Door unlocked... feeling spooked!

[PFB2]

I'm a bit paranoid about locking the house up in the evening. I am an anxious person and I suppose securing the house goes hand in hand with that. I always lock my doors during the day also but go round and check everythings definitely locked & closed before I go to bed.

My DD's just woken up crying and asking for a drink. When I've gone down to get her drink. The front door was unlocked and the chain was off. Now I can't specifically remember checking it before going to bed but it would be extremely unusual for me to have forgotten to do so. Now I feel really scared that someone's either in the house or been in the house. I have looked round and can't find anyone.

It would be impossible for someone to unlock the door and also take the chain off from the outside, wouldn't it?

Sorry, I'm just feeling really scared and hoping you guys can help me calm down. Thanks.

Yeah, you’ve just forgotten to do it. Let it go and just remember in future. Get some sleep.

You must have forgotten. It’s the simplest explanation, especially as you don’t remember checking.

I know it’s scary but try to reassure yourself with that.

@PFB2 It would take a ninja to do that OP! Don't worry, I'm extra careful about stuff like that too but we'll all forget things when we're tired. I once left the back door unlocked at my aunts all night!🤦🏻‍♀️

I'm sure you just assumed you'd done it (as you usually do!) and now you've freaked yourself out as you didn't.

I left the door unlocked twice in the last month. One of my friends walked in to the house while I was upstairs! So really easily done.

Yes it would be highly unlikely someone's unlocked it. Much much more likely that you forgot to do it. Even if it's something you're usually fastidious about. The most likely answer is usually the right one.

Besides if someone somehow managed to break into a locked and security chained door without lots of noise, then was careful enough to close the door after themselves, they'd probably also replace the chain lock to cover themselves. It's just extremely unlikely.

Put a lamp on and listen to a podcast or the radio for a bit. Put the phone next to you just so you feel safer. Is there anyone else at home?

Thanks for the reassurance. It's just so unlikely that I'd forget to lock the door when I come in and also forget to check it but you're right. It's the most likely scenario.

Is there anyone else at home? Nope, just me and my 2 small kids. And I've got a scary next door neighbour, which doesn't help with my mind wandering.

So the door is now locked, you've checked around and everything is ok.

I'm 100% sure you forgot or unlocked it with the intention of locking it again, as a 'double checking' kind of thing, and then got side tracked.

I’m obsessed with locking things, even though I live in a safe area so feel your pain op. I also always lock the baby gate on the stairs so the puppy doesn’t get upstairs, yet twice he has. So i know I sometimes do just forget. Did you have a bag of shopping or something to distract you when you got home? I would rest assured that you just forgot and sleep happy that it’s now locked :)