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Original poster

DS just ran out into the road!!

26 replies

notchipsagain · 05/06/2019 20:28

Was just upstairs running a bath for me and DS.

I was naked so was ds I hear banging on the door I run downstairs and Ds has bought the chair up to the front door opened and gone out into the road.

Delivery driver who dropped our food of an hour ago grabbed him and the lady up the road brought him back.

I'm mortified shaking crying honestly he's never done anything like that before. Everyone's just seen me naked and I didn't even realised he went downstairs that quick!!!

Please someone make me feel better as all OH can say is at least nothing happened Angry

OP posts:
teyem · 05/06/2019 20:36

Ah, fuck. I suppose "at least nothing happened" is the only positive spin on this.

How old is your ds? They do tend to go through a Houdini phase with varying levels of competence. We used to have a small latch right at the top of the door for this reason. Even stood on a chair they couldn't reach it.

Have that bath solo with a cup of tea and let DH deal with ds till the shakes have passed and the adrenaline stops pumping Flowers

Cheesecake53 · 05/06/2019 20:36

That must have been such a shock, poor you! Remember that he did not come to harm. But maybe it is good for you know now how your ds can get out of the house, so you can take precautions that it does not happen again. How old is your DS and could he tell you why he did it?

Lllot5 · 05/06/2019 20:46

Yeah just try to be calm. Just have to try to remember to lock the door. They go through phases of escaping.

DesparateDino · 05/06/2019 20:50

I did this when I was about two, my mum had left the door open and she looked out the window to see me running up the pavement along a busy road. She never left the door unlocked again, and you won't either OP. Flowers

TooMinty · 05/06/2019 21:02

I learned my toddler could reach the Yale lock when I heard the door slam and saw him run down the path. I ran out in pjs and bare feet to catch him. After that I locked the bottom lock too and kept the keys hidden from him. They are little monkeys! Get yourself a tea/wine and chocolate to steady your nerves x

comfysocks8516 · 05/06/2019 21:05

You poor thing I am always worrying about this happening! We now have a chain lock as my two try to open the door, but god knows what I’ll do once they figure out standing on a chair!!

BillywilliamV · 05/06/2019 21:08

Bolt at the top of the door

Starlight456 · 05/06/2019 21:11

You have had a shock

On the positive you have found out he can get out without harm .

Chain and locks are good.

I had a hoodini child , look for escape routes everywhere you go . However the shock of your reaction may be only time he does this

jackparlabane · 05/06/2019 21:14

These things happen, but hopefully only once. I knew our chain was way out of ds's and dn's reach so thought we were safe.
Dn isn't good at figuring out things like a chain.

Until the day I heard ds explaining 'you stand on dis. Dat way, no, pull dat way!' and legged it down the stairs to follow the pair of them down the garden path and did a flying tackle to land on top of dn, on the pavement of our busy road.

Had to hide all stools and boxes for a couple years...

Wildorchidz · 05/06/2019 21:15

How old is he ?

Original poster
notchipsagain · 05/06/2019 21:42

He's 2 I did the same thing when I was his age I crossed the road to the shop with my little toy pram.

I keep going over it in my head I won't be able to sleep tonight I'm mortified. Will deffo get a chain put on and make the house more toddler safe.

Can't help but feel sorry for everyone seeing my naked bits Blush

OP posts:
Prokupatuscrakedatus · 05/06/2019 21:45

DS - not yet able to walk unaided (!) - managed to push a chair to the kitchen worktop, climp up the chair on to the worktop from there onto the radiator and was just about to crawl out of the window on to the roof (5th floor) when I caught him by the leg.
An hour later I had locks on every window.

Original poster
notchipsagain · 05/06/2019 21:46

@Prokupatuscrakedatus oh my goodness my heart would of fell out my chest!!

OP posts:
superking · 05/06/2019 21:48

It happened to me about a year ago with DS2 when he was about 20 months. Had just moved house and front door didn't lock automatically like previous house. Was in the kitchen, glanced up through the hall and saw the front door was wide open. DS2 had opened it and was by the front gate, he could so easily have walked straight out onto the drive. Probably my scariest parenting moment ever.

