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Hi, yes we have put another baby gate on his door we have two in the home right now and we have also installed two new baby protectors on our front door and I am thinking about buying a loud bell so I can hear if he is trying to open the door
I put a hook & latch way at the top of the door. This way my kids couldn’t escape. But, in case of emergency, a door could be busted in. And I could remember how to work it.
You can also get motion sensors for the door so that when they open, a loud noise goes off. Helps you hear it, if it happens again. Mama, I know your fear. I have a feral toddler as well and have been where you are. Just hold him tight and give extra kisses.
You can buy a toddler door handle that will Bluetooth alert your phone when it gets opened for his door. Basically waking you at night for if he were to wake up early and you didn’t hear him. The one I’ve seen is $99 tho and a bit expensive.
You can also buy a cheap convenience store type bell to either ring a chime as it opens or full on security alarm. I have one of those for my front door as I have the same problem with my toddler and now he’s figured out the door latch.
Thank you I will check it out and see if it is compatible for us . I also just went to target and grabbed a door ringer so Everytime he opens the door I will be able to hear
You can tell when a child is loved and cared for and when a child isn’t. Assuming all indicators point to the first scenario, you both are going to come out of this fine.
Breathe! Life comes at you fast. Now that you know he has the ability to get out, you’ll need a better plan so it doesn’t happen again.
To help you feel a little better- I was almost 2 months postpartum, single mom, did it all on my own day and night. I took my baby to Walmart to get groceries. I went down my list and went to check out. I made it halfway through check out before I realized “oh shit I have a baby”! I must have grabbed someone else’s cart and left my kid in the baby aisle. I was so ashamed and felt so bad. Stuff happens. It’s hard. Give yourself some grace. ❤️
My cousin once followed the family dog out of the house. Got all the way to our aunt's place of business if I recall correctly. Definitely repair the door and see about a deadbolt that needs keyed to be open. I'm currently getting ready to care for a relative with dementia (I'm at his home learning his routine, meds, food, etc) anyways the doors have deadbolts that can only be unlocked with a key.
My son was an escape artist too. He beat every baby proofing thing except 1, oddly enough the doorknob cover 🤔 Later on I thought to put a chain up, far beyond his reach, or so I thought. He walked right over and grabbed a hard plastic "crazy" straw and before I could blink he'd slid the chain over and that was useless. Thankfully he was 5 by that point and we made a rule that if the chain was on he had to stay inside.
Good luck, don't panic, and show the repaired door and other measures you've implemented.
Just because your son got out does not make you a bad mom. This happens all the time. Like literally all the time. What CPI is going to look at is one that you weren't drinking or doing drugs and two what you are going to do to stop this from happening again. The fact that you had a lock in place and it didn't work speaks well for you, and CPI might not even verify the report as long as this is the first incident. Don't stress tell the CPI what happened, show what your plan is so it doesn't happen again and in 20 years it will be a funny story you can tell about your kid.
OP, you need to fix anything that could be unsafe - other doorknobs, make sure you have child locks on cabinets, double lock any psychiatric meds, make sure all windows lock (and consider getting those screw on window locks), get any food off the pantry floor (including soda and water), make sure you have food in the pantry and fridge and pick up/clean the house. CPS will check all of this plus make sure you have running water at a minimum. I’d also suggest those cheap door alarms that sound when a door is open that you can get from Amazon. If this is your first contact with them, it shouldn’t be a big issue. If they see that you’re taking this seriously, that you e mitigated the problem and have taken further steps to make sure your child is safe, that’s going to reflect really well on you.
Hi, the detective walked around and told me the house was in his words “immaculate” and said our son had a nice room and he could tell that our son was taken care of and said he could tell this was just a mistake. But it still didn’t make me feel any less bad/ guilty about what happened today. But thank you very much for your advice and everyone who is commenting
Relax, this happens more often then you know. I ran out on my mom like this as a very young kid. To do: fix that door, if its the knob then measure the distance from the edge of the door that the latch sits along with the size of the hole in the door. Most are a standard size, but there are a few of them. Most new door knobs are $15 to $25 in my area. If you can't afford it ask family and friends to help you out. Or if its the frame you'll need to take the door off and adjust the top or bottom hinge with a small or adjustable wrench then rehang the door and see if that lets it latch better.(look on youtube for a tutorial) Or ask for some help from family or friends if they know how to do this. There may also be resources that CPS can help with for this. Most importantly you did everything right but life happens sometimes and oops... No harm was done, kid is safe and I hope you have a easier time of raising the kid from here on out.
Not bashing anyone, but does it happen all the time? I never got out of the house, siblings never got out of the house, there are no stories of anyone escaping the house, my kids never got out (even into the backyard) and it’s never happened to any of the friends I have with kids.
And let’s be real: it takes longer than 5 minutes for this to happen. Kid’s got to get out, get noticed by someone, you have to wait for police and EMS to show up and check out the kiddo, then they figure out where they live. 20 minutes, minimum. If you know you have an unsafe environment, you fix it, not put a band aid on it.
Hi, to clarify for you yes it 100% took 5 minutes for this to happen. Toddlers are all different but mine is very quick and can do things in what feels like a blink of an eye. I also seen the clock as I dozed off and woke up 5 minutes later to knocking on my door. I had my child then the EMT and police etc… came. They showed up after I already had him. Our home is also not too big the door is right by the living room/couch. So yes it completely did happen within 5 minutes. I am happy that this has never happened to you but unlike most people I do not have any family or support and am a full time medical student I do not sleep often and work all the time. I am trying my best. And fyi I have installed a new baby gate onto his room door and also a new door protector so this will not be an issue in the future.
The reality here is that you had an unsafe doorknob and didn’t fix it. Putting another doorknob protector on it isn’t going to change the fact that there’s an issue with the doorknob.
Kind of you to assume we had loads of family and support, but we had no one and legally weren’t allowed to have babysitters unless they were approved, as we started out as foster parents to our kids. I can go head to head with just about anybody when it comes to not getting any sleep, but that isn’t what this is about.
Your kiddo sounds crafty, quick and smart. You need alarms, baby monitors, better locks and locks your son can’t reach even while on a chair. He’s already proven he can defeat doorknob protectors so why you’re relying on that again I’m not sure. It’s only a matter of time before he’s over or through a baby gate. Stove knob covers, locked drawers (where we still keep meds and knives) and baby proofing is meant to delay kids, it’s not fool proof. You are on CPS’ radar now. Time to make sure there is zero chance of this happening again.
The doorknob is not ours to alter this is rental property. If it were my choice I would have changed it a long time ago but am unable to due to rental restrictions and regulations in the contract that I signed. Therefore, I did the best in the situation I was in and now that I know he can break the baby proofing door knob and escape I have went out and purchased more sturdy baby proofing products. Again good for you in your situation, really I am glad that has never happened to you but I am here for advice. It is hard enough as it is for parents without someone trying to look down on someone who is trying.
