One of the WORST Moments of My Life..

[Breezy]

PLEASE no judgement. I am beating myself up as it is already and my husband is not too happy with me.

DCG was sleeping soundly as she has been since she was dropped off early this morning. DS was playing quietly and watching Sesame Street. I was cleaning up the kitchen. I had some garbage to take out and figured I would get the dogs some water since it was getting hot.

I stepped outside onto the patio, shut the patio door since there are tons of flys out there that have been coming in the house, and threw the garbage in the trash about 5 ft away from the door. I turned around to come back in and pick up the water bowl on the way in and my 15 month old DS grabbed the lock on the door and locked me out!

It took me a minute to comprehend the gravity of the situation. The fact that the gate to the front was locked with a padlock and the key was in the house. The window to my bedroom was shut and locked and thats the only window on the back of the house. Our fence is 6ft brick so no chance of me climbing it.

I thankfully had my phone on me and called 911 who transfered me to the Fire Dept Dispatcher. She said they would be out in a few minutes. Meanwhile, I tried my hardest to remember the number to my husbands shop (new shop so I don't have the number in my phone yet) and called. I told them it was an emergency and they dispatched my husband in from the flight line to call me.

The fire Dept turned up and came to talk to me over the fence to assess the situation. All the windows were shut and locked as were the doors. The only way I was getting in was to have a window broken or the door broken down. DH called me just then and I told him what happened and asked him to come home.

The Fiire Dept said they would wait for him to come to save me from having to have something broken and to make sure all was well. A million things were running through my head like what if DCG woke up and started crying and I wasnt there to get her up. What will I tell her parents. Thankfully DS stayed next to the door the whole time so I knew where he was but he was upset that I wasn't coming in and he couldn;t figure out how to unlock the door for me.

About 15 minutes later my DH got home and unlocked the door. The fire man who was standing next to the gate with me said I was saved! And I thanked him profusely and said how sorry I was to have bothered him but I didn't know if I would have been able to get ahold of my DH. He said not to worry its what they are there for and it happens ALL the time.

As soon as the door was unlocked I ran into the bedroom to check on DCG who was sleepying soundly still. I then went outside where DH, DS and the fire man were and shook their hand and thanked them some more.

DH stuck around fror a few minutes while I gathered my composure and calmed down and then he headed back to work.

Seriously it was one of THE worst moments in my life. It could have ended badlly I know, and I will NEVER go out there again without another way to get in the house. I didn't know my DS could even reach the lock- MY how he has grown.


So, ladies... How would you have handled this situation and the even bigger question: Would you tell DCM and DCD? If no, why? If so, what would you say?

And PLEASE no judgement. I already know I am getting the Worlds Worst Mom and Provider award this year.....

[sharlan]

I know you feel bad, but really that could have happened to anyone. Hide a key outside, just in case.

Yes, I would tell the parents. You never know who saw the firemen at your house.

A gf was locked INSIDE her house one time when her dh took her car (and keys) to work one day. She couldn't get out of her house to go pick her kids up from school and had to call a neighbor. They had deadbolts on all of their doors and keyed locks on the windows. They're very paranoid people.

[daycare]

PLEASE no judgement. I am beating myself up as it is already and my husband is not too happy with me.

DCG was sleeping soundly as she has been since she was dropped off early this morning. DS was playing quietly and watching Sesame Street. I was cleaning up the kitchen. I had some garbage to take out and figured I would get the dogs some water since it was getting hot.

I stepped outside onto the patio, shut the patio door since there are tons of flys out there that have been coming in the house, and threw the garbage in the trash about 5 ft away from the door. I turned around to come back in and pick up the water bowl on the way in and my 15 month old DS grabbed the lock on the door and locked me out!

It took me a minute to comprehend the gravity of the situation. The fact that the gate to the front was locked with a padlock and the key was in the house. The window to my bedroom was shut and locked and thats the only window on the back of the house. Our fence is 6ft brick so no chance of me climbing it.

I thankfully had my phone on me and called 911 who transfered me to the Fire Dept Dispatcher. She said they would be out in a few minutes. Meanwhile, I tried my hardest to remember the number to my husbands shop (new shop so I don't have the number in my phone yet) and called. I told them it was an emergency and they dispatched my husband in from the flight line to call me.

