high up” or made otherwise inaccessible to children.”

The text on the back of the package, reproduced in the photo caption above, stresses not once, not twice, not thrice, but FOUR times that a child will eventually be able to defeat this lock. In fact, while typing the package text for the caption, I discovered one sentence repeated verbatim: “Discontinue use when child becomes old enough to defeat it.”

It makes sense that children will eventually grow old enough that they’ll learn how to operate a child safety lock, but how often do you need to drive that point home?

Note in one of the photos on the back of the package that the device comes with a decoy button to throw those smart little nubbins off from figuring it out too soon. A decoy button! That’s not going to distract them for long. Your child WILL defeat this lock like some kind of expert lock-picker, guaranteed.

Perhaps the manufacturer should have led with the note at the bottom of the cautionary text that tells caregivers to put all dangerous substances and objects “high up” (why the quotes there?). Or, better yet, suggest that they get a safe or cabinet with a combination lock or padlock and hide the combination or keys in another locked container and dispense with their product altogether.

This is actually what we did with the few hunting guns we had as our kids were growing up. All the guns had safety locks. The guns were kept in a locked gun cabinet and all the keys were kept in the locked safe. Further, the ammunition was kept in a separate lock box away from the gun cabinet.

When it comes to child safety, caregivers have to be clever about how they keep dangerous things away from their children. And maybe that was the point of the repetition on this package. Your child WILL defeat this lock. It’s only a matter of time and they WILL outsmart you.