If your doorknob makes you unsafe (does it do the same thing from the outside?) you should be able to request your landlord to replace it. Locks absolutely have to work as part of the rental agreement!
I really think the door alarms that just stick to the door and the frame are your way to go here in the meantime. They’re less than $10 for a few of them and I guarantee they’ll wake you up if you doze off.
I am absolutely not bashing you. I have had a lot of experience with CPS as a foster parent and am a CASA. Once you’re on the radar, you want to make sure you don’t attract any attention. They may be back with a surprise visit to see that you’ve addressed the problem and taking some extra precautions (as even having the request for a new doorknob) will help to ease their concerns.
I do hope you’re able to get some rest tonight.
I lived in an apartment complex with those same knobs. They are working exactly as they are intended to so I doubt the landlord will change it. Unfortunately, it's not safe for kids. I use to slide my loveseat over in front of the door when I had small kids visiting.
It happened to me when my son was around 3 or 4. We were getting ready to go to grandma's. She lives a few blocks over. We always walked. I was in the bathroom brushing my teeth. No shoes, no bra. Suddenly my daughter, 5 or 6, comes in crying yelling that her brother was gone. I was like how is he gone? She said he didn't want to wait to go to grandma's. He went out the door. I ran out there, toothpaste still in my mouth, shoeless, and saw him about to run across the street at the end of the block. I yelled at him to get back here, was scared because of cars, but he just booked it. I had to full on sprint and didn't manage to grab him until we were basically more than halfway there. I was fucking furious. Took him home with him screaming at me about how its his life and he can do what he wants. It was a lot dealing with him. He's 13 now and so much easier. Which seems kind of backwards. These things do happen.
Happened to my next door neighbor. I was driving home from high school one day when I saw their 2 year old running down the main road outside the neighborhood. I pulled over in a hurry, and fortunately, I was his babysitter so he trusted me and got in my car without a fuss.
His mom had been taking a nap and thought he was asleep in his crib. Every door was childproofed, but that baby was an escape artist. I'm just glad I found the little guy before the cops showed up or worse.
First, so glad your son was okay! Second, as the mom of an almost 13yo I am hopeful it gets better and not worse here, haha.
I’m not saying it never happens, just that it doesn’t happen all the time. Your kiddo didn’t get far enough to attract the attention of neighbors - that takes time. Of course we all know how fast toddlers are! My mom once ate a whole bottle of baby aspirin in just a few minutes when she was 4. Apparently child proof lids weren’t a thing in the 60s, they tasted like orange candies and my grandma more than likely didn’t even realize she was missing because she had so many kids.
It does happen all the time. I’ve had professional cases where it happened and it happened to me personally but fortunately my neighbor who found my two toddlers knocked on the door to let us know. A few years later, I was awakened in the middle of the night by a child crying in my front yard; my neighbor’s four-year-old had gotten out of the house in the dead of winter wearing only underpants. Children are very determined to get out and it happens to even the most caring parents.
Also, no it doesn’t have to take long for a response from people. A neighbor could see the child within a minute or two and if you live in certain areas, the cops could be there within a few minutes.
My neighbors are about 10 steps away from my door step right across from us and share the same front part of our home. So they spotted him fairly quickly we also live about 2-3 blocks away from the nearest police station
Yes, that is correct I am happy that the EMS came to check on my son but I can’t say much about the rest and have nothing to really say besides it happened and I still feel internally guilty and should have never let him out of my sight
Honey you could be Julie Andrews on the sound of music or even Marry Poppins and stuff will go hell someway or another. As long as you make changes and don't let the anxiety eat you alive, you will be okay.
I was going to say there is NO WAY it was only 5 minutes. Like even just for the kid to be outside, the neighbors to notice call the police and the police showing up is at least 20 possibly longer. Unless they live like next door to the police station. And then if we are talking about CPS also being there. The police then need to call them, and then they need to come out as well, which is almost another 20 minutes. All the while there would be sirens and knocking. And while I do understand kids get out, I do not, at all, believe that this story is actually what happened.
And for all three to show up... I don't know. Either she lives in a *very* small town where it's fine for this many, and this varied emergency professionals to help one child who was basically right by his house, or there's more to this. EMTs aren't just sent for no reason. Usually, it's the first responders are sent and usually confirm "Yes we should have the EMT sent" unless someone on the phone specified a medical emergency. All in all, everything had to have taken way more than 5 minutes. Post is fake, momma is getting info wrong, or something is being left out.
Yeah, I don't know if everything in this post is a lie, or where the misunderstanding oringated, but knock me over with a feather if it happened just like the OP.
I didn’t even think to account for the actual timing. That’s right it def took longer than 5 minutes. It takes a while for the EMTs to arrive. For someone to notice the toddler and call them, and not just walk the kiddo back to the house themselves also says something. So she is already on their radar of not being fit? Which sucks. If she’s doing it solo, I know it can be hard and tiring. I rarely hear of kids getting out. However, all 3 of mine were out on our back porch a few weeks ago at like 6am, and it happened one day last summer too. They had taken all the soda cans outside and busted them, took the entire rack of eggs, cracked those, and put all the legos into the sludgy mix! I recently changed the way the back door lock is, so they won’t be doing that again. I’m thankful they stayed on the porch, and didn’t venture off.
A two year old naps still - you nap at the same time. Also, a two year old can play with anything. Have him help you “clean” and make games out of chores. A two year old can help you “cook” as well. Give him a bowl of flour and water (like a thin dough) and have him “cook” while you cook for real. To clean the bath room - put him in a bath with a little water and soapy water and give him a scrub brush (a new clean one) and have him help scrub while you clean for real. Bonus is he gets a bath and the bathroom gets clean. What I used to do is use baby gates and trap my kid in the kitchen while I cleaned. They had toys and could not get into any cabinets so it was just a matter of picking the right time when they were somewhat calm and uninterested in hanging on me. Staying up just to clean is not sustainable. Modern parenting doesn’t work for real life. Kids can be bored, kids can play with everyday objects and be just as happy as with a toy, and spending every waking minute entertaining a child is not sustainable.
Edit - the fact you’re worried about being a good mom shows that you care and are a good mom. As for showering, bring in toys and lock the door. Let him play while you shower. Basically you don’t have to stop every day life because he’s awake
Hi, I have definitely tried this but my child is not interested in the everyday tasks I must complete he will help me clean sometimes but in this instance we had just gone grocery shopping and didn’t get home until around 7pm and he was tuckered out so I let him sleep and I cleaned up the home. He also has a room filled with age appropriate toys to play with it has just been very hard to keep him entertained but I will definitely not give up and keep trying to get him interested in my everyday tasks. Thank you for your comment
It happened to us too, I thought Dad had him, he thought I had him, he was outside in the yard with Dad and granddad and walked around the corner of the house to the sidewalk. Trucker stopped and got him, called 911, cue the police and ambulance rolling up in the intersection. We realized 12 whole minutes later and my heart straight up stopped when I opened the front door of my mom's house to see an ambulance and I couldn't see my son. Literally the worst view you can have as a parent. A nurse had also stopped, was holding him, and tried to keep me from taking him out of her arms; she wisely let him go but had she not I would have been arrested for assault. Do not keep my child from me.