Don't beat yourself up, most kids have a "near miss" moment, no harm was done and at least now you know to be super vigilant about the door!

OstrichRunning · 05/06/2019 21:51

What an awful shock, op. If it makes you feel any better, this thread has made me realise I need to sort a chain too! yikes

MimiRose01 · 05/06/2019 22:09

I’ve been through something really similar years ago. I was running a bath for my DD(2) She was completely naked and then my phone rang.. I answered the phone and chatted for around 5 minutes and said I had to go as the bath was ready for DD. DD wasn’t upstairs!! Went downstairs and the front door was open. She had moved a box to the front door and opened it on her own. I ran outside half dressed and completely hysterical, a few neighbours had gathered at the end of the street. There was DD wearing a strangers shirt (he had taken his off to give to her) They had also called the police!! I was a wreck, she was completely oblivious and absolutely fine. The police came over to chat to me and I had to prove she was mine. I was completely mortified. Had a letter from SS a week later to say that the police had to file a report but that no further action would be taken, they believed it was an isolated incident. Will never forget that incident for the rest of my life. The fear and shame was horrendous. I completely understand how you feel.

Original poster
notchipsagain · 05/06/2019 22:16

@MimiRose01 wow so similar! the shame is eating me up OH walked through the door and I just burst into tears. Days like today make me wonder if I was even supposed to be a mum.

OP posts:
MimiRose01 · 05/06/2019 22:33

@notchipsagain I get you! I was the same. Couldn’t stop crying for days. Couldn’t stop thinking about what could have happened. My neighbours were amazing and just hugged me while I sobbed. Didn’t make me feel better though. The thing is I learnt something from it. We put a chain on the door and I ignore my phone if I’m busy with the kids. Please don’t feel bad about yourself. This parenting thing is one major learning curve and we have to mistakes to get better at it! Your baby is fine and you will be too! x

Sizeofalentil · 05/06/2019 22:36

My little brother used to do this all the time - he'd escape naked and run down the road. Only reason why he didn't get very far was because he knew he wasn't allowed to cross roads by himself, so would either wait at the road, or run round the block.

No need to be mortified about the nudity - it's only a bit of bum, tits and fanny. 50% of the world have most of that. And more people would have seen more when you birthed him. It'll make a great story to shame him with when he's older.

And, on the massive plus side, that extra layer of mortification caused you to post your story on here. Which in turn has caused at least two of us to remember to childproof our front doors.

So your ladybits have probably saved lives today

Deathraystare · 06/06/2019 08:42

My youngest brother broke out of his pushchair, walked down the health centre steps and was away onto a very busy motorway - can't remember the name of it but a multiple lane one. Luckily a guy painting the front of a house managed to get hold of him. You can imagine how my poor mum was feeling!

ithinkmycatistryingtokillme · 06/06/2019 10:26

dd2 was a houdini, we had to make sure front door was locked at all times and had to padlock the top latch on the back gate after she worked out how to reach it.

teyem · 06/06/2019 18:33

So your ladybits have probably saved lives today

Grin We NEED a quote board.

Blobbyweeble · 06/06/2019 18:51

My youngest escaped when he was 2, a chap was in the house doing something with the cable tv and had put the door on the latch while he went out to his van, I was upstairs, DH was downstairs, each thought the other was supervising ds. He was found about 300 yards away, out of sight, inspecting the roadworks. It took me at least a day to stop shaking.

Gymbabes · 06/06/2019 19:10

Oh bless you, we've all been there! The what ifs will be spinning round your head for days (I've got some that still catch me 4 years later) but at least now you can take some precautions and dc won't do it again! Hope you have a peaceful evening xx

streeeemline · 06/06/2019 19:13

Thanks for you OP. And don't worry about the nakedness.

If it makes you feel better, my mother got a phone call from the neighbour behind us when I was little. The neighbour was phoning to inform my mum that she could see me crawling across the conservatory roof. I'd escaped out of my bedroom window. 👍🏻

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