To think it's ok to leave the door open for 15 minutes each weekday?

[ILoveMyGonk]

DS started secondary school this year and comes home himself on the bus. I'm at home working at my computer. Generally, when he gets home, he rings the doorbell and I go open the door for him. However, I now have a 15 minute on-camera meeting that exactly coincides with when he gets home, and obviously it gives a terrible impression if I need to leave during the meeting, even though it's only for a minute.

I want to leave the door unlocked, so he can just come in. (It also would need to be open just slightly, the way the lock works.)

DS and DH both think this is way too unsafe and refuse. DS is also refusing to carry a key, as he is afraid of losing it.

AIBU to think it's okay to leave the door open? It's broad daylight, not a terribly crime-ridden area, and only 15 minutes. We even live opposite a primary school, and it's very busy that time of day. I can even see the path leading up to the door from where I'm working, though I'm not sure I could actually get to the door in time to close it if I saw someone concerning approaching.

This! We bought a retractable key ring. Dead cheap on amazon. Key lives in bag, DS pulls it out to lock and unlock door but it never detaches from bag. He has never lost his key once. He started doing this in y7 and he's now y10

I have never locked the door when I'm at home and not asleep. Why would you? Are people in your neighbourhood prone to wandering into people's houses? Are burglars so brazen that they try to burgle someone who is right there in front of them?

I have lived to 36 so far and my parents never lock the door either, maybe I've just been extremely fortunate not to be regularly invaded by hordes of strange people! 😂

Personally I'd tell him to carry a key or wait until the meeting has finished. It's probably safe enough though to leave the door open if yoh are happy to.

If your son isnt capable have carrying a key when he is at secondary school he will just need to stand on the doorstep until someone is available to let him in. I have never heard anything so ridiculous to be honest. You would happily leave your door not only unlocked but actually slightly open rather than just tell him he need to take a key.

We never lock ourselves in. It’s fine. Even more so as you can see the path

Our door is unlocked all day unless we are actually out. Always has been. Same with my parents and PIL so neither grew up thinking locking the door when you are at home is normal.

We have a key safe and everyone has their own key but key safe does get used. Make sure he can access it, takes literally 5 minutes to put up and everyone is happy.

Depends where you live. If you can’t leave your door unlocked for 15 mins it must be very dodgy!

DC1 had a key at age 11. I bought a long spiral key chain thing that attached to a a hook inside tbeir school bag: the spiral think was like an old fashioned telephone cord. DC1 could unlock the door without detaching the key from the bag.

He needs to get used to looking after a door key. Both mine have had them since they started Y7 and neither have lost it - one is Y12 now. Does he have a small zip up pocket in his school bag? Or it needs to be attached to it somehow with something like this.

Agree son needs to get used to carrying a key. He will need one when he goes out and about with friends, he can't expect there will always be someone to let him in.

Attach key to a long ribbon and stitch other end to inside pocket of his blazer, if he has an inside pocket.

Your son needs to get used to having a key anyway, ask yourself if this would even be questioned if your husband was the one working at home and wasn't available to open the door.

Why not buy a key safe like they do for people who get carers in. DS would punch in the code, get the key, open the door and replace the key?

My dcs have carried house keys since they started walking to school in Year 6. It's just part of being responsible enough to walk home and they were always keen to be more adult.

I would never leave our door unlocked as it's in a busy London street and it would just be a foolish thing to do. We have quite valuable items at home too so I take our security seriously.

Why do people feel the need to come out with such idiotic statements??

He learns to carry a key. Good heavens!!

Your son just needs to take a key. Anything else is a bit silly.

Leave a key under a plant pot (or similar) just for the relevant time each day. A bit more secure than just leaving the door open, and much less hassle than getting a key safe (which you wouldn't need for long anyway bcs you are getting to the point where ds really should have a key)

I don’t think my childhood home was ever locked whilst someone was in. Unless maybe when only one person was in the shower. I thought you meant actually open for 15 minutes to let air circulate and I was still going to say YANBU. I wouldn’t even give this a second thought. I leave my door unlocked when I run to the corner shop all of the time.

I find this thread really confusing.

We never have the door locked if we are in???

And what's this about house insurance??

Why would they want you to keep the doors locked if you are in???

Again it doesn't make sense.

I have never locked the door when I'm at home and not asleep. Why would you? Are people in your neighbourhood prone to wandering into people's houses?

Haven't you seen all the threads about the postman/the Amazon delivery man/the mother in law/Old Uncle Tom Cobbleigh and all coming into the house when the door is unlocked?

in most of the houses I've lived in, the front door has had a Yale or similar, so can't be left unlocked.

Not just burglars
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-55811725

i suggest you leave it to DH and your son to work out a solution - you have suggested he has a key or the door is left open / now it’s thier turn

This is beyond vanishingly rare.

Open as in unlocked or open as in actually ajar?

loads of people leave their door unlocked all day including me.

i wouldn’t leave it ajar in this weather.