Solution to the Door Dilemma

It's been a little while!  We enjoyed our long weekend, celebrating both Valentine's Day and Family Day.  We kept our weekend pretty low key; I was pretty under the weather for most of it, but certainly did enjoy some family time.

When I was thinking about what to write today, I decided to share a recent "innovation" I've had to help keep Little Smiling Man safe while keeping my sanity in check.  A few months ago, Mini Muffin learnt how to open doors.  She had been closing doors for a while, but being able to open them as well was a complete game changer!  Now, she enjoys asking for "privacy" and coming and going as she pleases.  She also loves that now that Little Smiling Man is mobile, he can follow or sometimes even chase her.  Sometimes, we close the gate at the top of the stairs, and the kids free range between the hallway and bedrooms while I do laundry, change bedding, etc.  In general it wasn't a big deal - until the door opening situation developed.  Now, it is very common for Mini Muffin to run down the hall ahead of her brother and slam her bedroom door (Mama cringes).  Twenty seconds later, the door opens so that she can check to see if her brother is at her door, and when she sees that he is, she slams the door again (Mama cringes again).  Twenty seconds later, repeat, and so on.  The door slamming has been driving me crazy.  But, beyond my nerves, I'm scared for Little Smiling Man's fingers!  I'm afraid they'll be caught in the door, or worse on the hinge side.

A quick survey of Google told me to get a pool noodle, cut it into foot long pieces with a lengthwise slit.  That way, it would fit across the top of the door, and the door would be unable to close.  Well, funnily enough, pool noodles are in pretty short supply in February. 

So, one day last week as I was folding laundry and found myself yelling that Mini Muffin needed to stop touching doors, it hit me!  An easy solution, and better yet, a solution for which I had all the required materials!  And just like that, my problem was solved.... I hung a folded hand towel in the middle of each door upstairs.  It is easy to remove, very convenient and in ready supply.  The thickness and placement on the door dictate how close to closing the door can come, and they're easy to remove when the doors do need to close (like nap time).  Mini Muffin hates this innovation since her game is ruined, Little Smiling Man has safe fingers and can get into any room he wants, and Mama no longer cringes at the sound of slamming doors.  Of course, I do spend a little more time keeping Little Smiling Man out of Mini Muffin's room when she doesn't want him there, but that seems a small price to pay. 

So here it is... my simple solution to the great door dilemma!

An easy way to keep little fingers safe!