The fire Dept turned up and came to talk to me over the fence to assess the situation. All the windows were shut and locked as were the doors. The only way I was getting in was to have a window broken or the door broken down. DH called me just then and I told him what happened and asked him to come home.

The Fiire Dept said they would wait for him to come to save me from having to have something broken and to make sure all was well. A million things were running through my head like what if DCG woke up and started crying and I wasnt there to get her up. What will I tell her parents. Thankfully DS stayed next to the door the whole time so I knew where he was but he was upset that I wasn't coming in and he couldn;t figure out how to unlock the door for me.

About 15 minutes later my DH got home and unlocked the door. The fire man who was standing next to the gate with me said I was saved! And I thanked him profusely and said how sorry I was to have bothered him but I didn't know if I would have been able to get ahold of my DH. He said not to worry its what they are there for and it happens ALL the time.

As soon as the door was unlocked I ran into the bedroom to check on DCG who was sleepying soundly still. I then went outside where DH, DS and the fire man were and shook their hand and thanked them some more.

DH stuck around fror a few minutes while I gathered my composure and calmed down and then he headed back to work.

Seriously it was one of THE worst moments in my life. It could have ended badlly I know, and I will NEVER go out there again without another way to get in the house. I didn't know my DS could even reach the lock- MY how he has grown.


So, ladies... How would you have handled this situation and the even bigger question: Would you tell DCM and DCD? If no, why? If so, what would you say?

And PLEASE no judgement. I already know I am getting the Worlds Worst Mom and Provider award this year.....

awe Breezy....you didn't intentionally make this happen, it was an accident. I am so sorry that this happened to you.

As children grow, they teach us that we have to set new boundaries. Sometimes we don't know until it's too late. Trust me when i tell you, we have all done something like this before. I think I locked my son in his room one time by accident when he was very little and once in the car also when he was very little. (and the car was running)

If it were me, I would tell the DCP. You don't want them to find out from someone else and I think that would just be the right thing to do.

[itlw8]

You did fine.

The parents will hear you had some excitment so tell them you stepped out the door to toos the trash and your son locked the door.Tell they you are glead you always carry your phone

Now I would put your dh number in it and I might consider getting another key and maybe wearing it around your neck???

[youretooloud]

I've been locked out a couple of times. The worst was when I put ALL the kids in the car, and buckled them into carseats. It was Late May, and 112 degrees outside.. the car was in the driveway in the sun.

JUST as I reached to open my driver's side door, I heard "click".... I looked inside in horror to see that I had put my keys in the carseat with Baby T.... she locked the doors with the keyfob. She was nine months old....so, saying "push the button" was useless.

Where was my spare key? In the house. I had locked the house... T had the house keys. The garage door opener was in the car.

I cajoled them for several minutes in the hot sun before a two year old was able to wrestle her shoulders out of the straps and reach over and take the keys from Baby T, who had slobbered all over it. She almost dropped it when she realized it had a string of spit from T's mouth to her hand...but, she put on her big girl panties and pushed the button.

It all lasted about 10-15 minutes, and the kids were very hot and sweaty, I was about 10years older. NOT FUN.

Anyway... I suggest finding ways to hide keys somewhere.

I cute a piece of pool noodle off, then slice that down the length so it slips over the edge of a door and the kids can't close it all the way. Maybe you could throw one of those on there as you walk out, that way you can close it all but one inch.

[Kiki]

Chin up, and don't be so hard on yourself! This could have happened to any of us really! I'll tell you a story that will make you giggle, this was one of my many panic moments, but I laugh about it now.

About two years ago we moved into a a new home, and were still learning all of the little quirks about the house, I was in the back bedroom with my youngest two DD, and my niece. At the time their ages were 1, 3, 3; we had no idea that the doorknob to the room did not open from the inside of the room...the 1 year old shut the door on us, because at the time, opening and closing doors was one of her favorite things to do.
The door of course, did not open for me when I went over to it. My face? I panicked!
I had no phone in the room with me, the windows in the room were smaller, and I'm a bigger girl so I was convinced I would not fit through them. I searched through their toy boxes to try and find anything I could use to pry that door open with. :: In the end, I ended up climbing on top of their toy boxes, and squeezing through the window, the whole time I was doing this, the 3 year old kids were cheering 'YOU CAN DO IT!' at me.:::: I tell you what though, I was not laughing at the time this was happening. The only thing going through my head was 'Omg we are stuck in here all day long, and my oldest is going to be stuck outside when she gets home from school!'

