Mamas & Papas -
Our clever little boy can open and unlock the side door, exterior door and screen door at grandmas house and let himself into her backyard yesterday. I need some suggestions on what we might use for childproofing. The side door and exterior door are both wood, the screen door is metal. Presently the side door has a door knob protector and a latch and chain.
Another point of concern is the chain link fence gate which separates the driveway from the sidewalk. DS can nearly override the gate latch on this one.
What's more, he's gotten tall enough and strong enough to pull open our metal apartment door, (with metal door jamb). Any suggestions on how to deal with this one? A neighbor had her 3 year old found wandering in the street in the middle of the night when he climbed a chair and undid the locks and deadbolts. She was fast asleep, and assumed he was as well. Don't want to face that sort of awakening.
Ideally, he would be constatntly supervised, and could be taught not to go out without an adult's company. He's fast, and my parents unfortunately less so. I'd like to put the devices in place so that he can be safe from cars and strangers while he learns these lessons.
Thanks a bunch,
F. B.
put doorbells on all the doors. when the door is opened a chime sounds. my daycare provider has these on all of her exit points.
http://www.amazon.com/Heath-Zenith-Wireless-Entry-SL-6168...
http://www.amazon.com/Door-Monkey-Childproof-Pinch-Guard/...
Install locks that require a key to be opened from both sides. Yes, it's an extra step, but there's no way he's getting past that. If you can't do that, invest in an an old school door chain lock.
Also, if you can, put a baby gate (or 2) up in front of his bedroom door or in the hallway, so he can't make his way to the front door & open it.
For the yard gate, can't they just put a combination lock on it? He can't get past that. Would they be willing to put in a more heavy duty gate, that locks at the bottom, into the ground?
IMO, most of the "baby proofing" gadgets out there are useless or easily dissected by a small child. I wouldn't waste the money on any specialty products, personally.
We have a 5 year old who has opened the windows and pushed the screen of right after a snow storm and went out the window in nothing but a diaper. He took a blanket of course. He can get out of the house in a flash. We put screws in the window frames to keep the windows closed. We had to put so many safety things in. I don't want him to be trapped in the house in any emergency so I make sure that all my neighbors know he can't open his windows. If they see something going on they know they will have to break out the windows. The same thing like when you look at a car window. They often have stickers that say that door has child proof locks. That way if the child is trapped in a car the person trying to save them knows they really can't open the door from the inside.
I was at the point of sleeping in the living room to make sure he didn't sneak out the front door.
I finally say hubby down and we talked about options. He suggested we get a chain lock for the front door. I told him that the little guy only had to get something to climb on and he could slide it sideways and get out.
We decided to put the chain lock up and down with the little knob being able to fit in the hole then slide down automatically. That way it would be a little harder for little fingers. Then we added a key lock to the top. Both hubby and I carry the key to this little lock on our body all the time. If push came to shove my door is not very strong, it's a mobile home door, it is hollow. So if one of us needed the door opened in an emergency and the key was not on us we could easily break the slide part even when the lock and chain are on it.
I added a post to show what kind of lock I am talking about. I sometimes don't describe what I am talking about well.
http://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hardware-Hardware-Fastener...
Again, we put the part the little knob slides into to lock facing up and down, not sideways like this picture. Gravity made it slide down to where it was locked.
One Step Ahead is a catalogue/web site that's always good for safety equipment, etc.
.
we have little plastic alarms that tape to the door and wall if they open we know about it loud and clear! I am guessing this would be a good option for you
On our wooden doors we used a simple eye and hook latch way up on the top, so even if a child stood on a chair they would be unable to reach.
On the latches on the gates for the fence, we use a combination lock.
I agree with the door alarm. You can find them at lowes for about $8.
I wish I could remember the brand, but a friend of mine got door buzzers, and when they were turned on if the door was opened it would let out a horendous noise.
We actually put a lock - no memory today not sure what it is called - the kind with the notches that slips ito the tube on the frame on the top of the door and then you rotate it down to latch it. Adults can reach it, little ones can not. You may also want to consider a deadbolt that needs a key to open the lock.
Any home improvement or hardware store sells door alarms. When the contact is compromised--alarm noise.
As for the chain link gate--what about a padlock?
