27 Month Old Can Unlock and Open Front Door - Best Way to Secure It?

Updated on August 12, 2011
3.M. asks from Chicago, IL
15 answers

My 27 month old daughter just managed to reach the bolt on our front door this morning. The bolt is the only lock on our front door (the knob itself is a lever style and does not have a lock). What can I do to secure the door that won't look like I live in a hotel (i.e. chain, etc...)?

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A.M.

answers from Chicago on

How about one of those baby proofing lever locks?

My sister has one of these on her front door - works great!

http://www.safety1st.com/usa/eng/Products/Home-Safety/Pro...

Good luck.

1 mom found this helpful

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L.R.

answers from Washington DC on

Hmmm. Not sure why a chain on the door "looks like I live in a hotel." That's what we have on all our exterior doors. Not only do they mean your child can't get out, they also mean that if someone comes to the door who seems dodgy, you can crack the door a bit to talk to them, but if the chain's on no one can push the door open from the other side. Nope, not paranoid; it's just that we get solicitors sometime and I don't know who they are or why they're at my door.

Our friends went through the same thing as you and their son ended up out the door and toddling right for the street. They put on chains, high up, the same day. Whatever type of lock or chain you use, do it ASAP.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.S.

answers from Chicago on

we did 2 things. the first was to put a hook and eye way up high on the screen door and also on the inside door. the second was to get this really loud alarm thing. it had a pc that you stick on the door frame and then also one on the door itself. when the two were together it made no noise. but when you turn it on and the doors are opened an ear piercing shreik happened. Some people thought we were nuts but our youngest son had the nickname houdini cause he could get out of any car seat, play yard, gated room etc. we had a sitter when he was 2. we told her put the hook and eye on when you put him down for his nap. she said no I will hear hiim. I said do it anyway. she didn't do it. she put him down. thought he was asleep and left the door cracked. she went to the kitchen with the older children and played a game. a little bit later a police man came to the door to ask if "this child lives here" and had my 2 year old son. He was able to get outside and up the street without her realizing he was even out of the room. a previous poster suggested the gates and those are great for a while. my son figured out he could climb over. we put 2 up and he then lay on his back and kicked the bottom one till it swung out like a doggie door. sigh.......You have to do what ever it takes to keep your child safe. in our case that was putting an extra little safeguard up high. good luck

1 mom found this helpful

T.L.

answers from St. Louis on

Put a lock up high by the top of the door. Even if it is just a hook and eye lock that should keep the door shut.

1 mom found this helpful

J.G.

answers from San Antonio on

Ha. I was going to suggest a chain!

Is he an escape artist? My son can also unlock and open the front door (same type of lever). But I don't have anything on it. I just watch him and teach him what's acceptable and not. Of course, if you are worried about the middle of the night, or when you are showering or cooking in the kitchen, then yes you do need something. You know your kids. Adding a bathroom-type lock or a chain up high won't look too bad, imo. It's worth it if it means your child doesn't go outside and get hit by a car.

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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

Well....

The most basic is a 'flip lock' on the very top corner. But if she's a monkey, she'll just drag a chair or table and just climb on top (my nephew got out the front door 3 times in the middle of the night by dragging furniture to the front door and unbolting everything).

If that's the case, you'll probably need to lock her in her room at night. Putting a lock on a bedroom door of a child is HIGHLY illegal (CPS removal of children illegal) in most states. So the end run around that is 2 dog gates or 2 baby gates stacked on top of each other across her bedroom door.

But step 1 is a flip lock on the top corner of the door.

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S.W.

answers from Amarillo on

Every child tries this. I had a door bell wrong early Sunday morning to discover that my child and the dog were wondering around the neighborhood and a neighbor brought him back. She said she saw the front door opened and thought that is where he came from. We did go out and buy the chain security lock and put it out of reach until the escape phase was over.

I wouldn't care if I did look like I lived in a hotel or what as long as my kids are safe. Everyone knows why there are there no big deal. You know your kid(s) are in the house where they belong and not on the street getting hit or stolen.

The other S.

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J.D.

answers from Phoenix on

If your child can get out, they can also figure out getting a chair and reaching a higher lock, right? I like the alarm idea.

My son knows how, but I lock him in his bedroom at night with a door handle lock on my side of the door. We also have a safety gate he doesn't know how to open if he figures out his door lock.

During daylight hours, I just keep it locked and keep an eye on him.

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C.T.

answers from Denver on

I installed one of those little flip locks, a small hotel lock basically. It's only about 1" x 2" so it's hardly noticeable. Purchased at Home Depot for around $2. I also installed one on the door to the stairs going down to the basement. They definitely work. It's not like it will keep someone strong enough to break in the door from coming in, but the maids couldnt get through it when we left it latched.

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202799699/h_d2/Pr...

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A.S.

answers from Dallas on

We have a double key dead bolt on our door. The kind that the lock is on both sides and you need a key to unlock regardless of which way you are entering through the door.

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M.M.

answers from Washington DC on

We had to put a lock up on top where our little guy could not reach it. Then he would move the chair over to get it.
So then we put bells on the front door. We have antique sleighbells .
My neighbor had an alarm on her doors.

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A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

You can get lever child locks at onestepahead.com. I would get one so that even if she unlocks the door, she can't open it. The other concern is that doesn't prevent anybody from then coming in the house so you either need another lock or type of lock or lock/handle combo. She is also old enough to do time out for messing with the door.

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

You can get O. of those sound alarms that will go off if the door is opened.

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M.X.

answers from Chicago on

you can install a bolt that goes on top of the door. It bolts into a bracket on the wall above it. That way she can't reach it and the same time the door will stay closed.

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J.S.

answers from New York on

My son learn how to unlock and opan the door at 21 months. For awhile i put the baby gate up right in front of the door. That worked for a while but got to be to much so then i would tell him that that is a no no and he is not to go by the door unless he is with mommy or daddy. And after a few times in time out and mommy telling him no he dont touch the door unless i tell him to.
Or see about geting a chain for the door and put it up high.

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