Auto Cigarette Lighters…Do your children know what they’re for?
A few weeks ago I had to explain to Jed what the cigarette lighter in our GL is used for. It is situated between the two front seats in a fun drawer at hand level, so it’s readily available to curious front passenger hands. In our Sienna the lighter is in the ashtray because I always had my iPod charger in the lighter outlet. Furthermore, the lighter is below the stereo on the driver’s side, so it’s not easily accessible to curious hands.
Yesterday Dallen was in the front passenger seat of the GL while I was ordering food at the Wendy’s drive-thru. I heard a pained cry from Dallen and turned to see smoke rising around him, and I smelled something burning. It was flesh. Dallen had been playing with the lighter. He didn’t realize that when he pushed it in the outlet, it becomes very hot. So after the lighter popped out he pulled it out of the outlet and pushed on the button, branding his middle finger on the other hand.
I couldn’t understand why Dallen didn’t know what the lighter was, and why I had to explain it to Jed earlier. A friend was in the GL with us and leaned forward to hear my explanation to Dallen what the lighter is used for. He didn’t know either. These are all teenage boys.