Feeling horribly guilty..opinions please

[*The_Mrs.*]

I am feeling horribly guilty. We had to put a lock on our 2 year olds bedroom door. Her bedroom is upstairs and during naptime and bedtime she constantly gets out. Our masterbedroom, her room, and future DD2's room is upstairs and the stairs are very steep. We are usually downstairs while she is sleeping and it is hard to hear her sneak out of her room. When she does sneak out she puts herself in danger. She tries to go into our bathroom and play in the toilet and the shower and has flooded our bathroom numerous times. We have put a baby gate at the bottom of the stairs but she has learned to climb over the baby gate (very tall) and goes straight to the cat box. Recently she has shown an interest in unlocking front doors.
So after much consideration, we decided to put a lock on her bedroom door for her safety. Her room is RIGHT next to ours and Im a light sleeper, so I can hear her as soon as she is awake. Though, as a mom I cant help but feel guilty like its wrong to do this.
Any other moms out there do this? Opinions?
Also its not a door handle lock. We bought one of those sliding chains at the top of the door. and those rubber door handle things dont work with her,,the kid is super smart.

[MrsFabuloso]

Mayeb put a bell or buzzer or something on the door so you can hear when she opens it. Doesn't necessarily stop her from getting out, but at least you know if she's our of her room.
What about a sturdy security screen door on the top of the stairs. I know someone who put one on their stairs so that their kids couldn't escape. Something with a lock on it so she can't get in/out. Kinda like a gate, but she can't climb it!

[skybie]

Hell yes!! we took off DD1's door handle at our old house then we moved into our new place where the doors had no dead locks and we had no fence and we were about 100 metres for the train line,VERY SCARY! eventually she no longer needed a lock, DD2 has just discovered how to open doors so her door handle is currently off at nap and bed times so overy keeps their sanity
dont feel guilty hun
xxx

[hannanat]

I remember seeing a story on television about sextuplets. Their mum had put two baby gates (one on top of the other) in their bedroom doorway. It's always stuck with me because they were climbing up on top of each other and sliding down the bars like little monkeys

Anyway, if you don't like the idea of locking the door, maybe you could try a couple of gates in the doorway.

[Lillypilly]

I don't think you need to be feeling guilty at all...the reason for the lock is for her own safety. And you sleep right next door so you can still hear her and tend to her as needed, it's not like you're locking her in there and throwing away the key. It sounds like it's a practical solution given the logistics of your house layout. Since it's a chain lock and presumably she can still open the door a smidge, the bell idea is a good added extra so at least you know when she's trying to get out.

[Kaydee]

Personally, I don't believe a lock is a good idea. I wouldn't do it, many reasons why but the main one would be I feel like it would create anxiety for the child. I would get a camera baby phone. Would that be a good option for you? Maybe put the lock on the bathroom door instead? And get a chain or something for the front door?

[krysalyss]

I have a fire phobia and wouldn't do it for that reason.

[AwesomeFoursome]

Personally, I don't believe a lock is a good idea. I wouldn't do it, many reasons why but the main one would be I feel like it would create anxiety for the child. I would get a camera baby phone. Would that be a good option for you? Maybe put the lock on the bathroom door instead? And get a chain or something for the front door?

I feel the same as kaydee. I have a fear of being locked in, just the thought of it makes panic. If it is possible I would do what kaydee said lock the bathroom, put a chain on the front door ect. If you have no other option but to lock her door as long as it doesn't distress her it should be find and you shouldn't feel guilty. Its hard with your kid wants to get into everything. DD1 is always into everything every chance she get, I find it so tiring.

[nickle730]

Ummm... it really doesn't sit right with me either. The first thing I thought of was fire safety. Then I wondered how she felt about being locked in her room? I know at that age (at any age really) my kids would be distressed by being locked in. Is there any other way? A lock on the bathroom door, as a PP suggested? And a baby gate at the top of the stairs? Would she climb over it if it was at the top of the stairs? It's a tough one, but I really don't think I could lock my kids in.

[Traveller]

I used a small snib lock on my twins' bedroom door because otherwise they would keep coming out of their room and refuse to go to sleep. I unlocked it if they were ever distressed (and trust me they were not) and when they were asleep. I wouldn't personally leave a door locked overnight for reasons of fire safety, but whilst encouraging her to go to sleep I don't think it is a particularly bad thing. Overnight perhaps you could lock any other doors that present a danger to her instead of her room?