Trick or treaters letting themselves in

[Backaffyaspookybitch]

First off, I've had a hard day so I might be slightly narky.

My DS has been ill all day - loaded with the cold and a temp of 39. I've just picked him up from my mum's (been at work all day) and trying to get him into a cool bath and get some calpol down down him. He's just miserable and my DH is working away.

I put him in the bath and I hear the door. I know it'll be trick or treaters but I can't leave my son in the bath (he's 2) so I decide to just ignore it and see if they come back later.

Oh no. The door opens and in walks the boy from next door whom I do know accompanied by 4 or 5 other children! Their mums are standing at the bottom of my garden shrieking with laughter and encouragement.

These children were standing in my hall way shouting and laughing

I got my DS out the bath, ran down the stairs and I asked them to leave and closed the door.

I actually got a bit of a shock that they'd be so bold!

I never even gave them sweets

WIBU to ask them to leave?

[Willow2016]

Its not forseeable at all.

I have never had anyone open my door on Halloween never mind any other time of the year and we get loads of kids each Halloween. You just dont its not difficult to understand.

Why should I lock myself in 'just in case of a one in a million chance some random child decides to walk into my house uninvited'?

Once its getting dark I will let the latch down (and after all the guisers have finished doing the rounds on Halloween) but not until.

In summer the door is open most of the day, why should I sit in a hot, stuffy house when its a nice day and I can let the fresh air in?

[YoHoHoandabottleofTequila]

You don't try opening my door and you especially don't try opening it if you've rang the bell and I haven't answered. Children or not you will get asked wtf you think you're doing.

[Bummymummy77]

Nobody where we live locks our doors ever. Nobody ever takes their keys out of the ignitions either.

I saw loads of kids just walking in to houses on Monday. People kind of do that here.

I wouldn't let ds do that even thought it's taken as OK. It's rude and you don't know if there's a dog on the other side!

[bobgoblin23]

My child pulled on 3 door handles, was told off each time. The last of those 3 doors opened, dog ran out. I went after dog and told it to go inside and my child shut the door after it. He did not enter their house. We then went home. He did not open 3 doors, nor did he go in to any of the houses.

Considering he had never tried a door handle before in his life, I could not have reasonably expected it to happen. As parents we cannot foresee and mitigate every conceivable risk. If we tried to, our children would grow up neurotic and unbalanced.

Generally, we learn about these kind of things through experience. At 12 months old, my son snatched a sandwich from another child's plate. I learned not to sit him so close and to increase his portion size. When he was 2, he blew out the candles for his uncle's birthday. I learned to grab him when the birthday cake came out at parties and not let go until the candles were done with. At 3 he was so excited to see Gully on stage that he tried to go up. I learned that 3 year olds do not know a stage is not for them, unless you tell them first. We were both better prepared for the next stage show. And at 4 I have learned he may try door handles at Halloween. Next year we will discuss it before we go out. No big deal.

I only posted on this thread to let OP know it was not so unusual for a child to try a door handle at Halloween. At no point did I say it was OK, that I allowed my child to do it, goaded him or laughed about it.

I didn't realise there were so many perfect children and their parents out there In NM land.

[kali110]

I said it may be considered reasonably forseeable that a dog might be let out by a child on Halloween if you choose not to secure your door.

But why?? I would never think a random child/person would try to open my door on halloween or any other time of the year?
Knock my door ring my bell fine, but open my door or try to come in?
Just no.

[Offred]

Ha ha ha ha ha!

Good note to end on!

[Offred]

No, your dog isn't going to be suing you but a person they bit might as might a person they caused to crash.

[Offred]

No, not those exact words. Think is was something like if the dog gets out when someone opens your unlocked door and bites someone it is negligent...

It's too late to be going through all the posts nitpicking the words.



It's time for sleeping I think.

On a slightly different note I just realised when ds left to go to his dad's at 8pm he left my front door wide open. Just shut it. No intruders or burglars...

[Offred]

I didnt say you did! I said I don't understand why people think like that.

[StarBears]

Offred "What I said was if someone opens your door and the dog gets out and bites someone it is you who will be responsible because your dog was out of your control in public."

No it's not.

[Offred]

Well you might blame the person but you would likely have to pay personal injury damages!

[Offred]

It is a householder's responsibility to ensure their house is safe and secure. Who else's responsibility is it? The rest of the community?

There are various legal reasons and consequences including insurance, negligence, occupier's liability etc

I said it may be considered reasonably forseeable that a dog might be let out by a child on Halloween if you choose not to secure your door.

There is no such responsibility as 'preventing your child opening doors'.

[Offred]

I simply do not understand at all why someone would be so intent on relying on other people for their safety, their dog's safety, their home's safety etc all for the sake of 'I want to keep my door unlocked'...

It is pretty unlikely anything will happen if you always do it and nothing has happened before but still...

Really if you live in the real world you will know that not all parents are perfect all of the time and neither are all children. Which is why locking your door if you don't want dogs and toddlers to get out is just sensible behaviour.

Seems like you care more about blaming people for opening the door than you do about your dog getting run over or put down because it injured someone.

[Offred]

I didn't say that though!

What I said was if someone opens your door and the dog gets out and bites someone it is you who will be responsible because your dog was out of your control in public.

[Offred]

The necessary step to prevent someone opening your door from the outside is to lock it from the inside btw!

[Offred]

Opening a door is not the same as going into a house.

You were pretty horrible re bob's child just opening the door.

In the op the children went in.

I think it is a little ridiculous to ask for 'concrete evidence' relating to laws which are essentially contractual and tort based...

Maybe we could turn the ridiculousness up a notch and you could provide me of evidence of the statutory basis of 'I have a right to leave my door unlocked' or 'parents are responsible for the results of their children opening an unlocked door'



Come on now...