At what age do you allow your children to answer the door? I have no problem with either of my older two (8 and 6 years old) opening the door if I'm in the living room or kitchen, both of which look out to the front door. I'll allow my oldest to answer it, if I'm in another part of the house (our place is fairly compact), as long as I'm not completely occupied and unable to get to the door if there was a problem. This is, of course, if they've looked out the window and identified the person. They don't answer the door at all, if I'm in the shower or unable to get to the door, if needed.

I should add that we live in a subdivision so we don't get a lot of strangers at the door. It's usually neighborhood kids, neighbors, family or friends dropping by. Maybe 1 in 20 knocks are from someone we don't know. And we have at least 5 different visits most days.

Do you drop what you're doing every time the doorbell rings or there is a knock at the door? At what age do you allow your child to answer the door, if you are home?

By Trina~moderator on Saturday, February 4, 2006 - 07:43 pm:

We rarely have people knock on our door. I'm still not comfortable allowing my kids (7 & 9) to answer it alone, unless I *know* it's close friends or relatives.

By Mommyof5 on Saturday, February 4, 2006 - 08:03 pm:

I let me 13 year old GO to the door and speak THROUGH IT yesterday to door to door salespeople. I did this because I was sick and her two youngest siblings were throwing up and the sales people would NOT leave until someone told them to. Please take careful note that I said she went TO the door and spoke THROUGH it.
I WILL let my 13, 10 and 9 year old answer the door after we have verified that it is someone we know. The younger children do not go to the door at all. On our street there are 8 houses of retired couples who probably know my business better than I do so I'm not overly concerned about someone trying to force their way in. I have no doubt that before a stranger has even gotten out of their car that the neighbors have their plate number and a full description of what they look like.

By Crystal915 on Saturday, February 4, 2006 - 08:49 pm:

OOOOOOOH!!!! This is a hot button for me!!! Shane (3) will run to answer the door, and often open it before I can get to him. He can maneuver the deadbolt, and we don't hae a chain lock, so it's a PROBLEM!!!

By Bea on Saturday, February 4, 2006 - 10:17 pm:

Thank God for us noisy retired folks. ;o)

By Mommyof5 on Saturday, February 4, 2006 - 10:24 pm:

Bea I hope you didn't find that offensive. I didn't mean it that way. I am very thankful for my neighbors who happen to be retired, home alot and enjoy knowing everything that goes on in our neighborhood. My dh travels quite a bit and I always feel safe when he is gone because of our neighbors.

By Bea on Saturday, February 4, 2006 - 10:26 pm:

I thought it was funny because I'm never home. I have no idea what's going on in our neighborhood. I ask the guy next door who walks his dogs. He's my spy.

By Tink on Saturday, February 4, 2006 - 11:26 pm:

Tammie, I hope you didn't think this was directed to you. Your post about the sales people got me thinking but I was surprised that people were so upset with you allowing your 13yo to go to the door. If I'd been in a similar situation, I would have allowed my 8yo to do the same thing. I wondered what others allowed since I think nothing of allowing my kids to answer the door...with some qualifications.

By Bobbie~moderatr on Sunday, February 5, 2006 - 01:47 am:

My 8 year olds answer my door... My front door is in my living room. There are 7 of us living in this house. Unless everyone is asleep or gone there isn't a moment in the day where there isn't someone in the living room. There are rules, just like with anything else... But they do open the door....

By Crystal915 on Sunday, February 5, 2006 - 02:38 am:

I could answer the door at 13, but then again I started babysitting at 11. Of course, there are rules, but they are the same rules I still follow before *I* open the door.

By Insaneusmcwife on Sunday, February 5, 2006 - 07:43 am:

my kids answer the door if I can see to the door. If not they wait for me or I do it.

By Marg on Sunday, February 5, 2006 - 09:14 am:

Because of the way our house is built, you have to walk down a hallway to get to the front door (no peep whole but it is a solid steel door, but no screen or glass door).

Because of this and the fact that we live back a road with neighbors (each neighbor owns at least 2+ acres) I always answer the door unless they can see who it is through their bedroom windows (if we are waiting on someone).

One early morning (3:45 a.m.) I was getting ready for work and there was a knock on the front door. There was a man and a dog. Got dh up (he wasn't happy) and the man had an accident about 1/4 mile up the road, he said our house was the only house with a light on (thanks to me). You could smell alcohol on his breath. So dh left him on the porch, got dressed, called the police and walked up with him.

The poor messes I get dh into.

Anyway it's too lonely back our road for someone just to pop in, we don't even get door to door salespeople, etc.

By Karen~moderator on Sunday, February 5, 2006 - 10:20 am:

"I ask the guy next door who walks his dogs. He's my spy. "

ROFL Bea!!!!!!!

By Ginny~moderator on Sunday, February 5, 2006 - 05:25 pm:

Crystal, for heaven's sake install a chain. It's not difficult on a wooden door and door frame. Otherwise, if your lock is a deadbolt lock, don't leave the key in the lock. Hang it on a hook high on or next to the door frame.

By Yjja123 on Sunday, February 5, 2006 - 05:50 pm:

Our front door is always locked. My kids are not allowed to open the door. When I open a door I always have the dogs right beside me. We get a ton of salesmen.

By Crystal915 on Sunday, February 5, 2006 - 07:48 pm:

We can't install a chain, since it's military housing. I'm going to call on Monday to see if they will install something. The deadbolt is one of those knobbed ones, so he can just turn the knob. It's DEFININTELY a problem, since I can't seem to get through to him. It helps if I accidently get locked out when smoking, but it's NOT worth the risks!!!!

By Missbookworm on Monday, February 6, 2006 - 10:53 pm:

My kids 13, 9 and 6 will answer the door but only if I'm home and they know who it is otherwise they yell out it is someone that they don't know and I get it. Really though I only have one friend who drops by and my bf has a key so the only time anyone really knocks on my front door(the neighbours and I all use each other's back doors) it's a salesperson and I just immediately say I'm not interested and close the door again.

I do leave them home to run out sometimes to the corner store and they NEVER answer the door when I'm not home even if they know who it is.

By Cocoabutter on Monday, February 6, 2006 - 11:22 pm:

We have a small house and a dog, so whenever there is someone at the door, the dog knows it before anyone else does.

I have warned my son not to talk to strangers. In fact, when I am at the store and talk to people just to be polite, he corrects me and says, "Mom, do you know that guy/lady?"