My 2 Years Old Child Can Open Doors with a Child Lock on Them

I agree with everyone who suggested the flip lock... we have those on all the doors that go out side and they are great! Also someome suggested the hook and eye which is what we use on the inside doors where i dont want the little ones getting into... like the laundry room and bathrooms ;o) Good luck!

have you tried the magnetic child locks. they work MUCH better.

as for the front door-we bought a hotel style door lock at home depot. install it really high!

My sister has a son who is autistic, and she has those little "public bathroom" type locks way up high on her doors so that the kids can't reach them. Even a hook and eye would work. They just screw in to the door so they are easy to install. All you need is a screw driver.

Welcome to my world! My 2 year old can get out of anything! If he can't reach it, he stacks furniture til he can.

We now have locking doors on interior halls that we have to pop open with a tiny wire (the lock is on the opposite side...does that make sense?) And we've added combination locks to medicine cabinets and the garage door etc...I swear there are like 4 layers of security leading to each exit. And if he manages to get out the side or back doors, we have combo locks on all gates.

He's fast and smart and curious and can defeat anyhing in the time it takes me to go to the bathroom or do a load of laundry!

We hope he uses this skill for good and not evil in his later years!

Good luck!

I have twin toddlers - boys, at that. They must be BFF's with your son. No, you will not get into trouble if you put child safety locks on everything. You will need to put a surface bolt or a flip lock on all doors that lead to the outside.

Flip Lock: http://www.amazon.com/Door-Flip-Child-Safety-Colors/dp/B0...

Surface Bolt: http://www.amazon.com/Mag-Security-Solid-Brass-Surface/dp...

I am using both of these, and have had no more escapees. LOL! =) Best wishes!

Have you tried a door flip lock? Here's a link for it:

http://www.kidsafeinc.com/product/8705/Door-Flip-Lock-for...

If you install it at the top portion of the door, just high enough so that you have to reach up to flip it open or closed, then your child shouldn't be able to reach it.

Hope this helps.

A simple hook and eye lock out of his reach will keep him from getting the door open. There is also something called a "flip" lock that will keep the door from opening....again, install it out of his reach.

Additionally, it is long past time to teach him that the door is not for him to open. Safety devices may prevent a majority of accidents, but it doesn't teach them to stay out of places where they shouldn't be...or IN for your case.

You may or may not get a follow-up visit from children's services. I find it strange that the neighbors, assuming they knew it was your child, didn't just bring him back to you. If they are concerned about your supervision, then they've probably given that information to the Sheriff.

I hope everything turns out okay for everyone.

Just go to key locks and be done with it. We had to put dead bolt locks on our doors to keep our son from getting out it may cost a few dollars but will be so worth it in the end when you know you can go to the restroom knowing he won't be getting out the door. Also if you do this keep the keys out of his sight kids at this age are very smart..

Ohhhh my my. What a bad mother! NOT! I had the same thing happen to me. My son went ACROSS THE STREET (fortunately it's a quiet neighborhood in a cul de sac, but people do speed) and into a neighbor's unlocked door to play with her puppy. She heard giggling and discovered him. I was doing the laundry, so didn't hear the door opening. I came out and she was standing in the middle of my living room, asking where his mommy was. He thought I was outside, since I'd been outside talking to a contractor earlier that morning. How embarrassing. I had told my husband over and over we needed to get a second deadbolt or something because I knew how smart and capable he was. He thought I was crazy and wasn't going to drill holes in our beautiful door; no way. That day I went out myself and got the supplies. I knew the chain feature would do no good. There is this thing that looks like a door hinge, but is like a manual lock. When you close it, the hinge locks down so the door can't be opened, even if the door gets unlocked with a key or credit card, etc. It seems simple, and it is. It is also inexpensive. We put it high enough on the door where he couldn't reach it, even with his step stools. By the time he could reach it, he was old enough to know why he shouldn't open it. Now I have a second child, and I think it's saved us/her again. Oh, the other thing I bought that I'd been insisting on? A nice peephole - before, we had to look out our small window near the door. Now he agrees it was worth "ruining" our beautiful door. I got all of this at the Home Depot. I'm sure they can help you find it. For interior doors, I'd suggest changing the lock to one where you have to use a pin/key to open it, as they like to lock themselves in. That way, you can keep them out of rooms without them learning about how to get in.

I never tell my kids they are smarter than me...they know it. :-)

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I also recently installed locks way up at the top. I used one that is similar to the others described- it is like a chain lock but it is actually a bar that flips over the door. My 2 yr old is getting way too crafty for my taste too. I agree, we need to teach them not to go outside, but everyone knows children disobey, especially when they are this little.

Just go to any hardware store and tell them you need locks for the doors and tell them the situation: You need to keep your toddler from escaping the house (and the added security is a bonus too). They will be able to help you select something.

