Lock

You buy one of those chain or slide locks and install it higher up where only adults can reach it. It would be cheap and it would be out of his reach.

They have locks that bump up against the door and the floor. You could try using that and see if it helps.

if its not a hollow core dore, I'd put in a hook and latch (forget management!).
ok, let's be adults now..... change the deadbolt to one that has to be keyed from the outside AND the inside. then put the key on a hook that's near the door for if you need to get out in a fire. then, you can lock him in and take the key w/you if you need to use the bathroom. Of course, provide management w/a copy of the key - or maybe management will even do it for you. this is a safety issue and they have to work with you - I'd put it in writing so that they're on notice.

Yeah... I'm thinking I'd lock him in his room! Better that, than him getting hit by a car or kidnapped or God knows what!

Have you tried those thingys that go over the top of the doorknob? I've no idea what they're called, but you have to be pretty strong to squeeze them to turn the knob.

That's a toughy!

Good Luck!

Hi L., I would also change the deadbolt to a locking key inside and out as previous post. If management has an issue with it, that's their problem. This is for your son's safety. Afterall, how long will you live there and how long will your some be your son? Good luck, stay strong.

I know you already found a resolution, but I had the same problem. I was preggo w/my youngest at the time & my 2 YO & I laid down for a nap-him in his crib in the other room. When I woke up, he was playing next to the house at the sewer drain. Thankfully he couldn't fall in! My mom got some noise alarms from her local hardware store & sent them out the next day to me. They don't do anything but make an obnoxious sound, but they kept him inside! I think they can be found most anywhere now, but 6 years ago they were a new novel thing. If you go that route too put them on the top of the door frame so he can't reach them.

I say, forget the management. I don't know if I would change the deadbolt. Coming from a former landlord, depending on where you liveit could be illegal. We added a lock to the top of our doors. It has a latch and a pin. We also added a pin latch to our sliding glass door, at the top. We chose these locks because even if the kids manage to build a tower to reach them, they are a little difficult for them to figure out. If management doesn't like it, explain to them that it is for the safety of children. Also, remind them of any legal ramificaions tat could fall back on them if your child continues to get out and get injured in the process. And offer to patch any holes left behind when you move out. That might help convince them.

I got a lot of mileage out of books on tape and CD when I was showering and neededto keep my toddler nearby. I would just bring the CD player into the bathroom and sing along with it to him, or listen to the story with him while I showred and he played with a couple of toys. I tried to keep the books special and only bring them out for "shower time" so they'd still be novel. The library has tons to borrow. Yeha, I know you'd rather have a shower be a private retreat, but that doesn't seem likely with children at the ages of yours, unless you wait to shower when your hubby is home.
Sorrry about this tricky problem. Would going for more walks, perhaps with your baby in a sling so you can hold your son's hand or play with him, help a bit and get some of his urge to explore out of his system?
Best wishes!

I agree with Althea. He needs to know that it's not okay to open the door. Time outs, yelling and screaming, sending him to his room, whatever he responds best to for training. He needs to be trained not to open the door by himself. Whether you have a second lock or not. If you do put in a second lock, what happens when you forget to latch it? If he's not been trained that opening the front door is a no no, then he's going to try it anyway. As far as other ideas go: Get the child proof door handle cover (sounds like what you've already tried?) and modify it. put some tape under the rubber buttons so it's not so easy to grab the doorknob, then use packing tape (not masking tape) and tape the thing up! Make it so he can't pop it off. Tape over the entire thing so he can't even see the little buttons. Then he won't be able to figure out how to even get the door open. My four year old (almost 5 really) is the only one who has figured those things out, and she is old enough to know not to go outside on her own. But we live in our own house anyway, and have added the lock at the top of the doors anyway. So if you don't want to tick off the management, try that. If it still doesn't work then you have an extremely ingenious child, and you are going to NEED those extra locks! Good luck!

