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.

Get a lockbox. That's what I have, and it has significantly improved all our freedom!

I always have the front door unlocked when I'm at home. We lock it when we go to bed or when we go out. I also lock it when I'm out in the back garden but then I have the back door open instead.

Such a lot of fuss over nothing. Get a stretch key chain - now. The key goes in one end, the other end clips into the hole on a zip pull. So simple, he won't even have to remove the key from his bag ever. God Almighty....

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Honestly kids are ridiculous these days. You tell him he needs to have a key and be responsible for it.

How does this work? He still needs a key.

I feel like I'm in a parallel universe here, my home is rarely locked! The postie opens the door the put packages in the hallway all the time. And when at school, my parents left the house open all day so I could get in when I came home (they were out at work). One time they forgot and locked it and I climbed in through the open window!

This is ridiculous. He’s not a baby. Get him a key on one of those clips that clips to a belt loop. If by some freak accident his belt loop tears off and he doesn’t hear or see the key chain fall off you can open the door then. I really think he needs to start having a bit of responsibility. I know year 6s with keys.

You attach the key to one end, and clip the other inside the bag somewhere. It stretches so you never have to remove the key once its on the stretchy chain.

You can get similar for mobile phones. I use them when out and about or on hols/in dodgy areas. The wire chain can be stretched from my bag and I can use the phone, but no one can steal it from my hand as it is attached to inside my bag. Best thing ever.

That is unusual. My door locks on closure but I double lock it at night or when I leave the house. The op is talking about leaving the door open, not unlocked.

Thank you.

Can you get him to carry a key when he is out with the family? He can lock the door when you all go out together and unlock it when you all return until he gets confident with the idea and it's become a non-event.

I voted YABU for blithely accepting your DS's refusal to take a key.

Tell him he can stand outside for 15 minutes then.

It's ridiculous that he can seemingly get himself to and from school but refuses to take a key with him, and mum and dad just say "Ok, right you are son".

I would just leave it unlocked for the 15 mins. Are you still able to hear the door open whilst your working? Do you have a ring doorbell? I happily leave my front door unlocked alot of the time. My Dd once came in and left the front door completely wide open. I only realised this during the night when I got up to go to the toilet!

I wouldn't think twice about leaving the door unlocked in the middle of the day whilst I was at home. I thought you were going to say whilst you nip out to the shop or similar!!

Perhaps sew a key in a chain inside his school bag?

“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.)”

She means open not just unlocked!!!!!

I wouldn't want to leave the door actively open because of the time of year.

Get your son a key and tell him he has to use it.

this. If it’s safe to leave the door open, it’s safe to wait 10 minutes to be let in…

I have done the lanyard/clip sewn into his school bag so he can’t lose it and just take a key when needed.

We’ve also got a key safe with a locking loop we put over a fixed anchor (porch gallows) outdoors only when needed.

She’d leave it open. Not unlocked.

I really don't see the issue. It's not like you're out of the house.

I had no idea people keep their houses locked when they’re at home in the middle of the day. Mine is unlocked the vast majority of the time we’re home during the day.

Do you have a laptop? Can you do the meeting from a downstairs room just so you can see the door better and it’s safer leaving it open? Or do it in the kitchen and leave the back door unlocked? You can blur backgrounds/have a generated backdrop if that is an issue in another room

And slightly open.

It is naive to think that you can leave your door open and it not be spotted by some opportunist criminal.