Police officer took all the info needed and let us know CPS had to be called but not to worry, he'd report it as an accident and there wouldn't be any repercussions or a case. Our baby boy was okay, we were okay and no one ever called so no case.
We now keep every door deadbolt/locked when we don't have eyes on him. We call out to make sure someone has him if needed. Not everyone has extra support, so in this case, grab a cheap door stopper that wedges underneath the door handle, it's really hard to get back out without force once properly wedged underneath. Or if you're tired like that, situate you and your child in a room that he cannot get out of at all (say a bedroom with hallway blocked by a baby gate and the bedroom door closed and locked)
You're doing the best you can mama, keep your head up, and use this as a learning opportunity like we did! You can do this, you have this, and you're a rockstar.
Hi thank you for your kind words I was afraid of posting this because parents are often judged so harshly I will make sure to keep in mind your advice always and update We have picked up the baby gate today a another baby door protector and just installed the gate onto his door so hopefully this will never ever happen again in the future
I just worked a similar case. The parent ended up buying a child safety knob, automatic pad lock (locks 30 sec after closing the door) door alarm, and a reinforcer tab. It took him about 48-72 hours to complete. I kept the case open for a bit to monitor. Thankfully did not happen again.
Hi, yes I understand I usually am in bed at 9-10pm and him at 7-7:30pm but this was a rare occurrence in this instance we had gone grocery shopping out of town the day prior and came back around his bedtime so I started putting away the groceries a little later that night after I made a quick dinner for everyone and gave him a bath read bedtime stories etc… I typically do not stay up this late unless I have an exam to study for then I have no choice, night is the best and most quiet/productive time for me. I don’t know what came over me i have never dozed off before this day.
Why didn’t your neighbors just bring your child back home to you?! If I was in their shoes my first thought would’ve been “omg is something wrong with their mom?!” and pounded on your door. Like I’d be thinking you fell or had been hurt in some way. It’s super weird they called the police first. Did they just hang out with your kid until they arrived? So bizarre.
Hi, to answer your question my son escaped within 5 minutes of me dozing off and according to them was out there for a few minutes before they brought my child to me and didn’t say anything they called the police directly after. My child was with me when the police arrived
Ok wait. What? You’re saying they brought your son home to you, went back home like everything was fine, and then called the police on you?! Why? What’d they act like when they brought him home and you answered the door?
Yes, that is what happened. As for their behavior they gave me a strange look and said “I have your kid” and handed him to me. Then they walked off back into their home. The policeman then showed up after.
I have seen them around but no I do not know them personally. I was actually very surprised it was them who grabbed my child because they have children of their own around 5-6 that they let run around the neighborhood on their own. So I was not expecting them to be out. But I am thankful for them doing so as my child was returned safely.
Definitely get door alarms and locks but your neighbors are giant jerks! They handed your son to you, and saw that you were clearly not ill or impaired, and called the cops AFTER?! What in the wisteria lane is this crap?
Well things are going to be pretty awkward now lol. Is there anything you can think of aside from this that would make a reasonable person question the safety of your son or your fitness as a parent? Have you lived there a long time? Do you live in a safe area?
Yes, I assume so it has been very quiet more than usual and I have not seen them since. But yes I live in fairly safe area near a lot of other families.we have lived here for a year now around the same time they moved in and have never had this problem . there is nothing I can really think of to make them think that I am “unfit”. I have never really spoken to them or seen them only on rare occasions but I mostly see their children.
The officer also spoke to them for more information and came back to tell me that everything was okay he walked around the house and complimented our home and sons rooms etc… he told me it was a mistake and said how it happens and we can try to fix it so it would not happen again. I do not think they think anything like that is going on. My son is taken care of this was just a horrible horrible mistake by me.
I don’t like to share this story because it could have turned out so much worse, and it made me feel like the worst mom ever, and it was my first (and so far now only) big parenting mistake and I learned from it.
When my oldest (now 9f) was about 2 we were helping my brother and sister in law move. Between us we had 5 kids at the time, 10 and under. It was pretty chaotic and we had a bunch of doors opening and closing all over the house just moving things. Well we all gathered in the living room to regroup and someone knocked at the front door. Apparently my two year old had been standing on the front porch knocking on the door crying because she slipped out while we were moving and someone shut the front door and she couldn’t get back in. Luckily the older lady neighbor was on her porch constantly and saw my daughter and came over to tell us. It could have been so so so so bad. I immediately lost my composure and we had to pack up and leave. I’ve since then had two more kids and kept them all alive and safe and well for almost ten years 😅😅 and most people would tell you I’m one of the best moms they know! My point is, shit happens! Sometimes it’s scary shit! But as long as you learn from it then you’re a good mom!
I came home from dropping my daughter off at camp and my neighbors 3 year old was sitting on my porch. She got out and the door locked behind her. This stuff happens.. What is important is to get the situation fixed.
My kids somehow busted my gate latch and let themselves and our dog out front 🤦🏻♀️ luckily my husband was walking by the front window and saw my oldest trying to catch the dog. All that to say: it happens. And I promise it doesn't make you a bad mom. The most important thing is making sure it doesn't happen again.
I am a CPS worker, and I am constantly reassuring parents in situations like this. First time, I am always like, "I am a Mom. Sometimes our kids figure things out faster than we realize. How can we prevent it from happening again? And what can we do to help?" It happens to everyone, as the mom of a free willed and fearless 8 year old who also works CPS I have seen it all. Kids escape, they are learning to push boundaries and be humans. There is a huge difference between that and abuse/neglect luckily that vast majority of us can see the difference.
The cps worker that came over was very kind and just tried to give us tips on how we can prevent it from happening again so I am very grateful for everyone who came and tried helping us secure our door better. I am a first time mother and still learning as I go I never knew how fearless children- especially toddlers can be. He is a very quick little one
Thank you for your comment
If you can afford it see about a babysitter. Theres NOTHING wrong with having someone over for even a half day a week so you can clean and take a nap!!!
Get a chain lock for the door and have it high so he can’t reach it,
Also check Amazon for door alarms that are just stick on: they can ring when the door is open it’s just magnetic stick on,
During the day take him for a walk and maybe to a playground: if he is a runner maybe even a harness to go for walks: what I would do is have the harness wrapped around my wrist but still hold my toddlers hand as they might try to run but the harness would be around my wrist. This way the little one can burn off energy and hopefully sleep longer and let you get some more rest
Also what I do when I am really tired is add a scoop of instant espresso to my coffee to help me wake up more
What I use to do was go to a track and let my little one walk half a lap or what’s she wanted to walk or run and just push the stroller
If you are concerned make a doctor appointment get blood work done see if you could be low on iron or sometimes like sleep apnea or even obstructe sleep apnea where allergies can cause polyps on the nose and make it harder to breath while sleeping might make you more tired
But we have all been there and not all solutions or suggestions will work for you, some people also use just random locks for the fridge or cupboards for the door to keep a little one from opening the door,
Thank you this is actually very great advice I will try to pick up some instant coffee mix and also we have picked up new door protectors for the front door and installed a baby gate to his door as well
Can you install a deadbolt or a lock near the top of the door if the handle is sketchy? My friend had to for his mom with dementia so she didn’t run outside.
