When is a child old enough to answer the front door?

[PeachesMcLean]

DS is 6 and is perfectly capable of opening the front door. I've often told him to go and open it, if I'm busy and then I'm not far behind him to see who it is.

We've had a fairly nasty incident recently with a neighbour and we don't want DS to answer the door anymore. I don't want to say "don't answer the door cos it might be the crazy woman again" because that surely is going to give him ideas and make him nervous. But we're having to go back on behaviour he's already got used to, and somehow we have to do that without making him aware that it's because of the crazy woman. IYSWIM.

Now, DH says that he wasn't allowed to open the door at all as a child. Doesn't say how old he was when he was allowed to, but clearly thinks we've done the wrong thing allowing DS to do it at all.

So, how old does a child have to be before you're happy to let him / her answer the front door?

But WHY can't they aanswer the door?

i suppose in case a random looney snatches them away, or a faery.

Because we often get teenagers asking if my motorbike is for sale, or wanting a light (wtf), or local kids wanting to come in when I don't want them to, and because ds1 is not mature enough to behave appropriately in these situations.

ds has started answering the phone and door. He's nearly five. I do find it a bit alarming - phone's fine, very handy in fact (he's a great receptionist) but door worries me. Although I am always running along not far behind him.

Only way I could stop him with the door is to use the deadbolt at the top, but that would worry me from a fire risk POV, esp. as the back door is always deadbolted (it's a conservatory).

mind you, I'm far more put out by ds memorising the numbers of all the local cab firms (noted from the side of taxis) and actually calling us a cab the other night. He meant well, he knew we were going out... sadly he just got the wrong evening. Am worried I'm going to be blacklisted by local taxi firms!