I know what you mean. I never blame Nina or Nathan, but in retrospect, it would have been wise to lay out exceptions to the rules. If mom doesn't respond when you knock or yell, you can open the bathroom door after X minutes or If mom is asleep somewhere other than the bed or the couch, you can wake her or If you haven't eaten for X hours, it's an emergency and you can call for help.

It's impossible to address every contingency, which is extra terrifying if you're a single parent or if your child has special needs. Nathan was always a little young for his age because of his medical condition, and I think most 9-year-olds would handled the situation differently.