The heart attack of my life.
blog — By Trisha-admin on July 1, 2009 at 8:15 am
It was 8am.
I was laying in bed sleeping (I have an upstairs room facing the backyard) and I am awakened to talking that sounds like my child outside. Surely, not my child because I hadn’t heard her wake up, she hadn’t come in our room, hadn’t turned on the TV downstairs, nothing. I am not a heavy sleeper by any means. Her door opening would have usually triggered me.
I listened again.
Then I knew I heard her for sure and it was coming from outside. I got up and looked outside through the blinds and she was standing on the pool ladder, on the top, in her pajamas.
I have never flown more fast out of my bed and downstairs. As I rounded the backdoor, she was coming inside. I wanted to yell at her and I couldn’t it was so scary.
I told her that she couldn’t ever ever go outside alone (that was the first thing) and never get in the pool without us. We talked to her about this when we first got it too.
She said “I was just touching it”. In her mind, she was not getting in the pool, she was just ‘touching the water’ and coming back inside. She was still minding what we told her. I never thought how literal she would take what we told her. At 4 years old, she doesn’t comprehend that she can still fall in, hit her head, and die. Or get her leg caught in the ladder and fall face forward and drown.
My DH was telling her there are things in life you cant control. Its not always about what your intentions are.
My heart is still racing.
Really, what if…
~Trisha
UPDATED ON JULyY 3rd
We got door alarms. 
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40 Comments
Oh how scary. My son has done similar things to us, not the pool though. It really is scary.
OMG now my heart is racing. THank goodness you woke and heard her. and she didn’t get hurt or fall in.
I was babysitting once in high school when I heard something outside and opened the heavy curtains to see that the THREE YEAR OLD had snuck out a side door after bedtime and was reaching out into the pool.
I’ve never been so relieved. Just imagining what could have happened.
Glad your babygirl is okay. My son hasnt figured out how to open doors and I’m grateful.
Very scary! I would have just sat down and cried. I am not sure what I would do besides getting latches to put on the tops of all the doors that way she could not get outside. Count your blessings.
Wow! I know that was a scare to you. We have an above ground pool in our backyard too, and I think I ‘d have a heart attack! Luckily, everything is okay. I have to take the ladder down just because I want to be safe, with 3 kids they scatter every which way, ya know!
Wow, you just never know what the next day will bring with kids. Not sure I would have been able to hold my cool in that situation…we’ve brought up the subject many times here about not leaving the house or opening the doors to outside without asking first. Still, they have their own little minds.
OMG, I would have freaked totally out! I am glad everything is OK!
((hugs))
Scary! A new door latch, perhaps?
Oh man. That is so scary. I can’t imagine how scared you must have been.
OMG- just the thought makes me cringe- thank God she didn’t get hurt
That’s so scary!!! My daughter is 2 and we don’t have a pool outside, but we want to get one and I’m scared of things like that happening. I’m so glad that your daughter is okay and let’s hope she got the message this time!
OMG I had a heart attack just reading this. That is SO scary. Thank God she’s ok. And Thank God again that she didn’t try getting in the pool by herself. Do you have a fence? Maybe put a child safety lock on your door leading to your yard.
Yikes! That sounds like something our 3 year old would do. We had to go to extremes and put large pieces of furniture in front of our doors so she would not go outside without us knowing it. (We had to install an extra look since that.) She continues to sleep in our room until we feel she grows out of her adventure behavior. I have heard so many stories of children in this age group venturing outside in the woods, snow and so forth. Scary. I have had five daughters and she is our only little explorer.
That is so scary, Im glad you heard her and went after her.
Whenever something happens with my kids, i cant stop thinking scary thoughts of “What if”
My heart stopped while reading your terrifying ordeal. We have a law. If you have a pool, it must be fenced and gated off. Thank goodness you listened and reacted as fast as you did! Good job Mom ~
Terrifying. And I’m sure you keep reliving that moment, thinking of all the what-if’s. When my oldest was about 2, I left her with her dad while I made a quick run to the store. Dad was in the bathroom when she decided to “come find me.” She went into the garage, opened the garage door, and went outside and started walking. I still can’t allow myself to think of all the things that could’ve happened.
Grandma came over the next day and raised the button to the garage door.
So glad your daughter is safe. We have a pool, and our doors have a chime for this very reason.
@ Connie:
For the record, we have a 6 foot fence with a lock on the inside. I live in the south. Almost every yard here has a pool and a fence.
Additionally, we had the pool up for ONE day full. We got it last week but i only filled it up to Charlottes knees. We filled it up all day yesterday in plans for today.
I dont have additional locks on any doors except for regular dead bolts. Even if I had more locks, unless they were with a key, charlotte could undo them. She uses a chair to get her drinks out of the fridge and things out of the cupboards. She is a pretty smart kid. If she wanted out, she would get out. Over her head means nothing.
I am not going to put a pool cover on it because I do think they are MORE dangerous then not having one.
The best I can do is put an alarm system on the doors like the girls recommended and talk to her. We did talk to her about it, but like I said, she felt she was following the rules by not getting in. It was a lesson for us on literacy and I hope by sharing, rather then being judged, someone else will be able to talk to their child about it and choose thier words more carefully.
OMGosh, that is so scary!Is it a pool that you can put a pool cover on? I’m so glad she is okay!
That is very scary thing to wake up too……