My Toddler Lost My Keys - Where To Look

Dude, Where Are My Keys?

The drama surrounding lost keys is unfortunately common. It's, somehow, always when you're pressed for time. You need to get your kids to school or you have an important work meeting to attend (before the Zoom-in-pajamas fad took off). At first, you'll pin the blame onto yourself, but after looking in the usual places, the truth becomes clear. You exclaim "my baby lost my car keys" like you're in a low-budget version of "Dude, Where's My Car."

We might as well get the very-obvious plug for our shop out of the way. Without being too much of a know-it-all or cringe-worthy, we humbly offer our realistic-looking and baby-safe metal keys to prevent this from happening again.

Back to reality...

Frantically, you search in all the cliche places, often to no avail. Yes, technically the mountain of crumbs you discover under the couch cushions could bread a chicken, and yes, the 78 cents you find will net you a handful of jelly beans but these things are of no help now.

After a cursory Google search you discover that you aren't alone in your despair and that many fellow parents have been put in this annoying position by their charming child. That's nice. Unfortunately most of the authors of these articles and queries either never find solutions (and are purchasing replacements that can run into the hundreds) or don't bother sharing the solution once they've located their keys. Apparently people share more when they need help from "the Internet" and share less when "the Internet" needs them. I'm no philosopher but that's gotta be a metaphor for something.

Places To Look For Your Lost Keys

So without further ado here's a list of potential place to search for those elusive keys. I ask all readers to contribute their ideas or experiences in the comment section to complete this list. Obviously, only check the following places if you can see your baby somehow having access to them.

• Nearby shoes.
• Blankets or blankies.
• Pantry; lower shelves.
• Oven; especially bottom storage drawer.
• Bookshelf.
• Garbage or recycling cans.
• Fridge or freezer; lower shelves.
• Nearby bags or purses.
• Washing machine or dryer.
• Couch; underneath or between cushions.
• Cabinets; kitchen or bathroom.
• Vents.

Obviously, if you've got a real trouble-maker on your hands, the sneakery will escalate to some demented game of hide-and-seek. In that case, all bets are off.

Again, please share your thoughts and experiences in the comment section!

For an interesting discussion on why babies want their parents' stuff, read here.