How do you help a 6 year old realize that he can't open the door every time someone knocks??

Question

especially if mom or dad or another adult aren't right there where we can see who is there, or even if it is a delivery person not to open the door without one of us there?

Serious answers only no bashing retarded or idiotic answers please. Thank you

Answer 1

when me and my sister were little my mom installed a dead bolt high up where we couldn't reach it.

he is six years old, so he should be able to sit down and have a somewhat serious conversation. i'm not sure if you've talked to him about "stranger danger" but this would be a good time to tell him that the person on the other side of the door is still a stranger, and he is not allowed to speak to strangers. explain to him that only if mammy or daddy are right there with him it is ok.

maybe use some special signal or word that only you and him use to let him know it is ok to open the door. that way he knows unless he hears, or sees that signal he is not allowed to open the door by himself.

you don't want to scare him too much by telling him terrible stories, but explaining to him that not all people are nice people, and some people come to the door with intentions to hurt other people would be ok. if you scare him too much, he may not be able to sleep, or may be in constant fear (which you obviously don't want) you just want him to be cautious.

Answer 2

Do some role-playing with him.   First, pretend you're a stranger and ring the bell.   When he answers it, act out being a "bad" stranger who wants to come into the house and steal the television.  This will not scare him as much as if you pretended you were a kidnapper, but it will give him the idea that he should not open the door for strangers.

Then, let him be the stranger.  When he rings the bell, you stay inside and call loudly, "Mommy, Daddy, someone's at the door."   And of course you don't open it.   Then, he'll know exactly what to do when someone rings the bell.

Answer 3

Tell him to let you know if someone is at the door and if he lets you know reward him, hope this helps

Answer 4

I had to put a latch at the very top of the door.....that way my children could`nt reach it and they could not  open it. Sometimes it`s for their own safety.. I`ve told my six year countless times not to open the door to strangers while I`m in the shower, or don`t run out while Im in the shower. They always do. With the latch there, they can`t.

Answer 5

put a lock near the top of the door so only you can reach

Answer 6

Try to talk to the kid that if he opens the door,that some people can be bad like monsters or something.

Answer 7

you may not be able to convince him. you might just have to put a chain lock up high until he is mature enough to remember the rules. my friends son is autistic, and has opened the door and let me in (the first few times I came over) when his mom is in another room. My daughter let the water man in while I was in the shower one day (she was like 5)!! My 2.5 year old has figured out the deadbolt, so I had to put another lock like 18 inches from the top of the door...now the door opens about 2 inches, but he is safe in the house unless an adult lets him out.

Answer 8

Do the Role-Playing thing, but have someone that he doesn't know be The Stranger (or someone wearing a disguise). You will know that your son is completely safe, but he will won't know "it's just for practice". It will drive home the fact that opening the door REALLY IS DANGEROUS. This sounds drastic, but at this age he needs something drastic that will make an impression on his Long-Term memory.

Answer 9

My 4 year old did this too, open9ing the door to the mail man.

I explained to her that she CANNOT answer the door herself, only mommy or daddy can because there could be a scary/bad person at the door that would take her.

After my lecture, she hasn't opened the door again!!

Answer 10

Besides sitting down and having a serious talk, im not sure?

Maybe put a "high" lock on it?

explain to him that someone could come to hurt you guys and unless you know who is there he shouldn't be opening it

Answer 11

I would tell him about the stranger who would come and hurt everyone else in the house; how this stranger will put a hankie with sleeping medicine and grab you and never to see your parents or families again. If that still doesn't work, I would tell him, he'll never see his bed, games and everything that he has right now.. or better yet, once the stranger get you, he'll put you in cage with a cut-out tongue that no matter what you do, scream as much as you want, no one can hear you.. This is a true story what they do to kidnap little children who wonders away from their parents in some countries.. That's a fact.. Its sad but true..  My 6 yr. old son doesn't open the door or peek on the window, bec. things like this, we should already started telling them at a much younger age than 6..  Anyway, good luck..

Answer 12

If you have talked to him on many occasions, you may be better off gettin an extra lock higher on the door(dead bold). Tell him that when he starts to wait for you to give him permission to answer the door, then you will leave it unlocked. Make sure you have one last talk 1st on how you love him, but he is not able to open the door for everyone: strangers, etc...