I have been in your shoes many times!!! I have three kids and what one couldn't do to dechildproof another could.

You have a serious discussion with the management. They will be held as responsible in the long run as you with a wandering child because they refused to keep the child safe by adding locks.

We live on a campus right now and I have one of our two doors barricaded (we just moved so the kids can't move the stuff) and the other I only had to wait a week for maintainance to put the chain lock on the door. I told them that if I had a kid get out before they got here to do it I would do it myself since we have had many escapes in the past. They didn't hesitate.

If they fight you then tell them to do a test with you, stand outside the door, lock it like you do, then let them hear you say you are going for a shower (or whatever it takes to get your kid to leave) and then go play like you are doing that thing. when the kid gets out to the management in front of your door, like you said they would the manager should be happy to get you more locks that your child can't get open.

worst case you could threaten something legal.

My name is A. and I am a wanderer. Now I have a DS who carries the same tendencies to wander. At two they have no idea that its a big deal for them to open the door, walk through it and go do something fun outside. Its scary for us though!

My advice is to MAKE IT A BIG DEAL!!!!! (notice the yelling and screaming?) When my kids figured out locks n doors I yelled, screamed, punished and generally acted like a complete freaked out ogre when they opened the front door and left (I'm not a hitter, I just used my voice). It scared them, as it should. I only had to do it once with each and now they don't dare. They always ask if they want to leave. HTH.

WE have put a gate up so that our kids can't get out.

Do what you HAVE to do to keep your baby safe!

Add another lock, and then putty up the holes when you move out of the apartment. Really, your apartment manager sounds like a jerk for sayig that you can not add another one. Some friends of mine had the same problem with their little boy so they bought another lock that latches (like the kind that hotels have in addition to the regular doorknob lock) and they put it way at the top of the door where their son could not reach it. It worked perfectly for them, as long as they remembered to latch it! One time they forgot and their son got up at 6 AM on a Saturday and went outside to dance in the spinklers on the lawn! That little boy has survived to the ripe old age of 9 now and is still getting into trouble every chance he gets (but he is a totally sweety). Good luck, I hope that you can find a good solution.

Hello L.! I had this problem with my daughter when she was 3. Funny, we were just talking about this with someone the other day. Once, I woke up in the morning at the normal time, walked in to my living room and my daughter walked through the front door holding a stick and wearing only jeans. My neighbor two doors down later told me that she heard her a few hours earlier at her door but didn't think to check because she was in bed, too. Ok, now that I have said that you probably won't sleep well at night anymore. We were in an apartment and they had the same rule. I totally broke the rule and put a chain lock on. They said that no lock rule is because they would need access and had the right to that access at anytime and that kind of lock would violate their rights. Well, I pointed out that the only way it would be locked is if I was in there(duh)and that in an absolute emergency, like if I needed paramedics or something, then they would just have to break my door down. It would be far more of an emergency if my daughter was taken by someone or hit by a car and I had rights as a parent to keep my child safe. Seriously, if my child kept getting out and someone had seen that then my child could have been taken away by the authorities. Maybe you should contact someone like child protective services. I know that's not the normal call they would get but you can say, "I am trying to protect my child, this is what's happening, do they have the right to tell me that I can't put a lock on my door?" Also...opening the door and going outside is not the only danger. You child could open the door to a complete stranger putting you both in danger. I did not tell the apartment manager that I put the lock on. I figured that if they ever saw it I would point out all of these things all over again and seek immediate legal help. Search your rights regarding apartment living. I know you have to do what's in the lease but there has to be a way around it when it comes to the safety of a child and yourself. Good luck and keep us all posted!!

