Would Your Child Let A Stranger Inside The House?
By villageanne
@villageanne (8553)
United States
March 3, 2007 12:18am CST
This is a true story, It really did happen. There was a man who had a business appointment at the home of a potential customer. The man arrived at the home, rang the door bell and a small boy (around 4 years of age) opened the door. The man asked if his daddy was home. The child said yes, and told him to come in. The man who was a reasonably smart man, told the child to go get his daddy, while he waited outside the front door. Ten minutes later, the child's father appeared, straight from a shower.
He had apparently forgotten the time of the appointment It was at this point that the man entered the home. There was jewelry,wallet, credit cards and house keys on the coffee table.
If this man was there to do harm to the family or to steal, he could have easily done it. Please tell your children that there ARE "bad" people out there.
For those who just never thought of it, please, PLEASE teach your children to never ever open the door to anyone, under any circumstances. Repeat, repeat. repeat the rules to your children. Have "someone at the door" drills. It could be a matter of life and death.
This man could have done many things including taken the child. The world is not safe anymore even in a small town. Bad things happen everyday. Don t let them happen to your family. Prepare them for the worst.
6 people like this
30 responses
@GardenGerty (157652)
• United States
3 Mar 07
You also teach your children that if they answer the phone not to say they are alone. "Mom is in the bathroom, can she call you back?" Actually, I told my kids not to answer the phone, period, but for some kids, that would not work. It is important that children learn to follow the rules, and follow them promptly. Sometimes the time of a response is critical, as well.
2 people like this
@gtpopzz (24)
• United States
3 Mar 07
All about the parenting! A child more often than not follows a parents example. Meaning you have to teach your child about such things to protect them. I know you are going to let strangers in sometimes from a grown up position but a child has got to be taught to distinguish between friend and foe asap.
2 people like this
• India
3 Mar 07
No, I hope not. I have taught my children not to open the door to let anyone.
2 people like this
@chertsy (3798)
• United States
3 Mar 07
My kids know not to answer the door. They will either go get me or just be very quiet and hope the person will go away. The front door is right by my bedroom, so I know if someone is on the front porch before they either knock or ring the door bell.
When my daughter was out in the neighborhood selling things to raise money for her school. We came across a few homes where younger kids opened the door and they either said wait and came back with a parent, they had the storm doors so I would have still had to open a door to get into the home. One child across the street from our home, his mom was at work, but we knew his dad was home. The child invited us in, I politely declined and said we will come back later. I honestly believe the dad was sleeping, since he worked nights. Scarey huh, leaving a four year old by himself while his dad slept and mom worked.
I'm a stay at home mom, I make sure my kids know don't open the door for anyone even a friend til they look out the window without the person seeing them first.
@babystar1 (4233)
• United States
3 Mar 07
I learned my children about this when they were 4 years old, not to ever open the door if someone rings the doorbell. And they did very good by my rule.
2 people like this
@mrbranan (1012)
• United States
3 Mar 07
Is have always told my kids to never answer the door, but as we all know that doesn't always work. For those of you who have small kids I have found that a safty latch high enough so they can't reach it helps to remind them when they go to the door that they are not suppose to open it. Even if they don't rember its alright becouse they can't open the door anyway.
@kgwat70 (13388)
• United States
3 Mar 07
If I had a child, I certainly would not ever allow them to open a door to a stranger. It is very dangerous now to be opening doors to strangers and myself always look out the window to see who is out there before I open the door. It is not even safe for adults to open the door to strangers, let alone children. There are a lot of child snatchers out there or who are trying to find ways to get into peoples homes to rob them, rape them, kill them or other things.
1 person likes this
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
3 Mar 07
You know, I have been on my children about answering the door.
The younger children run to the door along with my dogs. And as I am walking to the door, I am sure that the person on the other side can hear me yelling that they are NOT to touch that door.
I don't know how many times I have told my children that they are to not open the door to anyone! But I guess for some reason, because anyone that comes to our door when they are home...they have always known the person at the door. So, this is a work in progress in my house. LOL
1 person likes this
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
3 Mar 07
As in my house too. I have a four year old and he always runs to the door and opens it up regardless. I have to constantly tell him to not touch the door and wait until i get there.
@arvee17 (730)
• Philippines
3 Mar 07
that is a sad reality about our life now. we can not even be safe even in the comforts of our home. when i was a kid i easily get fooled by older folks to do chores for them. anyways, i would try to install what you have said to my kid and would not let him let anyone inside our house without us knowing. thanks for the concern.
@coolcatzz (1587)
• Canada
3 Mar 07
You are right, you can never be too careful. I will go over this with my 9 year old daughter though cause I'm not really sure what she would do if I was in the shower or something. I'll be interested to ask her in the morning and see what she says. Thanks for the reminder.
1 person likes this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
3 Mar 07
I think that sometimes we just assume our children would or would not do something and dont take the time to make sure. This could have been a very bad situation.
