Do you know about "runners"?

I have a runner too I find it frustrating when friends with children the same age don't understand, I'm sure they think it's something I'm doing wrong. Eg - going out for lunch my friend can just sit and eat while her daughter wanders around. I am out of my seat every 30 seconds as ds runs to the carpark, the kitchen, anywhere you don't want him (and this is at a very child friendly restaurant with a huge playground and grass area to run around on).

I have a harness and anyone who has a problem with that can get stuffed lol. I'm pregnant and have a problem with my hip so if I have to run after him even 10 metres I'm stuffed - I will do it of course but will be in a lot of pain for the next couple of days. If we are out he's either in the buggy, a trolley, or attached to the harness.

I also find the thought of other people looking after him really scary, dh's aunt said recently she wants to have him sometime but I just don't trust people to realise how quick he is and how adept at unlocking & opening doors, gates etc. And she is a bit older and wouldn't keep up with him! MIL is the only person I really trust to look after him (apart from dh of course).

I will never forget the day he figured out how to unlock and open the front door - I came to find the door open and ran out to see him on the road with a car coming We now have a deadlock with the key kept high on a hook. Thank god he didn't shut the door behind him or I would've wasted time searching the house for him not realising he was outside.

It's nice to know that other people have the same issue (not nice for you guys but YKWIM).

Jett's started escaping the house again.  There is only one way he can get out now, and that's the front bedroom window and he's learnt to climb out it.  Since R became friends with the boy who lives at the front of our driveway, J wants to go and play at his house too.  He got out the front door recently when the older kids kept coming and going from neighbours to our house, and Jett followed them over there.  He saw what toys they have in their house and is now obsessed with them and keeps wanting to go and play there.  The first time he got out and went to their house, they weren't home but he got into their house and went and got the toys to bring back to our house!  Anyway, yesterday afternoon R went to play there, and J got upset he couldn't go.  I got busy with bathing Ava and when I came out I instantly said to Dh "where's J?"  He was busy playing on his phone and didn't take any notice but I said straight away "Check if he's gone to the neighbours!"  Just as I was walking up the hallway, I saw J through the front door window on the front porch!  I then heard a knock and it was the neighbour's mum bringing J back as we've told them he's a runner and if you see him without us, he's taken off!  Then 7am this morning, G barges into our room yelling "J's climbing out R's window!"  So we bolted out of bed and caught him on the front porch again.  So today we went and bought window latches.  No more risking it.  It's exhausting not being able to be relax in your own home!

My daughter was returned by a neighbour today... she had got to the top of our shared driveway and was picked up as he drove in.

I hadn't even noticed she'd slipped out, I've started locking the door today after a couple of other escapes, but DH went out and didn't lock it behind him, and I think she'd gone looking for him. Of course, it was my fault for letting her out .

I'm so pleased I know most of our neighbours (the 20 others down our driveway, and the next driveway over) so people actually KNOW who DD belongs to, but it makes me sick to think she was almost at the road, and our driveway IS really busy (well, with 21 houses, it would be!). I just feel like cr@p right now.

Squishys mum, it does make you feel awful doesn't it. Like kiwi2 said though don't beat yourself up about it Just concentrate on how to stop it happening in the future.

Glad you are feeling better and you have a plan. By baby gate I meant in the actual front door frame. But with some of the newer aluminium frames it is hard to have one in there with the door being shut at the same time.

I think our neighbour has one of these! I was just taking a walk with Jacob and found her 2-y-o little girl next to a busy road with no nappies on... I took her back, and her poor Mum was mortified, she'd put her on the potty and left her for one moment, and she'd scarpered. Poor Mum!