Dear L.,
I can remember when we use to be able to sleep comfortably and safely thoughout the night with the doors either open or unlocked. Unfortunately these days we can not. My suggestion to you would to get the dead bolt that you have to lock/unlock with a key. It cost about $25.00 and up at Wal-Mart. You can either replace the dead bolt you now have with this one or drill another hole. They are easy to install and you will be the only one with the key. It may be inconvienant to get use to but I think we can both agree it would be well worth it. Have a blessed day. Teri

Yea, the management really needs to understand how it is in their best interest to let you install a new lock. Make sure to mention that if your son gets hurt outside, they can be liable. But be careful about doing it without them; that could mean you're being sued.

I would get a lever latch. It's very small and you could install it at the top of the door. We had to do this with a grandpa who had alzheimers. He never did find the latch because they are small and out of sight. If the landlord is going to make a stink about that you could always try the penny in the door jam trick. My brothers used to do that to me and I could never get the doors oeded :)

L. O,
My nephew did this same thing last year to my brother after he lost his wife. I stayed with them for a month to help out and get things organized for him. My nephew tried this with me as well and as hard is it, I had him follow me, I showed or bathed at night so that my attention wasn't away from him to long. If I had to use the restroom, he would follow me to the restroom and he would sit there in the hall, generally I had to keep talking to him asking him questions of interest to him, like the zoo animals that he loves or his favorite part of the Berstein Bears Cartoon. This helped him to stay focused on something other than going to the neighbors to play on the remote car they had. Also I noticed that he stopped being so rowdy when I made a schedule for him. He was limited to 2 cartoons a day, he got to choose which one he got to keep out of the list, we had color time which yes was a mess at first but after a week it was great, story time around 11:30 after lunch and then he was ready for a nap. With the youngest being only a year old sometimes our times were off a bit, but we kept the schedule as close as we could. I also stopped giving him ketchup, sweets and koolaid. We had healthy snacks like pickle, crackers, yogurt, apple, orange or something like that. He started drinking a bottle water and before I left he was drinking 2-3 a day. The key is to keep their attention span on why they can't just going roaming around at that age, and really it is a way for them to get attention from you. It doesn't matter if they have your attention for 4 hours at a time, the minute your attention is not on them they act out in a way that ensures it comes right back to them. I work at home and so I was able to take my business with me to my brothers. When I sat down to do my work on the computer my nephew had a chair next to me, he would point and I would tell him what I was doing, not that he understood, but he was still getting my attention even though I was working and talking out loud, when I was working out of my planner and making calls to my team, I gave him his little play phone and he mimmicked me, it was adorable and yet he had my attention and the same time. You will find what works for you but that is how I handled it. Hope you can get something useful out of all that.

My suggestion is not a lock but have you considered door knob covers. I purchased some grip n' twist door knob covers at babies r' us. The company that makes them is Safety 1st. They were inexpensive.

So one day my kids were in the fenced back yard playing and I was in the computer room paying bills. My husband came home and we talked for about ten minutes before he said that the front door had been open when he came home. We started searching the house and found the kids were gone. We searched the neighborhood and finally found them on their way to a friends house. It was a horrible experience but they came home safe and sound. We were renting a house at the time and were in the same situation you are in. The next day I was at Walmart and found a package of two sided alarms. They were small about an inch and a half, and had sticky backs for easy placement and removal. I put one half over the door and one half on the door, and when the two halfs were not lined up the alarm would beep. If the two halfs stayed separated for any length of time the alarm made a horrendous noise. So the next time my daughter tried to sneak out I knew right away that the door had been opened. I also put the others on windows because our house was all ground level and I was afraid that someone might try to come in the window. They worked great. Here is a link for them:

http://www.asseenontv.com/prod-pages/first_alert_alarm_sy...

they are no longer available from that website but I googled the name and came up with several places to purchase them. Good luck!

How about just a chain. Shorten the chain so he can't squeeze through. That is for security and not another lock. They'll never know how much you shorten the chain. :)

you should get one of those baby gates that you dont have to bolt in. put it on the outside of your front door so that when he gets it open he can't get the gate unlocked.
or you could put on on his room door and leave him in there when you need to take a shower or something.
Good luck
R.