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The first year with twins can be chaotic.
It's filled with endless cycles of feeds, diaper changes, and teeny, tiny stretches of teeny, tiny micronaps with not nearly enough sleep for the parents.
And while it's tough because your little ones need constant attention and help from their mom, dad, or other caregivers, it's made fragmentally easier by the fact that they're, essentially, little lumps who cannot move.
The cutest, little lumps who cannot move, of course; but lumps, nonetheless.
Then, somewhere between that first and second year, they take their first steps, perfect that skill, and, before you know it, they're running everywhere they go.
Fast.
Shockingly fast.
Especially when they know they're doing something that you will stop them from doing (for their own safety, I might add).
From that point forward, they need to be watched even more closely because there's so much to see and so much to do in this wonderful world they're just learning about.
They want to play. They want to explore the great outdoors.
They want to do everything—and they want to do it RIGHT NOW.
The world is an exciting place. But it's also a place with cars zooming by, and people we don't know, and things that can happen in an instant. These are just some of the reasons we always keep our exterior doors locked.
And we can't blame them. The world is an exciting place.
But it's also a place with cars zooming by, and people we don't know, and things that can happen in an instant.
These are just some of the reasons we always keep our exterior doors locked.
It doesn't matter if we're out and about or are hanging out at home all day; those doors are always locked. Because you never know who could be skulking around and trying doors (I know someone who had their house broken into in the middle of the day while they were sitting in their backyard for a short period of time and had left their front door unlocked because they weren't going to be long).
Much more likely to happen, though: we keep our doors locked because we don't want our oh-so-curious toddlers to suddenly decide on a whim to let themselves out—nor our two cats, who are definite flight-risks and will essentially teleport themselves outside if there's so much as an inch of daylight shining through that doorway.
When is a door not a door? When it's ajar...
On any given day, everyone's doing something at home—playing, reading, watching a show, whatever it may be—and while this is going on, you're probably multi-tasking.
Watching the twins while moving the laundry from the washer to the dryer.
Emptying the dishwasher and getting things put away for the next load.
Helping one toddler go to the potty because they've let you know they have to go.
Or, heaven forbid, taking 20 seconds to yourself to do a silent-but-speedy pee, while the children are distracted and not paying attention to where you are (or, should I say, "where you aren't").
And whenever you're in your multi-tasking mode, it's not like you're not watching your kids. Heck, you could be standing right beside them and, yet, somehow, you can still be just one too many steps away to prevent whatever's about to happen.
Because it always happens in an instant.
Like, when you're across the room and witness your toddler reach up higher than they've ever reached before, turn the smart lock handle with more grip and intention than you've ever seen them use, and slide the lock with all their might from its secure position into its unlocked position.
Then, as you watch with wide eyes and your mouth hanging open, they gingerly swing the front door open, and quickly step outside...
Then, as you watch with wide eyes and your mouth hanging open, they gingerly swing the front door open, and quickly step outside, all in the matter of the time it took you to stand up and run three steps to where they're now pointing at the street in glee because they've successfully flown the coop.
In the same seconds you've used to run to the front door, one of the cats has already bolted outside and has made it to the garage, and the other feline is sniffing the air and considering making a break for it.
You hurry outside, shut the door behind you to prevent any other cats or toddlers from getting out, and grab Baby B, who, fortunately, hadn't planned anything further than getting to the other side of the door.
You run five steps with a toddler on your hip to the garage and hoist the cat on the lam up into your other arm. And you turn to run back to the house, where you can see Baby A slowly opening the front door to let out Feline B and also see what he's missing out on by having stayed inside.
The scene is a total zoo. I know because I've lived it. The only thing that was missing was the Benny Hill theme song.
Who knew that having a locked door would still result in everybody almost escaping in a matter of moments?
Up until only a week before, the August Home Wi-Fi Smart Lock was all the childproofing we needed for our exterior doors and to keep our toddlers inside whenever they decided they wanted to blow this popsicle stand.
And it really was—and still IS—a lifesaver to be able to get in and out of your home hands-free while you're carrying your twins inside. Being able to unlock the doors with the push of a button in the app when you get home from wherever you've been is so helpful.
I can't tell you how many times this lock has saved me when my hands have been beyond full or when I have had zero desire to go digging through my bag to try to find my keys, which have somehow found a secret pocket to sneak into.
You can read more about why we love this smart lock, here.
But now, we had suddenly reached a milestone where the issue was no longer keeping the door shut from JUST the outside…it was needing to keep that exterior door shut from the inside of the house.
Now that the twins fully understood how to turn the lock and could actually physically make that happen, we needed an extra layer of protection and security to keep everybody safe.
And we needed it fast.
Enter, the Door Guardian
Fret no more. The Door Guardian by Cardinal Gates will give you the peace of mind you need when it comes to protecting your family.
When your toddlers bring forth their incredibly thorough escape plans, this heavy-duty, metal security lock will turn your home into Fort Knox.
Providing an extra layer of safety and security, it's the perfect childproofing solution for toddlers who are keen on escaping and determined to do it while your back is turned for 1.5 seconds.
The Door Guardian has been recognized as one of the best new child safety products by the National Safe Kids Campaign in Washington, DC.
Once it's properly installed, this durable security lock resists forced entry (it's 10 times stronger than a standard deadbolt) and reinforces inward-swinging doors to prevent any unwanted escape attempts from any particularly gung-ho toddlers.
It's incredibly easy and quick to install. And it's simple for adults to operate.
The locking mechanism features a spring-loaded design that requires the lock to slide and rotate into an open position in order to access the door.
When you need to secure the door again, the lock can be speedily snapped back into place by spinning the mechanism back into its original position.
The rubber liner that sits flush against the door when you lock the mechanism is a nice touch, since it protects your door from the daily wear and tear of using the lock.
Cardinal Gates Door Guardian
This is the Door Guardian by Cardinal Gates. It's a childproof safety security lock that will prevent your little ones from escaping to investigate the great outdoors when your back is turned for a moment. It's available in six different finishes to complement your home: Antique brass, black, brass, satin chrome, satin nickel, and white.
The Door Guardian can be installed using the door's existing strike plate, which is handy if you need the lock installed immediatley.
Because unlocking this device requires fancy (for a toddler) maneuvering, it will likely take any little ones some intense quality time and a lot of concerted effort, coordination, and brute force to figure out how to unlock the device when it's installed at this height.
In my experience with it so far, I think it's safe to say one needn't worry about needing any further childproofing doodads anytime soon.
But, if you want to be extra sure no tiny toddler hands will be trying to figure out this new-fangled device, you can opt to install the Door Guardian up in the top quadrant of the exterior door by drilling holes into the door jamb to screw the bracket directly into the frame.
Just be sure to install the mechanism at least six inches away from any pre-existing locking device or door knob. With this installation method, no toddler will be able to reach the lock, no matter how tall they try to stretch, as it's well above the point where any small hands can reach.
Safe and sound
Since installing the Door Guardian on our exterior doors, there have been no unsanctioned exits from the house.
This is a huge relief when you're wrangling two crafty toddlers who want to go anywhere and everywhere, whether they're accompanied by an adult or not.
The peace of mind and the extra layer of security help us sleep more soundly at night.
(Yes, even the toddlers.)
Have you used the Door Guardian in your home? Did it keep your little ones in your house and out of trouble? How else did you childproof your home to keep your toddlers and family safe? Let us know in the Comments section below.
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