So really, don't beat yourself up too much, stuff like this just happens, and I think your reaction to it was 100% acceptable.

I agree though, get an extra key hidden outside somewhere, you never know when stuff like this will happen.
With the fire department being called, you probably should let the parents know, you don't want them to hear from someone else that they were there, and have them think a serious accident happened.

[B Lou]

(((HUGS))) I think you handled it great. This could have happened to any one of us.

Don't beat yourself up. Tell the DCP what happened. Better to hear from you than someone else. After all by not telling might make them think twice about what else happens that they aren't told about. And again you handled it great.

Maybe you should get a key made and hide it outside, just in case.

As a parent I would be very pleased to know my provider handled it just right and didn't panic.

GOOD JOB!!!

[Sugar Magnolia]

We were outside with all the kids playing, and realized we locked ourselves out. Not a huge deal, we were all together, no one was "trapped". It is a two story house, I knew the upstairs bathroom window was unlocked. I scaled the porch, got onto the sunroom roof, kicked all the stuff we store in the upstairs tub out of the way, and I was in! The kids called me Spiderman and we had.a good laugh. My husband was too big to fit through the little window, so it was up to me. Yeah, we have a hide-a-key now.

[My3cents]

PLEASE no judgement. I am beating myself up as it is already and my husband is not too happy with me. because you inconvenienced him or because he feels you were not responsible? Actually it doesn't matter. Your husband should be supportive- You didn't do this on purpose.

DCG was sleeping soundly as she has been since she was dropped off early this morning. DS was playing quietly and watching Sesame Street. I was cleaning up the kitchen. I had some garbage to take out and figured I would get the dogs some water since it was getting hot.

I stepped outside onto the patio, shut the patio door since there are tons of flys out there that have been coming in the house, and threw the garbage in the trash about 5 ft away from the door. I turned around to come back in and pick up the water bowl on the way in and my 15 month old DS grabbed the lock on the door and locked me out!

It took me a minute to comprehend the gravity of the situation. The fact that the gate to the front was locked with a padlock and the key was in the house. The window to my bedroom was shut and locked and thats the only window on the back of the house. Our fence is 6ft brick so no chance of me climbing it.

I thankfully had my phone on me and called 911 who transfered me to the Fire Dept Dispatcher. She said they would be out in a few minutes. Meanwhile, I tried my hardest to remember the number to my husbands shop (new shop so I don't have the number in my phone yet) and called. I told them it was an emergency and they dispatched my husband in from the flight line to call me.

The fire Dept turned up and came to talk to me over the fence to assess the situation. All the windows were shut and locked as were the doors. The only way I was getting in was to have a window broken or the door broken down. DH called me just then and I told him what happened and asked him to come home.

The Fiire Dept said they would wait for him to come to save me from having to have something broken and to make sure all was well. A million things were running through my head like what if DCG woke up and started crying and I wasnt there to get her up. What will I tell her parents. Thankfully DS stayed next to the door the whole time so I knew where he was but he was upset that I wasn't coming in and he couldn;t figure out how to unlock the door for me.

About 15 minutes later my DH got home and unlocked the door. The fire man who was standing next to the gate with me said I was saved! And I thanked him profusely and said how sorry I was to have bothered him but I didn't know if I would have been able to get ahold of my DH. He said not to worry its what they are there for and it happens ALL the time.

As soon as the door was unlocked I ran into the bedroom to check on DCG who was sleepying soundly still. I then went outside where DH, DS and the fire man were and shook their hand and thanked them some more.

DH stuck around fror a few minutes while I gathered my composure and calmed down and then he headed back to work.

Seriously it was one of THE worst moments in my life. It could have ended badlly I know, and I will NEVER go out there again without another way to get in the house. I didn't know my DS could even reach the lock- MY how he has grown.


So, ladies... How would you have handled this situation and the even bigger question: Would you tell DCM and DCD? If no, why? If so, what would you say?

