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Stay At Home Mamas 🤍

Is this abuse?

We had to get a lock for our 3 yr old child’s bedroom door. It’s at the top where they cannot reach and open it, but it is very simple to open in emergencies. We had dealt with them eloping and running out the front door multiple times. Our front door has locks on them, but our kid knows how to reach them, and even the extra tall locks by pushing a chair up to them, opening it, opening the deadbolt and other lock, then bolting.
We tried multiple gates on bedroom door, and they just climb over them every time. Or figure out how to open it.
Our kiddo never EVER gets “locked” in their room except for after we have gone to sleep. My husband and I are heavy sleepers and even with our alarms and kiddos monitor, we have slept through them sneaking out of their room before.

Our house is as baby proofed as possible, but obviously a toddler escape artist can get hurt any number of ways, in the middle of the dark house at night unsupervised. If they continue to sneak out of their room.

They sleep from 9:30/10:30pm- about 8am every morning.

If they ever cry or need something, I go check on them. Usually change diaper once through night, and often lay them back down when they’re fighting sleep.


But i was desperate because I was starting to wake at every single sound on the monitor thinking they were escaping and at risk of getting out of the house.

I don’t think I’m doing anything wrong, I never ever would abuse the lock on the door or use it as punishment. It’s simply to keep them safe while I’m asleep and can’t hear them.

Someone recently told me that CPS can be called and they WILL take your children if there’s a lock on the door. This cannot be true right?? I understand if there are multiple factors of concern and evidence it’s being misused, but is this actually an automatic reason for removing a child?

If so I’ll get rid of it, but I need suggestions to keep them safe 😭 I was astonished at how many mothers and parents came for me saying that the lock on the bedroom door is abusive no matter the reason.
“There’s never a valid reason to lock your child in the room”

BUT they don’t have to chase a toddler down the street at 1am because they opened their bedroom door, climbed the gate, pushed a chair to the front door to unlock the top lock, unlocked the deadbolt and key lock, and took off. All in a matter of maybe 3 minutes from when I first thought I heard them make a sound.

Help! Am I in the wrong ?