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?

Offred nobody has said that ( unless i've missed a post, which is possible as i'm not wearing my glasses) people are saying that kids shouldn't be trying to let themselves into people's homes.
Also that hob was lucky nothing happened to the dog or her ds.
I think the op should lock her door personally, but she shouldn't need to.
If someone doesn't want to lock their doir that's up to them.

TarkaLiotta we didn't have any, think my big dh may have put people off

So what do you expect her to do then?

Whilst it wouldn't alleviate the hurt if a child got bit by a dog or a toddler escaped from a house the householder would be the one responsible for both of those imaginary incidents you are using to beat down a disabled mother. They have a legal responsibility to prevent those things happening by locking their door.

offred nobody said that - and many wheelchair users may be participating in this 'debate' .What is clearly been said is that nobody should be letting themselves into people's homes uninvited and if parents can't ensure that then they need to consider the wisdom of taking a child out unsupported. Anything could happen to the child's detriment - on top of the upset caused to unsuspecting householders.

No, children shouldn't be letting themselves into people's houses but it is the householders who have a responsibility to secure their properties in order to prevent accidents and injuries.

It is about being a responsible person in your community and recognising that not everyone is sensible and not everyone does what they are meant to all the time - sometimes innocently and sometimes because they are trying to make trouble.

A young child under 10 is not going to get into legal trouble for opening a door on Halloween. A householder who had a dog that got out and bit someone because locking their door was 'unworkable' is negligent.

So a dog owner would still be at fault if someone let themselves into their home?
tarka do it

offred think we'll have to disagree there.
If you let yourself uninvited into my home you'd get a bit more than a dog at you

Yes, householder's don't get to be negligent re the safety of visitors (legal or illegal) to their homes.

It is really not a matter for agreeing or disagreeing on. It is simply a fact. Householders owe a duty of care to people setting foot on their property even if they are trespassing.

In any case I think the OP is not as strange as some of the militant 'right to keep my door unlocked' ppl.

It was fine to tell them to leave and not give them sweets. It would be fine to have a word with the parents about it as they were irresponsible to be goading and laughing.

But ppl should still lock their doors and keep their properties safe and secure I obviously fail at that for everyone's health and safety. At the very least be aware that you are being slack when you don't lock your door etc.

Firstly you are judging me with the benefit of hindsight. Of course I did not take my son out knowing he would try to open someone's front door and their dog would run out. Duh!

Now this has happend, I will approach next Halloween differently. Will probably ask another parent along to support us both.

In terms of road safety, I will not accept any criticism. My son has to grow up with all of the challenges having a disabled parent brings. Literally every time we go out the front door, he has to listen to a running commentary from me. What's around us, what are the dangers, stay close to mummy. What can you see, don't step out of the yellow box, watch out for that wobbly paving slab. Can you hear that car? Which direction is it coming from? where are the dangers. Stay close to mummy.

This is something I don't think able-bodied parents would really get. Even when friends come out with me, they comment that they didn't realise how much goes in to a simple journey.

Containing excitement - I think it's a real shame that my son has never been allowed to go giddy and do what he wants when outdoors. When we walk down the street each day, the main reason is because he wants to jump in puddles. If there are none, I will take a bucket and make one in his favourite spot. When he sees a really big puddle I can see him literally bursting with excitement. But he still doesn't run across the road to it. He waits until it's safe and I am with him. He has had to learn self control from a very young age, and really is a very caring sweet little boy.

Next year we will do Halloween differently - not because of comments on this thread but because I'm a great mum. I learn from every experience and always try to do things better. I will also make a point of speaking to the lady across the road (whose dog regularly crosses the road to see us when we are out, knows DS and that's probably why he didn't even bark) and let her know what happened.

Well maybe you think the law is an ass Francis on this one but that is the legal position.

Francis it is just standard negligence law. If your failure to make your property safe to trespassers or visitors results in harm to someone that was reasonably forseeable then you may be found liable in the tort of negligence.

Offred We'd have to know the exact legal situation on that to say for certain that someone opening a front door without invitation means the householder was 'negligent'. I expect many calm and non-aggressive dogs might feel threatened in that scenario and feel the urge to defend their owners. The dog is reasonably secured by the owner if the door is shut and it definitely can't open the door itself. A child might not get into legal trouble but nor might the dog owner either.

It's not 'reasonably foreseeable' that someone might let themselves into your house, uninvited, though. How could you reasonably foresee that? I think your argument is undone by your own words. It's not a common or foreseeable scenario that total strangers would let themselves into your property.

I think it is reasonably foreseeable on Halloween.

I also think it is reasonably foreseeable that a dog might get out of an unsecured door (or a toddler for that matter).

We would have to (completely) disagree there . Since when has Halloween been commonly known as the occasion where strangers can let themselves into your house?! It's not a custom. It's not common. It's not reasonable, just because it's Halloween.

There are laws regarding who has the right to enter your home without permission. Police, fire service, etc. Trick and treaters? Nope... they're not on the list. Not reasonable.