Am I being neurotic or is DH being cavalier WRT DS safety?

[Notaneuroticmum]

On holiday, in a hotel room on the 4th floor. The room has a sliding door which opens sideways as it would on a balcony, but there's no balcony just a drop. The only protection is an outer glass panel that comes up to approx my middle (I'm 5ft 3)

Above that there's nothing, so a child could easily stand on something and fall over the top and down 4 floors to the ground.

Our child is almost 4 and is autistic with a history of trying to escape. We had a scary incident a few months ago whereby he climbed out of a ground floor window and ran up the road, luckily I caught him before he was hit by a car.

I discovered tonight that the balcony door isn't key lockable, you simply twist the knob and flick the catch up and it opens. DC is obviously showing alot of interest in the sliding door.

I can't relax for worrying he's going to get up in the night and open it, let alone sleep. DH on the other hand is moaning about how it's going to be a shit holiday and how DC won't try to open it. Im being ridiculous apparently. It's ok for him he sleeps like a log, it's me that'll lose sleep over it.

No concierge on until 9am tomorrow morning so no chance of being moved tonight.

AIBU or is DH not concerned enough?

Holy shit my stomach clenched at the thought !

I am not, as a rule, a worrier at all. In a group of mums I'll be the one allowing most "freedom" but that sounds terrifying.

YANBU OP

Wedge something (nail file, cotton buds etc) in between the two doors so if he tries to slide it they stick? Or put something loud and jangly tied to the lock?

Can you over something over the door handle like the bed or some drawers?

I’m fairly easy going with my two (ds fell off a five bar gate on his head last week) but I wouldn’t be happy with the situation you are describing.
Try and stay awake and attached reins to you and him.
I know someone was joking about the stick but have you seen any other guests you could ask who might have a stick my relatives who use sticks would gladly lend you one, most would swap rooms if they didn’t have a balcony.

This is horrendous and I feel really anxious for you
It sounds a health and safety nightmare waiting to happen for any child let alone a child who is not NT
Yes to the wrist reins and a move first thing and why the hell are there no accountable managerial staff on duty overnight ?

Can you jam something in the door so that it won't pull open easily? I'd also sleep in front of the door so he'd have to climb over you to get to it.

This sounds drastic but is there any way to book into a different hotel for the night? I agree I wouldn't feel comfortable with this at all

I'm a very laid back person but your post scared me made me feel sick with worry for you. Wedge something between the sliding door and the wall it slides to so it can't slide. Bit like a sideways doorstop.

Call a locksmith, charge the hotel

There's nothing In here that would fit in the space to act as a wedge, I'll go back downstairs and have a look around to see if there's a stray broom or anything laying about anywhere. This is so ridiculous

@LaurieSchafferIsAllBitterNow

can you wedge something between the edge of the sliding door and the frame on the other side?

I had to do this once as my mother's patio doors won't lock if they get hot and she was being all angsty about locking them. Never mind that the woman barely closes a window, or actually closes a door ever, but a nice extending mop handle satisfied her need for security for a bit.
You'd surely be able to borrow a mop or broom from housekeeping if you cannot get it otherwise secured.

I agree.

Wedge something along the bottom of the sliding door. On the side where the door would slide to. Like a mop stick or something long. Wedge that between the lip of the door frame and to the wall or edge so the door can't be physically be opened.

Put some wedges of cardboard between the door and its runners, top and bottom. That should stop them opening until you get moved.

Are you in the uk? If you are I’d find a premier inn or similar nearby for tonight or drive home if not too far. No way I’d stay

Hopefully these photos attatch, this is the door and it's lock.

Tried an ironing board and it doesn't stay flush. Downstairs looking for a mop or broom now.

There's a downstairs? Can you sleep downstairs?

That's really worrying. Is there a door stopper? Sometimes there's one somewhere, you could wedge it between the sliding and the stable pane on glass to stop it sliding. Or anything that will wedge in there. A toothbrush, handle end. A tube of toothpaste? The bottom bit wedged in the gap will act as a stopper. The bath mat might work too because they have a 'grip' bottom - push as much of it into the gap between the two doors as possible.

I’d wrap myself in the duvet and sleep on the floor right in front of the door (so ds can’t play with it without stepping on you - that would wake you)

Careful with reins: if you aren’t awake then they are a strangulation hazard.

I've got a medium sized sweeping brush but the handle doesn't detach, will try it regardless and the cardboard idea

Oh goodness, this is stressing me out just thinking about it!

Could you maybe push your bed up to the door, so DS would physically have to stand on top of you and therefore wake you in order to open it?

Obviously you absolutely need to move to a ground floor room at the earliest possible opportunity.

There's definitely not a sliding lock at the very top of the door?

Downstairs is a foyer and food hall.

I even snapped the handle pole off my luggage to try to wedge that in but the gap is too big so it doesn't stay stuck.

reigns are a strangulation risk if you're not awake

Christ you're right. I didn't even think of that.

I'm going to have to sleep on the floor infront of the door.

Do you have a hair and to wrap around the latch and the handle to keep it pulled into the 'down' position? Or fashion sellotape into a piece of string to do the same thing. Or, cut/rip a bit of the bedsheet to tie it around catch and handle with a door wedge as a back up?

Can you get a knife or two from the food hall and jam them under the sliding door?

Other option break the broom handle off, fuck it, it's a broom. And tomorrow night when the hotel is empty again just put it downstairs.

Are there any shops open nearby and H can pop out and get some superglue to glue the lock?

But yes, I'd be sleeping on the floor in front of it too. sorry op