An alarm on the door too, so it will wake you if opened.
One of the officers offered to show us how to install deadbolts onto the drywall we have since he said these walls were not exactly sturdy and he knew that because he has the same ones. As of right now we placed a baby gate onto his bedroom door and placed 2 baby protectors onto our front door. I will also be looking more into the alarm system for our home thank you
You can also get an alarm for the door. We have one that has three settings alarm, doorbell( it sounds like the 7/11 bell), and off. It comes with command strips to place on the doorframe and the door itself, very easy to use. I use it to keep my oldest from eloping out the door and it works well. We set it to alarm at night for intruders and in case she makes it out as well. We also have a doorbell setting on their bedroom door because my youngest will raid the fridge in the middle of the night lol it happens! Take a deep breath and make a new plan. You got this!
Oh wow that sounds amazing I seen one on Amazon I have been looking at and am considering ordering soon but if you have any suggestions for which one you’d recommend I would love to know - and thank you I am trying to take it easy on myself it was just very heart wrenching for me he is my one and only son and I felt so horrible for him because of my dumb mistake
Ours aren’t available anymore we bought them years ago but this is similar. We use them on windows too cuz we live on the second floor, and I have anxiety about the kids falling out the window. [these](https://a.co/d/0dxTQL1m)
Also! This has never happened before so you did not fail in anyway. You also tried to prevent this from happening. That door cover failed. Not your fault, you were operating under the assumption everything was working as it should. Now if you knowingly left the door unattended and didn’t try to keep him safe well then that would be your fault. But that’s not what happened here. I’m sure it was scary! My oldest the other day opened the door because I forgot to put the alarm on after her dad came back home. Scared the heck outta me! But I now double check the alarm, and keep checking throughout the day. The fact that your so worries means your doing great. Bad parents don’t worry about keeping their kids safe, or wonder if they are a good parent or not. I can tell you from the post and your comments you are doing great. 👍🏻
Get these from Amazon. Installs easily in 5 minutes and no way he can get the door open.[child proof lock](http://Limited-time deal: GreaTalent 3PACK Home Security Door Reinforcement Lock Childproof, Add High Security to Home Prevent Unauthorized Entry, Aluminum Construction Finish, Silver https://a.co/d/0cQpdDYj)
Trying to add link again.[child proof lock ](http://Limited-time deal: GreaTalent 3PACK Home Security Door Reinforcement Lock Childproof, Add High Security to Home Prevent Unauthorized Entry, Aluminum Construction Finish, Silver https://a.co/d/0f6SU53Q)
I installed this stick on lock on the front of my door. It’s been a life saver! You can get it on Amazon for like 12$
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07DKNNCH1?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
Don't beat yourself up. This happens to many people. I posted about this within the last month or so in response to someone else who had this problem. When my nephew was somewhere between 2 and 4, he pushed a chair up to the door, unlocked it, got out of the house and took off down the street, trying to find his mother and brother who had gone to a nearbyt track to run early one morning. He was mad because they would not take him along. So, when his father was in the shower, he just opened the door and left. He went in the right direction but, had he made it all the way, he probably would either have been taken or killed trying to cross the major street that he would have had to cross to get to the track. Luckily, the man across the street was sitting on his front porch, saw him leave the house on his own, and followed him and stopped him. About that time, my sister and other nephew drove by on their way home and saw the neighbor and 2 women she did not know standing on a street corner with my little nephew. As close as you could get to major heart failure and fear over what could have happened was the response. My sister and her husband then put a much higher lock and alarm on the doors after that.
It sounds like you've taken steps to fix things so this doesn't happen again. So, give yourself some grace and love on your child.
I had 3 girls, all of them rascals escaped in toddler hood. First one I had woke up with a cop in the house. Other two waited til dad was in the bathroom. Those two required a key in key out deadbolt. They escaped together twice. I worked overnight, dad was up with them in the mornings. They still cause havoc at 10 and 12.
Dude my stepson used to sneak out of the downstairs garage door, okay it only happened twice in one day but still it was terrifying and irritating. We ended up getting one of those cheap door alarms that loudly beeps when the 2 pieces are separated and put it up high without telling him. Took a couple days for him to try and sneak out again, sure enough when he opened that door and the alarm went off he ran back up the stairs so quick and never tried sneaking out again.
Not the best parenting moment but heck it worked and added peace of mind during a stressful summer.
This happens more often than people like to admit. And your child is home fine, and likely won’t remember this in a week. I had this happen too - only mine managed to do it naked. She’s also autistic, and she was three and a half. What solved it for me was she’s hyper sensitive to noise so way up at the top I put one of those high pitched alarms that goes off if the door is open so the “laser beam” is broken. Never happened again. Her older brother has always been horrified at breaking the rules.
The fact that the police nor anyone else found anything wrong is a good thing. CPS will likely just give a look around, make sure you fixed the issue making your son’s Houdini act really hard, and that’ll be that. It’s scary, and terrifying, and all that, but you’ll both be fine.
>know your door handle is broken
>don’t replace it
>slaps a “childproof” thing on it even though everyone knows that they only start child proof until the child learns how to operate it.
>asking for advice on Reddit afterwards
How much lead did you eat as a child?
Door handle isn’t broken it was installed like that since our move in date. As I stated in the other comments I am in a rental agreement I did the best in the circumstance I am in and am continuing to try to do more. Sure I might have ate lead as a child according to you but who hurt YOU as a child to grow up to be the person that you are? Parents make mistakes obviously some more than others. But we are not perfect and I am still learning he is my first and I am still trying to do everything I can to ensure he is safe and well cared for beyond this incident.
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This is a common occurrence. As long as it’s not a pattern and you’ve taken steps to prevent it from happening again then it shouldn’t be a big issue.
Hi, yes we have put another baby gate on his door we have two in the home right now and we have also installed two new baby protectors on our front door and I am thinking about buying a loud bell so I can hear if he is trying to open the door
I put a hook & latch way at the top of the door. This way my kids couldn’t escape. But, in case of emergency, a door could be busted in. And I could remember how to work it.
You can also get motion sensors for the door so that when they open, a loud noise goes off. Helps you hear it, if it happens again. Mama, I know your fear. I have a feral toddler as well and have been where you are. Just hold him tight and give extra kisses.
