Tip # 44 on how to be the worst mother ever

Let your kid lock himself out of the house while you are still sleeping peacefully.

On Tuesday, T woke up early and yelled, "Mooooooooooooooooommie!"

"What-ie?!" I grumbled in reply.

Silence.

Thinking that he must have gone back to sleep, I went back to sleep too (BIG mistake). A little while later, I woke up and realized it was too quiet. Both of the kids should be up by now, it was after 7 am. Huh. I go upstairs and look in T's room. Not there. I go in S's room. She's there and awake, but no T. Nor is he in the playroom, living room, kitchen, or bathroom. Trying not to panic. I go down the stairs that leads to the laundry room and the covered patio. Holy @%&@#%&#. There's T - sitting outside on the patio in his PJ's, huge tears on his cheeks. He had gone outside at some point and shut the door behind him, which locked him out of the house. If he had rung the doorbell or banged on the door, I couldn't have heard him from my part of the house.

Two million scenarios of what could have happened rushed through my head and I tried very hard not to freak out. At that point, what would it accomplish, besides freaking out T, and he'd been through enough. After about 10 minute of big hugs and my holding him tight (which S was not impressed with AT ALL), we all went outside and I showed him what to do if that ever happened again. He said he was looking for Dad because I was sleeping. Oh my goodness, the GUILT. Sigh......

All's well that ends well, but I also realize one of these days my luck is going to run out. I'm so grateful that it wasn't Tuesday. And we are also double locking the door so that the kids can't get out without a key. T was smart enough to stay put. I'm not sure that S would react that way. Without parental intervention at this point, she'd decide to play with rocks while lying down in the middle of the street or something else equally nerve settling like finding a beehive and trying to pet them. I can't even bear to think of it. Sheesh.