When in Doubt – Use Creativity!

Our twin boys were continuing to grow, going from pushing up, to rolling over, to crawling to walking.

We kept lowering the mattresses in each crib as they got taller, and taller and taller. Eventually the mattresses could not be lowered any more.

One night we hear a tremendous thud, followed by my youngest son screaming.

We go running in to discover that he has launched himself over the top rail of his crib and fell head first on the shag carpet!

I pick him up, check for injuries, comfort him, tell him that he needs to go to sleep, lay him back in the crib, stay with him a few minutes patting him, and go back to our room.

THUD! WAAAAH! A repeat.

I am getting worried that he is going to break his neck if this keeps up. Back in the crib he goes. Back I go to our bedroom.

THUD! WAAAAH! The third time!

Ok, how do I keep this child in his crib. Idea! The badminton net in the garage!

I put the badminton net over his crib and tie it down with short lengths of stereo wire. Houdini himself could not escape this.

My son stands up in the crib, pushing the net with his head; I will remember the trapped prisoner look on his face until the day I die.

I turn and look at his brother and he looks at me as if to say: “No need for a net over here!”

The next day I call the pediatrician and explain to him what happened, my solution, and to ask for his advice.

I hear a chuckle on the other end.

He told me, “That is a new one, never heard anything like it. Well, I don’t think there will be any long-term psychological damage. Get rid of the cribs and buy some bunk beds and un-bunk them, immediately, no delay!”

I still think I should have gotten an “A” for creativity, but an “F” for not anticipating that this would happen and bought the stinking bunk beds before this happened!