First of all, I have a gas stove with electronic ignition. You have to turn it to the fully 'on' position before the ignitors will function, if you don't turn it all the way on, the gas will flow without being ignited, poor design IMO. Anyway, the little guy reached up one afternoon and turned the knob, but not to the point where it would ignite. I, luckily, SAW him do this and took him aside to try to explain why he shouldn't play near the stove or touch the knobs.

Stupidly, perhaps, I used a butane lighter, and explained, by pooling the butane in my open palm and telling him that if you play with the stove like that, gas comes out, and sooner or later there will be a spark and *POOF* the gas will light up and cause a fire. (At the poof, I lit the pooled butane in my hand, and it lit up in a whoosh, momentarily enveloping my hand.) He said he understood and wouldn't play with the stove anymore.

The very next Sunday morning, about dawn, he's in my bedroom tugging furiously at my big toe.

"Daddy...daddy...you have to wake up now..."

"Hmmmm? Geez, the birds are still sleeping...go climb back in bed."

"No, daddy, no...you have to wake up NOW!"

" Adam...for pete's sake, the SUN isn't even awake yet, go to bed .... wait .... WHY!?!"

"Daddy wake up NOW.....CUZ THE COUCH IS ON FIRE!!!"

Pre-child proof lighters, he pooled the butane on the couch and lit it off, melting the nap right off the velour showing his big brother why we should not play with the stove.

Who's fault was it? Mine. One, I left a lighter out where he could reach it, and two, inadvertantly showed him how to use it, even though it was well intentioned.

Do I think that one should watch what they say and do? Yeah, I do. However, by my age, I know what is right or wrong for me and mine. Others will have to discover what is right or wrong for them all on their own, sometimes by being told, othertimes by getting their fingers burned a time or two, it happens to all of us.