Thank you I will do so💞 and I am looking on Amazon currently for a door alarm system and baby monitor with a camera for his room
You can buy a toddler door handle that will Bluetooth alert your phone when it gets opened for his door. Basically waking you at night for if he were to wake up early and you didn’t hear him. The one I’ve seen is $99 tho and a bit expensive. You can also buy a cheap convenience store type bell to either ring a chime as it opens or full on security alarm. I have one of those for my front door as I have the same problem with my toddler and now he’s figured out the door latch.
Thank you I will check it out and see if it is compatible for us . I also just went to target and grabbed a door ringer so Everytime he opens the door I will be able to hear
You can tell when a child is loved and cared for and when a child isn’t. Assuming all indicators point to the first scenario, you both are going to come out of this fine. Breathe! Life comes at you fast. Now that you know he has the ability to get out, you’ll need a better plan so it doesn’t happen again.
Install a slide lock at the top of your door that children can't reach. I had the same issue, my daughter was a master lock Smith.
To help you feel a little better- I was almost 2 months postpartum, single mom, did it all on my own day and night. I took my baby to Walmart to get groceries. I went down my list and went to check out. I made it halfway through check out before I realized “oh shit I have a baby”! I must have grabbed someone else’s cart and left my kid in the baby aisle. I was so ashamed and felt so bad. Stuff happens. It’s hard. Give yourself some grace. ❤️
This story will be told by your kid every Thanksgiving when they’re older. 😂
My cousin once followed the family dog out of the house. Got all the way to our aunt's place of business if I recall correctly. Definitely repair the door and see about a deadbolt that needs keyed to be open. I'm currently getting ready to care for a relative with dementia (I'm at his home learning his routine, meds, food, etc) anyways the doors have deadbolts that can only be unlocked with a key. My son was an escape artist too. He beat every baby proofing thing except 1, oddly enough the doorknob cover 🤔 Later on I thought to put a chain up, far beyond his reach, or so I thought. He walked right over and grabbed a hard plastic "crazy" straw and before I could blink he'd slid the chain over and that was useless. Thankfully he was 5 by that point and we made a rule that if the chain was on he had to stay inside. Good luck, don't panic, and show the repaired door and other measures you've implemented.
Replace the lock to make it safe and make it child proof. You want this done before a CPS visit. Stuff happens. How you respond to it is what matters.
Just because your son got out does not make you a bad mom. This happens all the time. Like literally all the time. What CPI is going to look at is one that you weren't drinking or doing drugs and two what you are going to do to stop this from happening again. The fact that you had a lock in place and it didn't work speaks well for you, and CPI might not even verify the report as long as this is the first incident. Don't stress tell the CPI what happened, show what your plan is so it doesn't happen again and in 20 years it will be a funny story you can tell about your kid.
OP, you need to fix anything that could be unsafe - other doorknobs, make sure you have child locks on cabinets, double lock any psychiatric meds, make sure all windows lock (and consider getting those screw on window locks), get any food off the pantry floor (including soda and water), make sure you have food in the pantry and fridge and pick up/clean the house. CPS will check all of this plus make sure you have running water at a minimum. I’d also suggest those cheap door alarms that sound when a door is open that you can get from Amazon. If this is your first contact with them, it shouldn’t be a big issue. If they see that you’re taking this seriously, that you e mitigated the problem and have taken further steps to make sure your child is safe, that’s going to reflect really well on you.
Hi, the detective walked around and told me the house was in his words “immaculate” and said our son had a nice room and he could tell that our son was taken care of and said he could tell this was just a mistake. But it still didn’t make me feel any less bad/ guilty about what happened today. But thank you very much for your advice and everyone who is commenting
[Here are some door/window alarms on Amazon.](https://a.co/d/03AuX1kj)
Relax, this happens more often then you know. I ran out on my mom like this as a very young kid. To do: fix that door, if its the knob then measure the distance from the edge of the door that the latch sits along with the size of the hole in the door. Most are a standard size, but there are a few of them. Most new door knobs are $15 to $25 in my area. If you can't afford it ask family and friends to help you out. Or if its the frame you'll need to take the door off and adjust the top or bottom hinge with a small or adjustable wrench then rehang the door and see if that lets it latch better.(look on youtube for a tutorial) Or ask for some help from family or friends if they know how to do this. There may also be resources that CPS can help with for this. Most importantly you did everything right but life happens sometimes and oops... No harm was done, kid is safe and I hope you have a easier time of raising the kid from here on out.
Not bashing anyone, but does it happen all the time? I never got out of the house, siblings never got out of the house, there are no stories of anyone escaping the house, my kids never got out (even into the backyard) and it’s never happened to any of the friends I have with kids. And let’s be real: it takes longer than 5 minutes for this to happen. Kid’s got to get out, get noticed by someone, you have to wait for police and EMS to show up and check out the kiddo, then they figure out where they live. 20 minutes, minimum. If you know you have an unsafe environment, you fix it, not put a band aid on it.
Hi, to clarify for you yes it 100% took 5 minutes for this to happen. Toddlers are all different but mine is very quick and can do things in what feels like a blink of an eye. I also seen the clock as I dozed off and woke up 5 minutes later to knocking on my door. I had my child then the EMT and police etc… came. They showed up after I already had him. Our home is also not too big the door is right by the living room/couch. So yes it completely did happen within 5 minutes. I am happy that this has never happened to you but unlike most people I do not have any family or support and am a full time medical student I do not sleep often and work all the time. I am trying my best. And fyi I have installed a new baby gate onto his room door and also a new door protector so this will not be an issue in the future.
The reality here is that you had an unsafe doorknob and didn’t fix it. Putting another doorknob protector on it isn’t going to change the fact that there’s an issue with the doorknob. Kind of you to assume we had loads of family and support, but we had no one and legally weren’t allowed to have babysitters unless they were approved, as we started out as foster parents to our kids. I can go head to head with just about anybody when it comes to not getting any sleep, but that isn’t what this is about. Your kiddo sounds crafty, quick and smart. You need alarms, baby monitors, better locks and locks your son can’t reach even while on a chair. He’s already proven he can defeat doorknob protectors so why you’re relying on that again I’m not sure. It’s only a matter of time before he’s over or through a baby gate. Stove knob covers, locked drawers (where we still keep meds and knives) and baby proofing is meant to delay kids, it’s not fool proof. You are on CPS’ radar now. Time to make sure there is zero chance of this happening again.
The doorknob is not ours to alter this is rental property. If it were my choice I would have changed it a long time ago but am unable to due to rental restrictions and regulations in the contract that I signed. Therefore, I did the best in the situation I was in and now that I know he can break the baby proofing door knob and escape I have went out and purchased more sturdy baby proofing products. Again good for you in your situation, really I am glad that has never happened to you but I am here for advice. It is hard enough as it is for parents without someone trying to look down on someone who is trying.
