# When toddlers figure out how to unlock doors, deadbolts and all....



## z-girl (Nov 28, 2001)

Help, it's summer and DD (2 years old) loves to be outside. She has figured out how to open the sliding doors (easy) and can reach and open (most of the time) the deadbolts. She knows that we need to go with her outside, but sometimes she really wants to let the dog out, or we're not right there, or....

Help!

Thanks!


----------



## kama'aina mama (Nov 19, 2001)

Hhmmm... tough one, and scary! I would look in some baby catalogues for "childproof" items (What's that one catalogue... First Steps?). Also, if you can't secure the door at least make it loud. Hang a string of bells or something on it that so she can't open it without you hearing it all over the house. At least then you will know what is going on. Another thought is height.... Can you install a lock too high for her to reach and make sure that any step stools, etc that she can use to climb up are put away? And of course keep discussing with her why she should not go out without you. Good luck!


----------



## Erin Pavlina (Nov 11, 2001)

Install a chain at the top of the door.

We also have an alert/chime system so when a door is opened an alarm sound goes off (not too annoying, just right)


----------



## z-girl (Nov 28, 2001)

Thanks for the ideas. Yeah, there is a sliding door childproofer thingy in One Step Ahead that I'm about to order, but that door is the least of my worries- at least DD would be in our fenced backyard with the dog babysitting her! I don't really want to have to put new locks on the doors, and I'm worried that the loud door chimes would be annoying or would wake DD up when she's sleeping if we go in and out, but I might have to do it anyways!

Thanks!


----------



## nikirj (Oct 1, 2002)

We put a simple latch on the top of the door, out of reach of the kids, at my parents' house (they have a pool, it is WAY too dangerous for the kids to have a non-babyproofed door). At our own house, we just have bells on the door - although that may change now that the younger one, who is more an explorer than his older sister, is getting to an age where he will figure out the deadbolt soon.


----------



## USAmma (Nov 29, 2001)

When Abi learned how to do this we installed a new deadbolt that requires a key on both sides to open it. We keep the key on a hook up near the top of the doorframe for easy access. It was the cheapest solution and didn't require us to put any new holes in the door.

Darshani


----------



## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

We had a two way dead bolt onm the fron door and a little cheap hook and eye lock at the top of the screen doors and bathroom.


----------



## feebeeglee (Nov 30, 2002)

Second Darshani's idea. We did the same thing. The trouble it took was far outweighed by peace of mind!


----------



## shanleysmama (Mar 9, 2002)

We've got the same problem. DD can undo the back sliding glass doors, so DH installed a pin. Now DD climbs on a chair to reach the pin, but can't pull it out. Our 3 fence gates are padlocked and the door to the utility room is padlocked so she can't get out to the garage and open the door. The front door deadbolt is really hard to turn, so she hasn't been able to get out that way yet. Unfortunately she can also undo the window locks and push the screens out. *sigh* Chimes are a good idea too! Your DD may wake up a few times if you open the door while she's sleeping, but should get used to hearing the noise and it won't bother her after a while.

Don't use the triangular shaped clips, also used to hang things from belts - they are too easy to undo.

Melanie


----------



## justmama (Dec 24, 2002)

Thank goddess my dd hasn't learned this yet at almost 3 years old. I haven't had to worry about it yet. BUT at her Nana's house they have an alarm system that tells them when a door or window is opened. All you hear is beep-beep-beep. It's not at all irritating and you really do get used to it. She lives on a busy street so it's not at all safe for the little ones. It probably saved her grandson's life one day when he opened the front door and walked out. There was a car comign and I got to the little guy just in time but I would never have known if it weren't for the alarm.
Meg


----------



## z-girl (Nov 28, 2001)

Darshani and Phoebe, I like the 2 way deadbolt thing? Cool! No new holes!


----------



## stafl (Jul 1, 2002)

We have the hook and eye locks way up out of baby's reach on our doors, and hall closet, etc.


----------



## Wabi Sabi (Dec 24, 2002)

Not to be too much of a worrywart, but the deadbolts that require a key can be dangerous in an emergency. Even if the key is always in an easy to find location, imagine how difficult it might be to open in case of a fire! I would panic admidst all the smoke and flames! My grandparents have this kind of a lock on their front door and I've been nagging them about it for years now...

I have a home daycare and have installed simple eye and hook latches on my doors ever since one particularly determined two year old learned to unlock the deadbolt, the regular door lock plus the lock on the storm door. She sometimes will try to reach it with a chair, but she'll have to grow at least 2-3 feet taller before she'll even have a chance


----------



## JuneMama (Aug 10, 2002)

My ds figured out how to undo regular door knob locks right about 15-17 mos old. He figured out the sliding glass door around 18-20 mos old. He's tall, so he's been able to reach door knobs and locks for a long time now. We put a deadbolt up a little higher than normal on our laundry room door, that goes into the garage. The sliding glass door, I bought one of those bolt things at Home Depot that goes into the top of the frame of the door. He's now figured out how to undo the dead bolt on our front door, but hasnt opened it yet. I'm trying to get dh to put a deadbolt up higher on that door also, and soon! He is a little escape artist!


----------



## Golden (Mar 15, 2002)

We have the twoway deadbolt lock too. I agree that in a fire, I wouldn't want to be looking for a key. However, it stills works for us because we just keep the key in the hole and it is too hard for ds to turn. He fumbles with it and tries to turn it, but doesn't have the hand strength to turn it.

Golden


----------



## Scarlet (Mar 18, 2003)

We just put a key lock on the back sliding glass door because we put a 3' deep splash pool in the back garden. Yes in a fire it would be harder to get out, but the simple truth is that your child is much much more likely to die in a pool accident (if you have one) or a pedestrian/motor vehicle accident than a fire. I figure in a fire we would have to climb out the window (our house is single story).


----------



## Clarity (Nov 19, 2001)

beyond safety, it's also against fire code. I was required to remove mine, despite the fact that I left it in unlocked position always, before my adoption home study was approved...in my state it requires a fire/safety inspection by the fire dept.

use a chain, hook and eye, or slide bolt up higher.


----------

