Multi-tasking. You've done it. I've done it. But it seems the one trick every parent has employed to actually get things done is responsible for the latest "baby in washing machine" horror story.
The 5-month-old's dad was trying to do laundry and change his son's diaper at the same time, and somehow the little guy ended up IN the family's washer. The worst part? It was just beginning to fill with hot water -- 150-degree water no less -- and his tiny body was covered in vicious burns.
How does something so awful happen?
Easy. Dad turned his back. For a second the authorities say -- they're treating the baby's fall into the washing machine as an accident, and they say there are no signs of abuse.
I've done it. You've done it. Most of us just got lucky.
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I wasn't in that New Hampshire home. But I can picture how it all went down. Here this guy was, trying to get things done around the house, and his little guy made a stinker. He doesn't want to leave him to sit in his own poop, but the washer is filling. So what does he do? He grabs the kid and starts changing his diaper, right next to the open washing machine. He turns to grab something and ... oh. My. God.
I'm not going to pick on this poor father. He's already kicking himself, I'm sure.
But as this little guy gets treatment in a Boston hospital, his story can help the rest of us. We can't stop multi-tasking as parents. If we did, my house would look like an actual warzone (not that "street the day after a parade" is much better, but we're working on it!), and no one would actually eat a meal in this place.
What we can do is slow the heck down. Don't get so caught up in what has to be done that we stop thinking about "how" to do it. True emergencies in life are -- thankfully -- few and far between. Really. It may feel like it all has to be done this very second, but those towels will not get up and walk off in a huff if you don't scoop them from the bathroom floor in the next five seconds. That phone call can wait -- if they don't leave a message on the machine, they obviously didn't want to talk to you THAT badly.
Just think -- if you don't chill out, that could be YOUR little one inside the washing machine next.
What's gone wrong in just a few seconds in your house?
Image via Andrew Kelsall, Graphic Designer/Flickr
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Comments 56
Hmm.. I kind of don't understand how this happened? I can't see it like the author seems to be able to see it. He had a top load washer, I am guessing, and he lays the baby beside an open, running washer? That isn't multi-tasking, that is careless. I am sorry this happened, but that is like laying your infant beside the stove you are cooking on to change their diaper. It makes little sense while you would make this decision. Yes, we all make mistakes, and it soo sad that our children suffer for it!
Never! Never has either of my child had a diaper changed in the laundry room! On my bed (with towels underneath, I learned that lesson the hard way!), on the living room floor, on a couch, in the back of the SUV, and many other places, but NEVER in the laundry room. To many chemicals right there for them to reach out and grab onto and eat.
Second point, what parent has not learned by 5 months old that you do not ever turn your back on a baby in an unsafe situation? If baby is not securely strapped in you don't take a hand off them! I was always to paranoid to ever walk away or even turn around unless I had one hand on their belly to ensure that I knew what baby was doing and make sure they couldn't roll away.
I've made mistakes but nothing on the level of this!
Terrible but honestly...the babies poopy diaper could have waited until he threw the laundry in the washer.
I am 30 years old and every washing machine I have ever operated filled with the lid open...
We've all turned our backs for just a second, and been very lucky that nothing happened. What a horrible story for this family. A father who will likely never forgive himself, a wife that will likely carry anger with her forever, and a baby who will likely be scarred for life. I remember one morning, my husband was making a bit pot of chili, my sister, brother-in-law and almost 2 year old niece were living with us. Daddy was supposed to be watching baby, but he walked away for some reason. I walked into the kitchen just in time to catch the pot of chili as it was tipping over onto the baby. She had grabbed a bar stool and pulled it over to the stove. Accident very closely averted, but it scared me so much I spanked her. As I recall, I had a few choice words for daddy that day. My sister was mad because I spanked the baby, but it was not motivated by anger, it was pure fear for her. I wanted to make sure she never went near the stovetop again.