If your doorknob makes you unsafe (does it do the same thing from the outside?) you should be able to request your landlord to replace it. Locks absolutely have to work as part of the rental agreement! I really think the door alarms that just stick to the door and the frame are your way to go here in the meantime. They’re less than $10 for a few of them and I guarantee they’ll wake you up if you doze off. I am absolutely not bashing you. I have had a lot of experience with CPS as a foster parent and am a CASA. Once you’re on the radar, you want to make sure you don’t attract any attention. They may be back with a surprise visit to see that you’ve addressed the problem and taking some extra precautions (as even having the request for a new doorknob) will help to ease their concerns. I do hope you’re able to get some rest tonight.
I lived in an apartment complex with those same knobs. They are working exactly as they are intended to so I doubt the landlord will change it. Unfortunately, it's not safe for kids. I use to slide my loveseat over in front of the door when I had small kids visiting.
It happened to me when my son was around 3 or 4. We were getting ready to go to grandma's. She lives a few blocks over. We always walked. I was in the bathroom brushing my teeth. No shoes, no bra. Suddenly my daughter, 5 or 6, comes in crying yelling that her brother was gone. I was like how is he gone? She said he didn't want to wait to go to grandma's. He went out the door. I ran out there, toothpaste still in my mouth, shoeless, and saw him about to run across the street at the end of the block. I yelled at him to get back here, was scared because of cars, but he just booked it. I had to full on sprint and didn't manage to grab him until we were basically more than halfway there. I was fucking furious. Took him home with him screaming at me about how its his life and he can do what he wants. It was a lot dealing with him. He's 13 now and so much easier. Which seems kind of backwards. These things do happen.
Happened to my next door neighbor. I was driving home from high school one day when I saw their 2 year old running down the main road outside the neighborhood. I pulled over in a hurry, and fortunately, I was his babysitter so he trusted me and got in my car without a fuss. His mom had been taking a nap and thought he was asleep in his crib. Every door was childproofed, but that baby was an escape artist. I'm just glad I found the little guy before the cops showed up or worse.
Omg! That's the funniest story. 🤣 Congrats on his safe return.
First, so glad your son was okay! Second, as the mom of an almost 13yo I am hopeful it gets better and not worse here, haha. I’m not saying it never happens, just that it doesn’t happen all the time. Your kiddo didn’t get far enough to attract the attention of neighbors - that takes time. Of course we all know how fast toddlers are! My mom once ate a whole bottle of baby aspirin in just a few minutes when she was 4. Apparently child proof lids weren’t a thing in the 60s, they tasted like orange candies and my grandma more than likely didn’t even realize she was missing because she had so many kids.
It does happen all the time. I’ve had professional cases where it happened and it happened to me personally but fortunately my neighbor who found my two toddlers knocked on the door to let us know. A few years later, I was awakened in the middle of the night by a child crying in my front yard; my neighbor’s four-year-old had gotten out of the house in the dead of winter wearing only underpants. Children are very determined to get out and it happens to even the most caring parents. Also, no it doesn’t have to take long for a response from people. A neighbor could see the child within a minute or two and if you live in certain areas, the cops could be there within a few minutes.
My neighbors are about 10 steps away from my door step right across from us and share the same front part of our home. So they spotted him fairly quickly we also live about 2-3 blocks away from the nearest police station
So they live an entire 10 paces away, went back home and made a 911 call so serious that the cops, and fire/EMS showed up? What in the blue hell?
Yes, that is correct I am happy that the EMS came to check on my son but I can’t say much about the rest and have nothing to really say besides it happened and I still feel internally guilty and should have never let him out of my sight
Honey you could be Julie Andrews on the sound of music or even Marry Poppins and stuff will go hell someway or another. As long as you make changes and don't let the anxiety eat you alive, you will be okay.
I was going to say there is NO WAY it was only 5 minutes. Like even just for the kid to be outside, the neighbors to notice call the police and the police showing up is at least 20 possibly longer. Unless they live like next door to the police station. And then if we are talking about CPS also being there. The police then need to call them, and then they need to come out as well, which is almost another 20 minutes. All the while there would be sirens and knocking. And while I do understand kids get out, I do not, at all, believe that this story is actually what happened.
And for all three to show up... I don't know. Either she lives in a *very* small town where it's fine for this many, and this varied emergency professionals to help one child who was basically right by his house, or there's more to this. EMTs aren't just sent for no reason. Usually, it's the first responders are sent and usually confirm "Yes we should have the EMT sent" unless someone on the phone specified a medical emergency. All in all, everything had to have taken way more than 5 minutes. Post is fake, momma is getting info wrong, or something is being left out.
Yeah, I don't know if everything in this post is a lie, or where the misunderstanding oringated, but knock me over with a feather if it happened just like the OP.
I didn’t even think to account for the actual timing. That’s right it def took longer than 5 minutes. It takes a while for the EMTs to arrive. For someone to notice the toddler and call them, and not just walk the kiddo back to the house themselves also says something. So she is already on their radar of not being fit? Which sucks. If she’s doing it solo, I know it can be hard and tiring. I rarely hear of kids getting out. However, all 3 of mine were out on our back porch a few weeks ago at like 6am, and it happened one day last summer too. They had taken all the soda cans outside and busted them, took the entire rack of eggs, cracked those, and put all the legos into the sludgy mix! I recently changed the way the back door lock is, so they won’t be doing that again. I’m thankful they stayed on the porch, and didn’t venture off.
Mine would have found a way to drink every one of those sodas!
lol 😂 I’m sure mine had some sips during. The oldest and the baby are always trying to sneak a soda.
A two year old naps still - you nap at the same time. Also, a two year old can play with anything. Have him help you “clean” and make games out of chores. A two year old can help you “cook” as well. Give him a bowl of flour and water (like a thin dough) and have him “cook” while you cook for real. To clean the bath room - put him in a bath with a little water and soapy water and give him a scrub brush (a new clean one) and have him help scrub while you clean for real. Bonus is he gets a bath and the bathroom gets clean. What I used to do is use baby gates and trap my kid in the kitchen while I cleaned. They had toys and could not get into any cabinets so it was just a matter of picking the right time when they were somewhat calm and uninterested in hanging on me. Staying up just to clean is not sustainable. Modern parenting doesn’t work for real life. Kids can be bored, kids can play with everyday objects and be just as happy as with a toy, and spending every waking minute entertaining a child is not sustainable. Edit - the fact you’re worried about being a good mom shows that you care and are a good mom. As for showering, bring in toys and lock the door. Let him play while you shower. Basically you don’t have to stop every day life because he’s awake
Hi, I have definitely tried this but my child is not interested in the everyday tasks I must complete he will help me clean sometimes but in this instance we had just gone grocery shopping and didn’t get home until around 7pm and he was tuckered out so I let him sleep and I cleaned up the home. He also has a room filled with age appropriate toys to play with it has just been very hard to keep him entertained but I will definitely not give up and keep trying to get him interested in my everyday tasks. Thank you for your comment
It happened to us too, I thought Dad had him, he thought I had him, he was outside in the yard with Dad and granddad and walked around the corner of the house to the sidewalk. Trucker stopped and got him, called 911, cue the police and ambulance rolling up in the intersection. We realized 12 whole minutes later and my heart straight up stopped when I opened the front door of my mom's house to see an ambulance and I couldn't see my son. Literally the worst view you can have as a parent. A nurse had also stopped, was holding him, and tried to keep me from taking him out of her arms; she wisely let him go but had she not I would have been arrested for assault. Do not keep my child from me. Police officer took all the info needed and let us know CPS had to be called but not to worry, he'd report it as an accident and there wouldn't be any repercussions or a case. Our baby boy was okay, we were okay and no one ever called so no case. We now keep every door deadbolt/locked when we don't have eyes on him. We call out to make sure someone has him if needed. Not everyone has extra support, so in this case, grab a cheap door stopper that wedges underneath the door handle, it's really hard to get back out without force once properly wedged underneath. Or if you're tired like that, situate you and your child in a room that he cannot get out of at all (say a bedroom with hallway blocked by a baby gate and the bedroom door closed and locked) You're doing the best you can mama, keep your head up, and use this as a learning opportunity like we did! You can do this, you have this, and you're a rockstar.