@KrisNY (7590)
• United States
3 Mar 07
How very scary! My daughter knows not to ever let anyone in the house- Actually she knows she is not to answer the door if I'm not right there and she doesn't know who it is. We live in the country- so most of the times if my sig. other isn't home our doors are locked. You can never be too careful- I have 2 dogs also-- They are outside and can roam the land up to the front door (Invisible fencing).. That way a stranger cannot get up to our door without getting by the dogs-- Carmen is a boxer- and let me tell you even my friends who call ehr by name are a bit timid. : )
So needless to say- my daughter knows she is not to let anyone in the house- or answer the door without me being there in view. Of course she can for Grandma or anyone we know.
Great disucssion-
@western_valleygirl (1363)
• United States
4 Mar 07
I am glad that you wrote this discussion, and I am also glad that nothing happened to the children. Because it needs to be said, and children need to be reminded, and parents and caretakers also need to be reminded. Just a few months ago, I had to tell some relative's children not to open the door, because there mom was not home, and me and someone else was watching them. When she realized that her children were opening the door, at times, even when she was in the shower, she got very upset. I told her she needed to remind them, because where they live, is not safe, because it is the type of uppercrust neighborhood that always gets robbed. It was scary. Thanks for mentioning it.
1 person likes this
@western_valleygirl (1363)
• United States
4 Mar 07
Yes, exactly. There is always going to be some bad person out there that we will have to watch out from. I feel unsafe, even when I am home alone, and my husband is not home. I do not open the door to anyone. Even when it is the maintainence people, and we are expecting them, I just don't open unless my husband is home. Sometimes, my hubby feels that I am overdoing it, but he knows it is unsafe, so he stays home whenever he can, when a stranger is expected. I remember quite recently, someone came to fix our home phone line, I just pretended I was not home, because there was no way I was opening the door.
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
4 Mar 07
It is really sad that the world has come to this. Years ago it would have been safe to open the door but not today. Children must be taught
@mommy2jason922 (529)
• United States
4 Mar 07
when my son gets old enough i am going to teach him about strangers. he wont understand now since he is only 5 months old. i will tell him to only let mommy or daddy or another adult to answer the door. but i dont think i should have a real big problem on this subject, cause i am going to be buying those door handle covers, so my son wont even be able to open the door.
1 person likes this
@suraj5747 (207)
•
4 Mar 07
hi their,i am not marred but my sister has an kid who is 4 years old he opens the door but we have 2 doors for our enterance one is with a wooden door n other with grilled and its lock every time. so he just opens the 1st door to know who is that then he comes n tells the right preson their is an stranger out side waiting for u.first of all u should have safety cautions at ur place.........
1 person likes this
@rainbow (6761)
•
3 Mar 07
That is really scary - that child could have been abducted or worse! I do tend to lock the front door and remove the keys if I go off for a shower or to do housework away from the front of the home and my kids would come and tell me - or they usually do if someone calls.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45939)
• United States
3 Mar 07
For some children it doesn't matter how much you coach them regarding what to do and what not to do. If the child has ADHD or similar problems it interferes with their thought process. I spent numerous hours going over the worst case scenarios with my children. I drilled them like a Marine Corp Sergeant! But, they still would often make the wrong decision.
@venshida (4836)
• United States
3 Mar 07
Great that man was a honorable person, its so scary nowadays. I am an adult and i don't open my door for anyone unless I know who it is. You are one hundred percent correct children should be taught the dangers out there.
@chaygylmommy (2470)
• United States
3 Mar 07
Isn't it SOOO sad how we can't trust anyone anymore? What a great man who knew what to do. It's a good thing that man was a nice man. I teach my kids all the time about "bad" people. They are told all the time to stay right with me and IF they ever get lost in a store or somewhere, the ONLY people to talk to are a person who works there OR a policeman or fireman. They are also taught that just BECAUSE the person has on a uniform does NOT mean they are good. They know where a person can touch them and where they can not. It's so hard to parent kids now a days. Used to we could trust people...now it's impossible. Used to, going to a policeman or a fireman was the thing to do...now, not necessarily. :)
Thanks for the story and hopefully everone takes it to heart.
1 person likes this
@mizcheekz (178)
• United States
3 Mar 07
That is such a good reminder. My kids are only 14 months but you bet I will be teaching them this as soon as they are old enough to even reach the doorknob. I have to admit it is sad that we have to be so strict about something like that but in this day and age, it's a must. It's unbelievable how many wackos are out there and ready to harm our children and steal our belongings.
1 person likes this
@jaanhvimittal (78)
• India
3 Mar 07
yes u r totally rite
and i think its very nice to share such things with all of us
when i was a child my parents used to teach me that i dnt have to open the doors to anyone
my mom is also working so she always taught me not to open the dors to strangers or salesman
my neighbours are very gud they always take care of that who is knocking at our door
1 person likes this
