What happens if the kids touching something thats earthed? he'll still get shocked.
Edit: Sorry didn't read all of balamm's post, he mentions the earthed thing. Btw you'll always get a shock touching a mains cable, whether its large enough to feel/affect u will depend on what else u r touching, how good a path to earth it offers and whether you're hands are wet.
Its all a form of natural selection, if u're dum enough to try messing with mains electricity then perhaps the gene pool isn't the right place for u.