Super Au Pair to the Rescue!

There are times when you never know what you will end up doing with the kids! Take today for example, Kianna, the 5 year old girl I look after who has down syndrome, went to the toilet by herself then locked the door and couldn't open it again!! It was just a simple turning of a little button, but it is different from the ones at home where they are just a push, and I think it really confused her when she came to open the door! So I was talking to her through the door and trying to explain what to do in a very simple manner, but she did not understand what I was saying! So I drew her a picture of the door handle and the bit to turn and slid it under the door for her to see, she said that she understood what to do but the poor thing was still confused and became very hysterical!

Luckily I am very calm under pressure, and I tried to see if there was a way to unlock the door from my side without needing tools, there wasn't, so I went and got something to calm down Kianna, I gave her the paper bakery bag with the remaining half of a large pretzel I had got them earlier in the day. I stuck it under the door so she could happily munch away while I fetched tools. As it is a holiday house, I could not find a screw driver at all, but I found a pair of scissors, a thin piece of plastic and a swiss army knife! I removed the doorknob to the point that I could unlock it from my side, I opened the door to find Kianna happy as larry eating her pretzel! I was so happy that she was ok and not too panicked, and I was so pleased that I had the skills to get the doorknob off, without breaking or damaging the door! Super Au Pair Gina to the rescue! haha Kianna has learnt now that there will be no more locked bathroom doors! :):)

A cute afternote: A few hours later, I went to the toilet, and locked the door, then I saw these little fingers sticking under the door and Kianna called "Pretzel! Pretzel!". She was offering me a pretend pretzel while I was locked in the bathroom! Sooo cute!!! haha :)