Hi thank you for your kind words I was afraid of posting this because parents are often judged so harshly I will make sure to keep in mind your advice always and update We have picked up the baby gate today a another baby door protector and just installed the gate onto his door so hopefully this will never ever happen again in the future
I just worked a similar case. The parent ended up buying a child safety knob, automatic pad lock (locks 30 sec after closing the door) door alarm, and a reinforcer tab. It took him about 48-72 hours to complete. I kept the case open for a bit to monitor. Thankfully did not happen again.
Get some sleep. You should not be up until 1:30am. More sleep means more energy to clean while your little one is playing or taking a nap
Hi, yes I understand I usually am in bed at 9-10pm and him at 7-7:30pm but this was a rare occurrence in this instance we had gone grocery shopping out of town the day prior and came back around his bedtime so I started putting away the groceries a little later that night after I made a quick dinner for everyone and gave him a bath read bedtime stories etc… I typically do not stay up this late unless I have an exam to study for then I have no choice, night is the best and most quiet/productive time for me. I don’t know what came over me i have never dozed off before this day.
Why didn’t your neighbors just bring your child back home to you?! If I was in their shoes my first thought would’ve been “omg is something wrong with their mom?!” and pounded on your door. Like I’d be thinking you fell or had been hurt in some way. It’s super weird they called the police first. Did they just hang out with your kid until they arrived? So bizarre.
Hi, to answer your question my son escaped within 5 minutes of me dozing off and according to them was out there for a few minutes before they brought my child to me and didn’t say anything they called the police directly after. My child was with me when the police arrived
Ok wait. What? You’re saying they brought your son home to you, went back home like everything was fine, and then called the police on you?! Why? What’d they act like when they brought him home and you answered the door?
Yes, that is what happened. As for their behavior they gave me a strange look and said “I have your kid” and handed him to me. Then they walked off back into their home. The policeman then showed up after.
Do you know them at all?
I have seen them around but no I do not know them personally. I was actually very surprised it was them who grabbed my child because they have children of their own around 5-6 that they let run around the neighborhood on their own. So I was not expecting them to be out. But I am thankful for them doing so as my child was returned safely.
Definitely get door alarms and locks but your neighbors are giant jerks! They handed your son to you, and saw that you were clearly not ill or impaired, and called the cops AFTER?! What in the wisteria lane is this crap?
Well things are going to be pretty awkward now lol. Is there anything you can think of aside from this that would make a reasonable person question the safety of your son or your fitness as a parent? Have you lived there a long time? Do you live in a safe area?
Yes, I assume so it has been very quiet more than usual and I have not seen them since. But yes I live in fairly safe area near a lot of other families.we have lived here for a year now around the same time they moved in and have never had this problem . there is nothing I can really think of to make them think that I am “unfit”. I have never really spoken to them or seen them only on rare occasions but I mostly see their children. The officer also spoke to them for more information and came back to tell me that everything was okay he walked around the house and complimented our home and sons rooms etc… he told me it was a mistake and said how it happens and we can try to fix it so it would not happen again. I do not think they think anything like that is going on. My son is taken care of this was just a horrible horrible mistake by me.
I still think your neighbors are jerks for calling the cops lol but I’m glad they got your kiddo home safe
Haha yes I believe you and another commenter had said my neighbors were jerks
It sounds to me like even the cop thought this was a massive overreaction.
Right?!
I had the exact same thought.
I don’t like to share this story because it could have turned out so much worse, and it made me feel like the worst mom ever, and it was my first (and so far now only) big parenting mistake and I learned from it. When my oldest (now 9f) was about 2 we were helping my brother and sister in law move. Between us we had 5 kids at the time, 10 and under. It was pretty chaotic and we had a bunch of doors opening and closing all over the house just moving things. Well we all gathered in the living room to regroup and someone knocked at the front door. Apparently my two year old had been standing on the front porch knocking on the door crying because she slipped out while we were moving and someone shut the front door and she couldn’t get back in. Luckily the older lady neighbor was on her porch constantly and saw my daughter and came over to tell us. It could have been so so so so bad. I immediately lost my composure and we had to pack up and leave. I’ve since then had two more kids and kept them all alive and safe and well for almost ten years 😅😅 and most people would tell you I’m one of the best moms they know! My point is, shit happens! Sometimes it’s scary shit! But as long as you learn from it then you’re a good mom!
I came home from dropping my daughter off at camp and my neighbors 3 year old was sitting on my porch. She got out and the door locked behind her. This stuff happens.. What is important is to get the situation fixed.
My kids somehow busted my gate latch and let themselves and our dog out front 🤦🏻♀️ luckily my husband was walking by the front window and saw my oldest trying to catch the dog. All that to say: it happens. And I promise it doesn't make you a bad mom. The most important thing is making sure it doesn't happen again.
I am a CPS worker, and I am constantly reassuring parents in situations like this. First time, I am always like, "I am a Mom. Sometimes our kids figure things out faster than we realize. How can we prevent it from happening again? And what can we do to help?" It happens to everyone, as the mom of a free willed and fearless 8 year old who also works CPS I have seen it all. Kids escape, they are learning to push boundaries and be humans. There is a huge difference between that and abuse/neglect luckily that vast majority of us can see the difference.
The cps worker that came over was very kind and just tried to give us tips on how we can prevent it from happening again so I am very grateful for everyone who came and tried helping us secure our door better. I am a first time mother and still learning as I go I never knew how fearless children- especially toddlers can be. He is a very quick little one Thank you for your comment
If you can afford it see about a babysitter. Theres NOTHING wrong with having someone over for even a half day a week so you can clean and take a nap!!!
Thank you I am looking into this
Anytime 🩷 really it takes a village!
