Locked in the bathroom...by my toddler!

In a previous post I described an incident where we caught Sumayah in the nick of time, getting ready to dish 'juice' from the toilet! I ended sarcastically saying that while we are being very diligent about keeping the toilet doors locked at all times now, she has been practicing and will soon figure out how to turn the key. Well she did... unfortunately, it was when I was in the bathroom, and she was not! Well it was nearly a disaster I tell you.

The holder in the shower that holds all the shampoo and stuff had fallen off and I had just stepped into the shower for a minute to put it back up when Sumayah as usual closed the bathroom door behind me. I opened the door and reprimanded her that she should not play with the doors (especially after out last episode with the bedroom door - see earlier post!), but of course, Sumayah chooses not to listen. I say chooses because believe me she knows when she's doing something she's not supposed to! So anyway, I go back to my very serious task of putting the thingy back in the shower, and again I hear the door close and just as I go to open it again I hear the key turn! And then Silence! So now Sumayah is standing outside the bathroom with the key, and I am inside the bathroom in my pjs (thank goodness!) and obviously no phone to call for help. Can you imagine that phone call... 'Yaasier I need you to drop all your very important work and excuse yourself from any meeting you may be in so you can come home and unlock the bathroom which your 1-year-old has locked me in. Please.'

Fortunately, Abegail had arrived just minutes before I went upstairs, but she was downstairs in the kitchen with taps running and water boiling and I was behind a closed door upstairs and a crying toddler on the other side. And of course the louder I tried calling for Abegail, the louder Sumayah cried (probably out of fear) calling 'mommy, mommy, cake (take) her!'

I realised very quickly that calling for Abegail was going to be fruitless, and while I knew she would eventually come upstairs to discover my little predicament, I needed to figure out a plan to get out NOW! So I calmed down, calmed my voice and tried to comfort Sumayah through the door. So not only am I Supermom who can break down doors, I am also hostage negotiator! I said to Sumayah, 'Sumayah, mommy can't take her 'cos Mayah locked mommy in the bathroom, you need to turn the key my girl... turn the key please Sumayah. Sumayah please can you turn the key then mommy can come out.' There was a moment's silence and then... she turned the key... just like that! I opened the door and there was a very joyous union indeed!

supermom to the rescue picture

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This is the picture of the part of the door mechanism that had to be broken off in order to free the kids (see previous post). 

Supermom to the rescue!

I don't normally do a written post if I've already posted a movie clip monday, but today I make an exception. I have just seconds ago had to literally embody what it means to be supermom. My lovely little wild child of a daughter was slamming her bedroom door with much vigour and amusement. I reprimanded her once, then twice, then used the distraction technique. This worked, but only momentarily. While grabbing a very rare chance of doing-nothingness between packing away laundry and cooking supper, Sumayah's bedroom door suddenly slammed and I heard Bilaal calling out, 'mommy! The door can't open! Moommmyyy!'
So mommy strolls over to see what the problem is, only to discover that Bilaal is quite correct! Now bear in mind that the door has no key, so the simple explanation that it was locked was not possible. Bilaal was actually very calm consoidering he was trapped in a room with a toddler who likes to shout for fun and gets pleasure out of pinching her brother for no apparent reason. So I assess the situation, ask Bilaal a few questions about what happened and whether there was perhaps anything stuck in the door that could have jammed it, and I quickly realise the problem. Sumayah had slammed the door so hard (and believe me I am not surprised, we have seen how strong she is when she picks up her bike and carries across the room!) that she broke the spring mechanism of the door handle (says Mcgyver). What was I to do? Break the door down of course. Bilaal was amazing, I could hear him on the other side completely calm trying to distract Sumayah who was now hysterical that the door was closed and mummy-a (as she calls me in distress) was on the other side. He kept her away from the door just long enough for supermom to replicate the police-kicking-down-the-door manoevre I've seen in so many action movies, to the best of my ability. Well I'm not one half samson for nothing, because I kicked twice and it was just what was needed to reveal the part of the door handle that keeps it closed (see picture). All that was needed was a flathead screwdriver, a little wiggle and voila! The door is open and now unable to close, but at least the kids are free... On second thought perhaps I shoulda left them in there just a little longer... As we speak Bilaal is calling to me that Sumayah is switching his desk lamp on and off and its starting to smoke!

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