# When the house burns down, I am to blame.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-house-burns-down-i-am-to-blame/476102
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [December 7, 2008, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-house-burns-down-i-am-to-blame/476102 "2008-12-07T05:55:39Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@EpicNonsense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EpicNonsense)
#### Post date: [December 7, 2008, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-house-burns-down-i-am-to-blame/476102/1 "2008-12-07T05:55:39Z")
A lit a match while I was sitting in the living room the other day (I like the smell when it burns out lol) and hadn’t lit one in a while. The pack was just sitting their on the coffee table so I had to remind myself of it. Now supposedly, the kid who lives here, whom is 3, knows how to light a match, or, is attempting to. He was present in the room at the time along with some others. Probably 5 feet away. This was about a week ago.
People are actually yelling through my door as we speak… “Why did you teach him how to light a match!” “He’s gonna burn down the house” The kid is now crying when they take matches away from him.
I’m sure it’s ME who’s at fault. I mean, his mom and mom’s boyfriend “the roommate” are chain smokers, alcoholics, and do all sorts of other _things_ around the kid… So it’s my fault now that he’s picked up this desire to play with matches? Give me a fucking break.
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### Author:  [@fubbleskag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fubbleskag)
#### Post date: [December 7, 2008, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-house-burns-down-i-am-to-blame/476102/2 "2008-12-07T06:17:00Z")
next time you’re alone, light another match and let him touch it.
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### Author:  [@supergoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/supergoose)
#### Post date: [December 7, 2008, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-house-burns-down-i-am-to-blame/476102/3 "2008-12-07T22:33:36Z")
Um, you might not be responsible for teaching him to light a match, but you’re sure as shit responsible for leaving matches lying around. With a three year old in the house?! What are you thinking?!?
(Unless you didn’t leave them around, in which case I apologize and say - if you don’t want the house to burn down, when you see matches lying around PUT THEM IN A SAFE NON-THREE-YEAR-OLD-ACCESSIBLE PLACE!!! For the kid’s sake if for nothing else. Fire is dangerous. I can’t believe I have to tell you this.)