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?

[Ditsy4]

It depends where you live though. I never lock mine until I go to bed. My sister used to live on an island where no one ever locked their doors and everyone left the keys in their cars!

They shouldn't have walked in unless that is the usual arrangement. My friends and their children come into mine and I go into theirs we just shout hello as we enter. My kids friends all came in too but acquaintances don't.

[ThatStewie]

knaffed if you're 5 year old walked into multiple properties without permission, you were engaged in some seriously piss poor parenting. Once is an accident. You apologise and tell kid why they can't do that. Twice is you bring massively in the wrong. You absolutely should be causing a scene with your kid. Seriously, what if the people had a guard dog who attacked? It's entirely possible to have fun without letting your kid get into seriously risky situations because you didn't bother parenting them.

[ThatStewie]

And council flat here. Doors don't lock behind you and none of us have Yale locks. I'm the only person who does the lock the door but only because mine doesn't deal properly and I have a deeply stupid cat.

[Giratina]

I am sorry this happened, from another perspective my 5 yr old has tonight entered several properties, he was told each time "get out the house" and I would add that it probably appeared that I wasn't that bothered

WTF is wrong with you, why did you let that happen several times?

[Hidingtonothing]

I cannot understand why anyone buys these ridiculously unsecure pvc doors

Totally off topic but I have to agree with this, when we were broken into they literally kicked the central panel out, they are ridiculously flimsy. But yes OP, totally out of order for the kids to walk in and even more so that the adults didn't stop them.

[LouisvilleLlama]

Gotta admit once maybe a lighthearted warning, but to then keep doing it would be on purpose

[LouisvilleLlama]

Not listening to instructions, and I don't think because it's a fun night means that they can get a way with constantly be naughty, sure a little Leigh way but not letting them get away with it constantly

[MrsMook]

The locking mechanism on UPVC doors can be very secure as they anchor to the door frame at multiple points. You just have to get in the habit of locking it.

Just a Yale is very weak as there's only one locking point. That's easy to breach- remembers the student house party where a housemate locked herself out of a bedroom on a Yale, and it was easily pushed open by a very drunk person who could barely stand with two household items.

My friend used to leave her door unlocked until she lost a handbag and laptop in a 10 second theft. Breaking and entering is slower and far less subtle so much less common unless the intruder is certain the house will be empty for a while.

The children were rude to enter and it was very rude of the parents to encourage that.

OP is lucky it wasn't someone with more harmful intentions.

[Lorelei76]

Knaff WTF.
You let your kid do that?
Also the doors were open?!

[Lorelei76]

PS I wasn't suggesting Yale only, I thought deadlock plus chain was pretty standard.

[Chikara]

My door needs locking with a key. It is currently unlocked and if anyone wanted to they could open it and walk in. But they never have in 20 years. I could see them walking up the path anyway.

The issue is the mothers who are so obsessed by their little darlings that they think it is ok for them to do anything they like.

[Aeroflotgirl]

knaffe this is exactly why children think kids can do what the hell they want without consequences! Sorry it's poor parenting on your behalf, so it's ok to spoil someone else's evening, and shock them, so as long as your little cherub is happy. That's ok then 😠

[Aeroflotgirl]

What if that person is vulnerable, and your child gives them a nasty fright! I thank goodness my door cannot be opened from the outside.

[twoduvetsandablankie]

Doesn't need to be a upvc door to have a non Yale lock. Composite and wooden doors have them too. I usually lock my door when at home, parents don't until they're going to bed or in for the night. They used to leave the door unlocked when I was out at night and came home in the early hours. I don't do the same when my husband's out!

OP - I would not be happy if kids walked into my house even if the door was unlocked and I don't understand why their parents think it's funny.

[kali110]

knaffe what???
My dh has even less patience thN me, your child would have learnt some very colourful language.
What is wrong with you? 5 houses?
There are vulnerable people! I'd have had a heart attack ( and probably scared your kid half to death by screaming at them!) if they'd randomly come into my house! ( very thankful to my yale now! Obv dh has to not put it on hold....) why would you let him do this??first house you can say it's a mistake but not 5!
What about if something happened to your child? We have animals, what if somwone had a dog and it hurt your kid

Why do people tell their kids not to talk to strangers or take candy from them, but come halloween it's fine?(and going up and into their houses is fine)

[WyfOfBathe]

YANBU for telling them to get out & not giving them sweets and the kids/their parents were VU for coming inside, but...

I'm sure not every single person locks the door behind them in the midst of making a small child dinner, administering calpol, bathing them etc etc
Well, I don't lock my door in the midst of making dinner, no... I lock my door when I come into my home I don't see why anyone wouldn't

[LouisvilleLlama]

Thing is If you have Yale locks ( they must love this thread) it locks automatically and are easy to unlock, but my lock for example, I'd need to get the key, unlock it, answer the door, lock the door put the key back so others know where it is.

And if you have to do this say 5-10 times a day it can get frustrating when you. Can keep it unlocked when people are in and awake.

[Topseyt]

Knaffed, that is terrible parenting.

I would have collared mine at the first one and unceremoniously propelled them straight home. Not acceptable, and both you and your brat would have been told to get the fuck away from my house.

I always lock my doors, whether I am in or not.

[Willow2016]

knaffdoff

Why on earth would you let a 5yr old just walk into someones house while you watched?

Ok if the person knew you were coming but what the hell happened to privacy in your own home?

I dont want some random child wandering into my house trailing muck/wet footprints!

What the hell is wrong with your sense of responsibility? After it happened the first time why did you let them do it again? Thats pathetic parenting, tell them to wait at the door or hold their damm hand so they cant go in! If they had been knocked flying by a dog I am sure you would have found the voice to make a fuss then.

Else its a wind up? (but after reading the safari park thread nothing surprises me now.)

[Daydream007]

Bang out of order for their mothers to allow it!

[Flatscissors]

Utterly wrong. You don't walk into someone else's house unless you are specifically invited, or there's a serious emergency. End of!

YANBU

[Tapandgo]

knaffed - suggest you and you child stay st home - clearly not responsible enough to be out.

OP - you have every right to be furious - these parents and kids are out of control

[Mother86]

WTF, I would have been so mad that I'd have pushed the kids out the door whilst screaming at them to get out of my house!
I would never leave my door unlocked though, never ever! The second we're in or out it's locked immediately.

[MissVictoria]

I'd be giving the mother/s i knew a piece of my mind how rude and completely unacceptable it was to let their children open the door and walk uninvited into someone elses house, let alone then encourage them!

Be sure to let them know too you didn't answer as you were dealing with your own poorly child and their childrens bad behaviour of shouting after letting themselves in your house was not appreciated, and i'd expect a sincere apology for their misjudgement of their actions.