Mom's Video Of Her Toddler Getting Locked In The Garage Shows How Quickly A Baby Can Get Lost
No amount of parenting could account for the unpredictability of a toddler.
@overtime / TikTok With the plethora of different parenting styles out there, there’s also a culture of comparison surrounding which parenting styles might be the “best.” Helicopter parents are shamed for never letting their kids breathe, while more relaxed parenting methods are criticized for endangering the well-being of little ones.
But a mom’s viral video that was posted on TikTok shows how no method of parenting can account for the unpredictability of a baby. No matter how closely you keep an eye on your kid while they play, there’s always the possibility of something happening that you can never foresee.
A mother's baby got locked inside the garage the second she looked away.
After coming out of the garage, the mom went behind the door, looking to clean up a towel that sat atop a lawn chair in her backyard. As she reached over to pluck the towel from the chair, she closed the garage door behind her — what she didn’t realize was that her toddler was waddling over to get inside the garage.
In seconds, her toddler snuck into the garage behind her. With the door closed and no child in sight, she started the search many moms are all too familiar with. Where could they have gone? They were literally standing there just a moment ago.
She looked around for the little one and continued with her tidying, assuming that maybe the toddler had just walked off inside somewhere. That is, until she heard a soft “Dada?” coming from inside the garage.
Finally understanding the situation — that her toddler snuck into the garage without her noticing — the mom does what only the mother of a toddler can do in these instances: laughs! Once she opens the door and sees the tot standing there, she bursts out laughing even more.
It doesn’t seem as though there’s anything dangerous inside of the garage, although we aren’t given a great look at it. It looks like it’s being used as more of a storage shed than anything.
But had there been anything dangerous inside there, it could have easily spelled disaster.
The incident proves that there’s no way to predict what a toddler will get up to.
No matter what, there will be a level of risk that comes with parenting a child. It’s impossible to have your eye on your child 24/7, and even if you could, they can still get hurt in ways that are impossible to prevent.
Toddlers and children are regularly pushing the limits of what they can do and the things that the world around them allows them the freedom to do. Exploration is a natural part of human development, after all.
Parents are often blamed for any injury or harm that befalls their kids, but what if allowing them to explore and participate in risky play is actually good for a child’s development?
Several studies have shown that risky play is essential for children as it can help develop a child’s self-confidence, resilience, executive functioning abilities and even risk-management skills.
Of course, this implies that there is a level of “necessary” risk that is allowed by a parent, but it makes sense. How would you know if something is a risk if you’ve never done it? Or if you’ve never experienced something similar? Stopping them from exploring the possibilities prevents them from learning.
Because of the unpredictability of kids, in general, and the importance of allowing them to experience these things independently, there exists a balancing act between letting your children take controlled risks and preventing them from coming to harm.
Anything could happen at any moment, and so the realistic thing to do is prepare them for those situations — and sometimes the best way to do that is to let them take the reins.
Isaac Serna-Diez is an Assistant Editor for YourTango who focuses on entertainment and news, social justice, and politics.