There are a lot of upsides to a front-load washing machine. They’re quieter, use less water and energy per load, and you can fit more clothing in each wash for greater savings. There is also a potential downside if you are a parent, as Lindsey McIver of Conifer, Colorado found out recently.
She shared her story with other parents on Love What Matters to know her story so it never happens again to another parent.
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She found out about an issue with the washers the hard way: they’re much easier for kids to get stuck in.
Not that a determined toddler couldn’t get into a top-loader, but that usually requires some extra climbing skills. A front-loading machine happens to sit at the perfect height for little children.
“I’ve been hesitant to write this post,” she admitted to Love What Matters, “First, because of the inevitable online mom-shaming that is bound to ensue; and second, because it’s just really hard to re-live.”
After her trusty old top-loader died, Lindsey McIver was excited to buy and install a “new and cool” front-loading machine.
While installing the machine, their kids hung around to watch and both Lindsey and her husband told the kids multiple times that it was out of bounds.
“We told them several times that they were not to touch it. They all replied ‘OK.'”
But early in the morning, only two days after installing the washer, their four-year-old son came rushing into their bedroom.
He was crying so hard that he could barely speak. Dad caught on quicker and was rushing out of the room before Lindsey could piece it together. It was one of the worst things a mom could hear.
“He had said: Kloe. Inside. Washer.”
In the few minutes it took to be awoken and rush to the basement, the machine had already begun tumbling, water filling the drum quickly.
Behind the locked, airtight door, their three-year-old daughter was screaming. But they couldn’t hear it at all.
She knew she needed to warn other parents. The fact that the machines were better at noise reduction was backfiring in the worst way.
They quickly found the cancel button and got her out of the machine.
She was wet and had a few bumps, but was otherwise okay. “After going through all the ‘what if’s’ and ‘could have’s’ we know we are very blessed and God had mercy on our sweet daughter,” Lindsey said.
“I post this because I can honestly say we did not realize the danger of this machine,” she explained.
“We are continually surprised at the new, inventive ways our kids come up with to try and die. And this was definitely a new one.”
The machine hadn’t even been used yet, but two curious kids managed to not only trap one of them inside, but turn the machine on.
Digging through the manual, the parents found that while the machine did have a safety setting that should have prevented the machine from turning on, there was no way to keep the kids from opening the door and climbing inside.
Along with her story, Lindsey shared a photo of the machine, which now sports a child safety lock on the front.
She urges other parents of young children, as well as friends and family they visit often, to make sure that their front-loading washers are properly secured.
Posting the story would open herself up to mom shaming, but Lindsey felt her message was too important.
“I realize that there are ways we could’ve prevented this from happening. This is the season for swimming pool accidents and kids being left in hot cars and all sorts of other horrible accidents. And that’s what most of them are. Accidents.”
“Shaming the mom doesn’t do anyone any good. We need to be open and honest about our mistakes to help one another keep our kids safe. And trust me, that mom is already beating herself up enough.”
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