I don't know anything about whether you will get in trouble, but I am guessing that you might get a follow up from social services. If you can show them that you have already taken steps to fix the problem and they see the new locks, it would probably help your situation. You certainly aren't the first one this has happened to. Just get on top of the escaping problem, and I would imagine they would drop it after just a little more follow up. Good luck!

You need to put latches on all your doors, and put the latches up HIGH on the door. ie: at least 5-6 feet up on the door. Then he can't reach it.
That is what my friend and her husband did... in their household of 3 BUSY boys. That is the only way, they could keep the boys from escaping to the outside.

What happened to your son, happened to my friend's son too. He can open all the doors and went outside. No one noticed.

The Door Gaurdian! http://www.thedoorguardian.com/

We love it. It's not ugly, fits in the frame -- no need to put bolts in door itself and it opens with one hand.

We ended up with 5 locks on the door when my 3rd child was young. I couldn't do the keys because I was licensed for care at the time and supposedly, the door was to remain unlocked. That was impossible. I couldn't do idshes or go to the bathroom or move through a load of laundry without her trying to wander. The 5 locks slowed her down enough for me to hear the locks clicking. It happened 3 times and I got her back on my own one of those times.

Don't worry about the authorities. They have to check it out to make sure you weren't sleeping in the middle fo the day or drinking on the job. You'll be okay.

We had a dead bolt on the front door, a bar very high up across the sliding glass back door, and a chain high up on the door to the garage when my son was a toddler. They are clever and figuring out how the world works is just what they do. You have to do what you can to slow them down enough to keep them out of trouble. They have no concept of actions and consequences at that age. Thank goodness your son wasn't hurt or kidnapped.

L. D suggested exactly what we installed on all of our doors leading outside. These latches work great. We have it up high so that I could reach it, (I am height impaired hee, hee) but our child could not reach it even with a chair. It is easy to install, is inexpensive and works great..

Hello, Are you using the door handle gadgets? They usually work, but if not, why not put one of the chain locks at the top of the door rather than on the side edge? That way, even if he pushes a chair over to the door, it should be too high for him to unlock. Or how about a dead-bolt with a key? Put the key on your key chain and keep it where he can't find it.
Good luck with your precious little boy.
K. K.

http://www.amazon.com/Mini-Window-Door-Alarm-pack/dp/B001...

These came to my mind, I know everyone said locks but if the locks don't work, then maybe an alarm would at least notify you. These are super easy to install with double sided sticky tape.

There are child looks that lock from the top of the door. Only adults can read them. Good luck.

You poor thing. Install a sliding top lock--it's not too hard. My husband did this immediately after my 3 year old son opened the door to a couple of Jehova's Witnesses--while he was in the bathroom.

Sorry to hear about what happened with your neighbor and the sheriff. Hope things work out.

What we did was installed one of the chain locks towards the top of the door. We only use it to keep my son in so we put it close enough that if my husband comes home, I don't have to run to the door to let him in. He is able to put his hand in through the crack and take the chain off.

I wanted to add a little bit of advice to everyone using internal locks (hotel-style). Whenever you go outside, make sure you have TWO doors unlatched! We have the patio doorguardian on our back door and I was playing in the backyard with my toddler while the baby slept in his crib (I had the monitor). The patio door lock accidently engaged, and we couldn't get in! All doors were latched from the inside so the spare key was no use, and all windows were locked. Thank goodness my hubbie was in town, and raced home with some guys from work. They drilled a two inch hole in the door and were able to get the lock open, and thank goodness the baby kept sleeping. Learned our lesson the hard way on that one!

Try to put a latch out of his reach at the top may be. We have it on all the doors so its safe for all.

put sliding bar locks vertically on the top of the doors. I had to do that with my son. Total fire hazard, but no more than a normal deadbolt lock is.

Home Depot has a child safety lock for front doors in their hardware department for $24. It has saved me so many times when my doorbell rings and the kids run and open the deadbolt. One time I was in the bathroom! It is easy to install up high on the door and will save you many times. It helps me too when strangers are at the door selling things and the kids get to the door before I do. Many of our friends have seen this lock and gone down to Home Depot to purchase one themselves. Good luck!

It sounds as your locks are not so good if 2 year can open. The first thing to worry about is Child safety, not the neighbor or sheriffs. From what you are describing it looks as If i was in that situation i would be very thankful for them to find and bring my baby home safe. There are locks you put on the very top of the door that your child can't reach them. I have a toddler and i know I cant take my eye off of her for any moment. When im taking a shower, its 2 minutes shower, doors locked and my eye is constantly on her and im talking to her and give her books and toys to keep her busy. I hope this helps.
good luck and stay safe