My almost two year old knows how to unlock both locks on the back door now. The back yard is fenced in but I dont want him just running out side any time. Any ideas on how to keep him in. We tried the chair under the door knob and he moves the chair! Its a heavy wooden chair even.
Thank you for all the wonderful ideas! For now I put a cover on the door knob although the door does not click shut,the door can be just pulled open when it is unlocked. He hasnt figured this out yet! He cant get it open with the door knob cover. He will eventually figure that out,then we will get a latch for up higher.
N. - a simple chain link or hook and eye at an adult level works every time.
Good Luck!
D. in milwaukee
Hi N.
Check out this product. We purchased this product to keep our son from opening the doors and getting outside. We LOVE it. I think it is better than the change locks (kids can still open the door a little bit and get their fingers slammed in the door). They also have them for sliding doors. I believe that we bought ours (we got two, one for the front door and one for the back door) @ home depot.
http://www.thedoorguardian.com/
Good luck and hope you find something that works for you.
have you thought about getting a chain lock placed at the top of the door? that way its high enough to where he can't reach it to unlock it. Safety 1 also has things to put over the door knob to make it harder to open. I'm not sure how well they work since we have never used them, but I have seen them in the baby section. We have a gate in door way of our door now since the older one's tend not to close the door all the way (we don't have a screen door) and the little one pushes it open and crawls out. it's kinda a pain to crawl over the gate to come in and out of the door but it does the trick.
you might put a screw in hook & eye latch at YOUR head level. This means that no one can get in and you'll have to answer the door when DH or others arrive, but at least the your little one can't get out. We had to do this when our older 2 were young to keep them in.
If it is a sliding glass door take a piece of wood or better yet a shower curtin rod (tension set) at the top of the door. That way it is out of reach from your child. Also put a bell on the door. Tieing it to your handle, so that way you at least hear him exit and can teach him right away that it is wrong.
Another idea is getting a book on safety. Even at a young age books are great for teaching them right and wrong.
Good Luck and it will get better. Find what works and stick to it!!!
We moved into a new house when out daughter was just over two and all of the handles on the doors were levers so she just had to push down on it. We installed latches at the top of our doors they are similar to what a hotel uses, like the updated version of a chain lock. I had to special order them from home depot beacause I needed brushed nickel to match. On the patio doors we bought locks that are installed on the side of the door at the top. You pull it down to unlock and push it up to lock, also from home depot.
We have latches on the top of our doors that only adults can reach. Especially with our winters, I agree that it's important they don't go outside whenever they feel like it.
The house we just purchased has chain locks on the front and back doors because their 3 year old used to open the door locks and the door as well. That's my suggestion. Good luck!
we put a hook lock very high up on the door (screen door locks on the screen doors)
then we have repeatedly said, no no doors are for grown ups...
Saftey First makes doorknob covers that allows adults to open doors but not little ones. These were very effective for us, and even kept alot of adult guests from easily getting out too! You can find these at Target, Walmart,etc.
We put a chain lock up high on our doors.. One that even if he is in a chair he cann't reach.. It is added safety as well as keeps him in... I also have a child safty fence on my door if you want the door open to alow fresh air in..It is more like a gate.. No matter how hard they try they can't get it open.
