My GE profile gas cooktop (not the style you are looking for) has the "Control Lock Capability" which is a knob that you turn to shut off the gas to the cooktop. My appliance dealer had to special order the cooktop because it wasn't one that he regularly kept in stock. Ask you appliance dealer if you can get the GE range that you are looking at with the Control Lock Capability. The cooktop in the link below, which is similar to mine, has the Control Lock Capability--it's the little knob in the back on the right side. Good luck. Here is a link that might be useful: Control Lock Capability cooktop

We have 4 kids ages 9 to 17. We changed some things in our recent remodel that enabled the little kids to do a lot of things for themselves that previously a grown up had to do for them. But none of it is so kid-specific that it is not also just general good kitchen planning. - Careful layout/zone planning: when you create your layout, pay careful attention to where your prep, cooking and cleanup zones will be, and the ways people will enter, move around, and leave the kitchen. For example, if a kid is going to go the fridge to get a glass of milk while you are prepping or cooking or doing dishes, it would be great if they could get their cup (from a lower drawer), go to the fridge, pour it (having a counter to place the jug), and leave the kitchen without getting in your way. Same goes for people going to use the MW, access the fridge, or throw something in the trash. I also like it when the kids can load/unload the dishwasher without getting into my prep and cook zones. A lot of time all these things are happening at once, so it's been awesome having a good layout. - Induction cooktop: I wanted this for me, and I could go on and on about how much I love it (it's embarassing, really). The kid-related benefits became clear afterwards. My kids have always been interested in cooking but I only used to let the younger ones help with prepping, not actually using the stove. Well now even my little ones are making their own eggs and other simple meals without the danger of an open flame. There are lots of other reasons why I love induction, but I would drive you insane listing them all. - Microwave in a middle position in a cab stack. Our MW used to be on top of double ovens which was way too high and actually dangerous. We placed it in a cabinet with push-back doors in sort of a middle-height position. The little kids can use it now without it being too high and dangerous, and we can close the doors when entertaining (I don't use it much and I don't like expensive built in ones. I like it being a cheap one in a cab I can close up). - Lots and lots of drawers. Besides having lots of drawers everywhere, we have what we call a "kid stack." This is a stack of 4 drawers at the end of a run (not in the middle of any zone). Here we have all the lunch boxes, sandwich wrappers, plastic utensils, insulated soup containers, water bottles and snacks for packing lunches and anything for going to sports practices and games. It's amazing; I used to have to do all the lunch packing, but now they do it themselves because everything is right there. More about drawers: We have all drawers as lowers now. All the everyday dishes are in the drawer that is closest to the kitchen table, and across from the DW. So the kids can unload the DW (without getting in my cook/prep area) and later they can set the table straight from that drawer. We put the napkins in there too and the silverware is above. Of course my big kids can reach the cabinets, and eventually everything can be there, but my little kids are still pretty short, and so all the cups, bowls and plates are in 2 drawers. They are a lot more independent now, and don't have to climb up on the counters to get things. They like helping and since getting all these drawers they have been doing a lot less breaking/dropping while helping. Extra outlet on the other side of the island: My kids like to bake, so we made sure to plan an extra outlet in the island so that they could plug in their mixers and such. This has turned out great especially when they have friends over and everyone wants to make cookies when I might be busy doing something with the cuisinart on the other side. Seating: If you have a pennisula or island, it's so cozy and conversational to make the seats in a right angle rather than lined up diner-style. We lived here 14 years before remodeling the kitchen and we had 4 counter stools all lined up in a row. When we remodeled we made it so that there could be 2 or 3 on one side and 2 on the end. I just realized the other day that I never ever sat at one of the stools before (for 14 years), but now I sit down at the end all the time and talk to the kids or a visitor. It is just way more conversational and comfortable than the lined-up diner-style style seating. Kid-jobs: At my house the kids are in charge of the food and water for the dogs and walking them and such. Unfortunately I forgot to plan for the perfect place for dogfood in the kitchen. Ideally it would have been in the vacinity of the kids stack and near the back door area where the dogs eat. So instead the dogfood and leashes are in the pantry, which has worked out fine. But if you have any pet-related things, plan for them in your remodel. Whether it is you or the kids that are in charge, it's nice to have all that at hand in the kitchen. Materials and finishes: Get the materials and finishes that you want and teach your kids and spouse how to properly care for them. A lot of people will tell you to get this or that if you have kids, but I think you should get what you want and the kids should learn to care for and respect what you have chosen. Hope this helps.

I have an 8,9 and 12 yo. A few items to add to already great advice... KIds seem to create copious amounts of artwork. We used to string clothesline and clothespins in the garage and the hall to the laundry room. They could hang up and take down the art themselves. You can display a ton of stuff very easily and take it down with no fuss or damage. The cubbies I see in most mudrooms are too small to hold shoes. Especially as my girls love Uggs and they take up a lot of space! Make sure you allow enough space for shoes AND boots in the mudroom. I don't like a chest of drawers in a kid's rooms. They are never closed! If possible, put inexpensive ikea chests or even just shelves, inside the closet so keep the mess in there. Every day before dinner they pick up any scattered toys/books/stuff and they go in a large basket --- Friday night they have to empty that basket and put the items back in their respective rooms. Anything left Saturday morning goes to Goodwill (never happened). No after school snack until your shoes coat and backpack are put away. I don't know if you are remodelling but very soon you will want to have established places for the following 1 Where do they use the computer? We strictly limit screentime of any kind, so we have one MAC desktop for them and it is visible from the kitchen and family room. 2 Where do they watch TV? We don't want to make it easy to watch TV (it is too easy already), so we only have one. 3 Where can they do crafts? We were able to devote a room to this, and my kids have always just wondered in there when they have free time and busied themselves. 4 Where can they do homework? You need both quite spaces where they are out of the mainstream, and places where they can work while you oversee.

One tip that we had to find out the hard way: Most child-proof latches won't work on frameless cabinets - even ones that say they do. There often isn't a long enough throw to get the drawer or door open enough to get your fingers in to operate the latch. The magnetic ones are the way to go. The opening key magnets don't stick to the front of our stainless fridge, but the sides of the fridge are magnetic. We use a learning tower for the grandkids too. They like that it brings them up to counter level so they can help. However to be stable it is fairly large so it only works well in a large kitchen. Also, base sticks out for more stability and I think all the adults have stubbed their toes on it so our relationship with it is a little bit love/hate. Most microwaves have a way to lock the controls. For example on ours you hold the stop button down for 3 seconds. We have had no trouble with it being below counter because it can be locked between use when the kids show an interest in it and that phase didn't last long for us. Our gas rangetop has controls on the front. We agonized about getting that vs a cooktop with controls on top but we really wanted the power of the Bluestar for wok cooking after test driving it vs our cooktop candidates. It hasn't been a problem especially because the igniters go snap-snap as soon as someone turns the knob from off which allows us to hear it and correct the behavior immediately. Our grandson discovered the ability to move a chair and get on it to reach the counter before he was two. Little kids have to be supervised in the kitchen. I wouldn't count on things being above the counter for keeping them safe. As they get older, having a kitchen that can accommodate multiple workers is really nice. For example, our prep sink is on a corner of our island so two people can use it; one from the main prep area at the front and one from side. It also often gets used from the side to wash kids hands without getting in the way of someone doing prep. Then there is also the baking area to the right of the main sink and the counter to the left of the main sink.