# Mum Shares Scary Video Of Toddler Scaling A Pool Fence - Link: https://stayathomemum.com.au/news-opinion/general/mum-shares-scary-video-of-toddler-scaling-a-pool-fence/ - Published: 2017-01-16T12:29:11+11:00 - Author: Clare Whitfield ### _An Adelaide mum has stepped forward with a short but powerful video showing why parents cannot take their eyes off kids for even a few seconds._ In the video, which Wendy Atkinson shared on Facebook, two-year-old Brodie Atkinson, still in his nappy, is a horrendous image of a toddler scaling a pool fence in just 21 seconds. The video, shared hundreds of thousands of times by concerned users, shows just how dangerous and flawed some fence designs are. In speaking to [News Corp](https://au.news.yahoo.com/sa/a/34024154/adelaide-mum-shares-video-on-social-showing-toddler-scaling-pool-fence-in-21-seconds/), Ms Atkinson said she wanted to highlight to parents how important it was for children to have constant supervision, so that drownings could be prevented. > _“The fact that my son is in a nappy really brings the issue home,”_ Ms Atkinson > said to The Sunday Courier Mail. > _“It does start with supervision but children as quick as they are can get out > of your clutches and when they do, 21 seconds is not enough time for any parent > to react.”_ In South Australia, according to Ms Atkinson, the standard height of a pool fence is 1.2m, but without a lock and child-safe latch, fences aren’t safety measures so much as they are deterrents. With summer just around the corner, Aussie families nationwide are encouraged to invest in [high-quality Australian pool fencing](https://www.outbackfencing.com.au/pool-fencing/) that comes fitted with secure child-safe latches, and durable designs that ensure effective barriers for young children. Conscientious installation is also key to avoid fences being installed near tall trees and other scalable elements. The mum-of-four told press that the first time she spotted her son climbing the fence she “read him the riot act”, but realised after the tragically large number of drownings over the summer that other parents needed to see what he was capable of. Brodie’s feat shows just how fast things can get away from parents. > “I wanted it to sink in peoples mind just how quick these kids are,” she said. > _“It’s vigilance but it’s also just really hard. I’ve got three other kids to > watch and these poor families are being absolutely hammered and for what? It’s > a never ending battle,”_ she said. [⌊Mum shares scary video of toddler scaling a pool fence | stay at home mum⌉⌊Mum shares scary video of toddler scaling a pool fence | stay at home mum⌉[ via myexpress > _“I’m no expert by any stretch of the imagination. But my son is teaching me and > others that we need to pay attention. He’s telling us that it’s so easy.”_ Currently, the Atkinson family are renovating their house, and they were aware that their inward opening, non-springloaded gate did breach South Australian regulations. They intended to have a new fence put up before the pool went in, but Ms Atkinson has since decided against installing a pool until her son, and youngest child, was a confident swimmer. Ms Atkinson isn’t the only one who thinks Brodie’s fence-climbing is something worth paying attention to. Stephen Leahy from the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter said that the footage was scary. > _“This kid scales that fence with absolute ease,”_ Mr Leahy said. > _“We have got vertical bars on fences and this kid it doesn’t bother him and he’s > up like a shot._ [⌊Mum shares scary video of toddler scaling a pool fence | stay at home mum⌉⌊Mum shares scary video of toddler scaling a pool fence | stay at home mum⌉[ Daily Telegraph > _“If you have a look at this video, there are pavers or bricks right next to that > gate and the kid could have easily climbed up onto those and he hasn’t, he’s used > the fence to do it.”_ While it can be difficult to keep an eye on children for busy parents, it is so important to stay vigilant about where your child is, particularly if you’re in the vicinity of a body of water. In the last 12 months in Australia, there has been a 30% increase in drowning deaths in children under 5. ![author avatar](https://i0.wp.com/stayathomemum.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/ 12/clare_whitfield_profile.webp?quality=80&ssl=1) Clare Whitfield Chief Editor Clare Whitfield is the Editor of Stay at Home Mum and a recognised voice in practical home management for Australian families. Based in the northern suburbs of Sydney, she balances editorial leadership with life as a stay at home mum to two school age children. Her background in home economics and more than a decade of experience in recipe development, family budgeting, and household systems inform her work. [See Full Bio](https://stayathomemum.com.au/author/clare_whitfield/) [ ](https://stayathomemum.com.au/author/clare_whitfield/)