And PLEASE no judgement. I already know I am getting the Worlds Worst Mom and Provider award this year.....

I disagree with this. I think you handled the situation well. You called the fire department to help you. Called your husband. If your child was out of site of you or in danger- you would have hit the window with a brick or whatever and figured a way to get inside the house. I applaud you- you stayed calm and collected and no one was hurt. I would prob tell parents or not. Your call. If you think it would freak them out, then maybe I wouldn't. If it came up I would tell them. I probably would just tell my parents. I would say, we had a little excitement today and then just spill it.

No judging- your human, again you didn't do this on purpose and it is not something that happens often if ever before. Don't beat yourself up over this. Make spares-

I look at your post as an awareness, your helping others to make sure to have spare keys. I key saying I need to do this- so thank you for sharinglovethis.

[Breezy]

I think he thinks I was being irresponsbile and he is worried I will lose the family. He doesn't think I should tell since everything was ok and she was asleep. I am on the fence because I would want to know if it was my child and I don't know if I can live with the guilt!

[daycare]

I think he thinks I was being irresponsbile and he is worried I will lose the family. He doesn't think I should tell since everything was ok and she was asleep. I am on the fence because I would want to know if it was my child and I don't know if I can live with the guilt!

breezy...no offence, but your husband does not run you business YOU do. You do what you feel is right..

From the sounds of it, you husband would have been mad no matter what decision you made. AGAIN, this was an accident. He is not perfect, no one is and so he can't point the blame on you. If you would have not called him, you would have had to break a window, then he would be upset about that. If you would not have taken out the trash for him to do when he got home, he would have been upset about that. If you would have not given the dogs water all day long, he would been upset about that...and so on and so on.... As everyone knows, accidents will happen, it's how you respond to them that really matters.

I would stop worrying about what he thinks and know that you did the right thing when things went wrong. You should applaud yourself that you were able to do the right things for all that were involved.

Again more hugs to you

[momofsix]

I would tell them, but make it sound as harmless as possible.
Avoid mentioning your panic etc. Just calmly and matter of factly tell them what happened without adding any drama. Let them know as soon as the door locked you called dh and the fire dept. and you got back in no problems at all. Baby was sleeping in bed the whole time.

Sorry you've had a rough day...praying the rest of your week is smooth and easy. Others are right, we've ALL done something like this.

[My3cents]

I think he thinks I was being irresponsbile and he is worried I will lose the family. He doesn't think I should tell since everything was ok and she was asleep. I am on the fence because I would want to know if it was my child and I don't know if I can live with the guilt!

you need to do what is best for you. If you want to tell them, tell them. Why would you want to know this if it was your child? Give yourself a pat on the back, you handled this well and its ok that your not perfect. You learned- make a key. Move on. Remind your husband that you would like him to be more supportive in the event of future mistakes- you are beating yourself up enough, you don't need to hear it from him too. It could have been your husband that this happened while you were out doing errands on a day off. What would he have done- called you. Hugs

[jojosmommy]

My son locked me out a few months back. He is 3, locked the door and then went to the table to color. I could see him and he saw my you better unlock the door face and chose to unlock it, we had already taught him how to do that though thankfully. No daycare kids were here.

We have a detached garage and we have an extra key hanging inside there just in case. My parents put a nail with a key hanging on it on the underside of one of their deck boards around the backside of their house. I would suggest doing either for next time.

I would also tell the parents. I would be calm, tell them the entire story and that their child was asleep the entire time, safe. I would tell them what plans you have in place (like an extra key) so that this doesn't happen again.

If they are understanding people they should understand that someday their own child may do this to them.

[SilverSabre25]

You're gonna think this is funny someday, I promise!!

You're NOT a bad mommy!
You're NOT a bad provider!

What you ARE is a human being!!

Strange things happen and we can't plan for every eventuality! PLEASE don't beat yourself up about it!! Of course it was scary at the time, but it will be seriously funny to you eventually. Even if dcg had woken up, she would have been fine Mad, but safe and fine.

My sister has been locked OUT of her son's room a few times, and locked IN to it once--with the whole family. She called our BIL for help, and when he arrived, he opened the door, he came in, and my nephew shut it on them again!! They ended up having to send the five year old out the window (first floor, luckily) to go around and open the door for them. Oooops!