Get a chain lock for the door and have it high so he can’t reach it, Also check Amazon for door alarms that are just stick on: they can ring when the door is open it’s just magnetic stick on, During the day take him for a walk and maybe to a playground: if he is a runner maybe even a harness to go for walks: what I would do is have the harness wrapped around my wrist but still hold my toddlers hand as they might try to run but the harness would be around my wrist. This way the little one can burn off energy and hopefully sleep longer and let you get some more rest Also what I do when I am really tired is add a scoop of instant espresso to my coffee to help me wake up more What I use to do was go to a track and let my little one walk half a lap or what’s she wanted to walk or run and just push the stroller If you are concerned make a doctor appointment get blood work done see if you could be low on iron or sometimes like sleep apnea or even obstructe sleep apnea where allergies can cause polyps on the nose and make it harder to breath while sleeping might make you more tired But we have all been there and not all solutions or suggestions will work for you, some people also use just random locks for the fridge or cupboards for the door to keep a little one from opening the door,
Thank you this is actually very great advice I will try to pick up some instant coffee mix and also we have picked up new door protectors for the front door and installed a baby gate to his door as well
Can you install a deadbolt or a lock near the top of the door if the handle is sketchy? My friend had to for his mom with dementia so she didn’t run outside. An alarm on the door too, so it will wake you if opened.
One of the officers offered to show us how to install deadbolts onto the drywall we have since he said these walls were not exactly sturdy and he knew that because he has the same ones. As of right now we placed a baby gate onto his bedroom door and placed 2 baby protectors onto our front door. I will also be looking more into the alarm system for our home thank you
You can also get an alarm for the door. We have one that has three settings alarm, doorbell( it sounds like the 7/11 bell), and off. It comes with command strips to place on the doorframe and the door itself, very easy to use. I use it to keep my oldest from eloping out the door and it works well. We set it to alarm at night for intruders and in case she makes it out as well. We also have a doorbell setting on their bedroom door because my youngest will raid the fridge in the middle of the night lol it happens! Take a deep breath and make a new plan. You got this!
Oh wow that sounds amazing I seen one on Amazon I have been looking at and am considering ordering soon but if you have any suggestions for which one you’d recommend I would love to know - and thank you I am trying to take it easy on myself it was just very heart wrenching for me he is my one and only son and I felt so horrible for him because of my dumb mistake
Ours aren’t available anymore we bought them years ago but this is similar. We use them on windows too cuz we live on the second floor, and I have anxiety about the kids falling out the window. [these](https://a.co/d/0dxTQL1m) Also! This has never happened before so you did not fail in anyway. You also tried to prevent this from happening. That door cover failed. Not your fault, you were operating under the assumption everything was working as it should. Now if you knowingly left the door unattended and didn’t try to keep him safe well then that would be your fault. But that’s not what happened here. I’m sure it was scary! My oldest the other day opened the door because I forgot to put the alarm on after her dad came back home. Scared the heck outta me! But I now double check the alarm, and keep checking throughout the day. The fact that your so worries means your doing great. Bad parents don’t worry about keeping their kids safe, or wonder if they are a good parent or not. I can tell you from the post and your comments you are doing great. 👍🏻
I have deadbolts at the top of both my doors, my kids couldn't get to then even if they stood on a chair
Get these from Amazon. Installs easily in 5 minutes and no way he can get the door open.[child proof lock](http://Limited-time deal: GreaTalent 3PACK Home Security Door Reinforcement Lock Childproof, Add High Security to Home Prevent Unauthorized Entry, Aluminum Construction Finish, Silver https://a.co/d/0cQpdDYj)
Trying to add link again.[child proof lock ](http://Limited-time deal: GreaTalent 3PACK Home Security Door Reinforcement Lock Childproof, Add High Security to Home Prevent Unauthorized Entry, Aluminum Construction Finish, Silver https://a.co/d/0f6SU53Q)
Thank you very much I truly appreciate it
Slide lock on top of the door.
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Removed-off topic.
I installed this stick on lock on the front of my door. It’s been a life saver! You can get it on Amazon for like 12$ https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07DKNNCH1?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
Don't beat yourself up. This happens to many people. I posted about this within the last month or so in response to someone else who had this problem. When my nephew was somewhere between 2 and 4, he pushed a chair up to the door, unlocked it, got out of the house and took off down the street, trying to find his mother and brother who had gone to a nearbyt track to run early one morning. He was mad because they would not take him along. So, when his father was in the shower, he just opened the door and left. He went in the right direction but, had he made it all the way, he probably would either have been taken or killed trying to cross the major street that he would have had to cross to get to the track. Luckily, the man across the street was sitting on his front porch, saw him leave the house on his own, and followed him and stopped him. About that time, my sister and other nephew drove by on their way home and saw the neighbor and 2 women she did not know standing on a street corner with my little nephew. As close as you could get to major heart failure and fear over what could have happened was the response. My sister and her husband then put a much higher lock and alarm on the doors after that. It sounds like you've taken steps to fix things so this doesn't happen again. So, give yourself some grace and love on your child.
I had 3 girls, all of them rascals escaped in toddler hood. First one I had woke up with a cop in the house. Other two waited til dad was in the bathroom. Those two required a key in key out deadbolt. They escaped together twice. I worked overnight, dad was up with them in the mornings. They still cause havoc at 10 and 12.
This is exactly why we moved put to the country 🤣
Out
Dude my stepson used to sneak out of the downstairs garage door, okay it only happened twice in one day but still it was terrifying and irritating. We ended up getting one of those cheap door alarms that loudly beeps when the 2 pieces are separated and put it up high without telling him. Took a couple days for him to try and sneak out again, sure enough when he opened that door and the alarm went off he ran back up the stairs so quick and never tried sneaking out again. Not the best parenting moment but heck it worked and added peace of mind during a stressful summer.
This happens more often than people like to admit. And your child is home fine, and likely won’t remember this in a week. I had this happen too - only mine managed to do it naked. She’s also autistic, and she was three and a half. What solved it for me was she’s hyper sensitive to noise so way up at the top I put one of those high pitched alarms that goes off if the door is open so the “laser beam” is broken. Never happened again. Her older brother has always been horrified at breaking the rules. The fact that the police nor anyone else found anything wrong is a good thing. CPS will likely just give a look around, make sure you fixed the issue making your son’s Houdini act really hard, and that’ll be that. It’s scary, and terrifying, and all that, but you’ll both be fine.
>know your door handle is broken >don’t replace it >slaps a “childproof” thing on it even though everyone knows that they only start child proof until the child learns how to operate it. >asking for advice on Reddit afterwards How much lead did you eat as a child?
Door handle isn’t broken it was installed like that since our move in date. As I stated in the other comments I am in a rental agreement I did the best in the circumstance I am in and am continuing to try to do more. Sure I might have ate lead as a child according to you but who hurt YOU as a child to grow up to be the person that you are? Parents make mistakes obviously some more than others. But we are not perfect and I am still learning he is my first and I am still trying to do everything I can to ensure he is safe and well cared for beyond this incident.