The next day, though, it became obvious that the kids weren't heeding their warnings, and their day got off to a terrifying start.
"We were woken up by our 4-year-old son who was crying so hard he could barely talk," she said. "As I was trying to understand what he was saying, my husband flew out of bed and down the stairs. It was then that the realisation hit. He had said: Kloe. Inside. Washer."
She followed her husband to the laundry room, where they found the little girl locked inside the airtight machine — and it had turned on.
"It was tumbling and filling with water. She was screaming but you couldn't hear her," McIver wrote.
"We were able to quickly stop it and unlock the door and get her out. Aside from a couple of small bumps on her head and wet clothes, she was fine."
Though she was safe, the horrific incident still left them imagining what could have happened, which they never saw coming.
McIver said that she second-guessed posting about the incident because she was worried about "the inevitable online mom-shaming", but she ultimately felt the warning was too important to go unsaid.
"I can honestly say we did not realise the danger of this machine. 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," she wrote.
After the moment with Kloe, they immediately put a child safety lock on the washing machine, so the children can no longer open it.
"We also found a child lock feature on the settings that, as long as it is engaged, will not allow the washing machine to start. But it does not lock the door," she added, meaning a kid could still crawl in and get stuck with no way out.
I’ve been hesitant to write this post. First, because of the inevitable online mom-shaming that is bound to ensue; and...
Posted by Lindsey McIver on Wednesday, 11 July 2018
"I want to encourage anybody who has this type of front loading washing machine and small children, or even grandkids who visit, to lock the door with a child safety lock and always keep the child lock setting on!
"I realise that there are ways we could've prevented this from happening," she went on.
"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."
In the week since she posted, the warning has been shared a quarter of a million times on Facebook, and tens of thousands of people have left comments — nearly all supportive.
"Good lord, terrifying," wrote one woman. "The ironic thing is so many sales people recommend leaving the door open between washes to reduce mildew. I NEVER close my door unless it's running. I have a new grandbaby. I'm guessing a lock on the laundry room will be a must!"
"Thank you for bringing this to our attention," wrote another. "Thank God you were able to get your daughter out of the machine before something more serious happened."
"Thank you for the reminder that little kids can get themselves into all kinds of trouble that adults wouldn't even think were possible to pull off," wrote a third.
Another mother launched into her own story, writing: "Years ago when my daughter was small her brother talked her into getting in the dryer. I came around the corner just as she was getting her second thump.
"She also was fine but scary what kids can come up with not knowing that one of them could die."
