Why Providers Should Have Locked Doors

[sharlan]

http://www.ocregister.com/news/child...e-firearm.html

[tbutler]

Originally Posted by sharlan

http://www.ocregister.com/news/child...e-firearm.html

If my state required me to keep the doors unlocked to my home, they would just have to write me up each visit for locked doors. I'd rather have a write up than a robbery, injury, etc. Glad no one was injured. But I'm sure this really affected everyone involved badly. This incident could be the reason to present a change in the minimum standards to the child care licensing office of the state.

[PitterPatter]

Originally Posted by sharlan

http://www.ocregister.com/news/child...e-firearm.html

Yep perfect example!! That poor woman must have been a nervous wreck and those kids!!! They are probably afraid to go back to daycare now. What a shame.

[mom2many]

Yikes! What a horribly scary ordeal! That poor woman & kids...so glad no one was hurt.

[familyschoolcare]

I lock my front door but then wonder who i am kidding I leave tha back sliding door open for a cross breeze.

[Meeko]

I keep my doors locked. It's allowed in my state.

However, I am going to print off this article to show to any future potential parent who doesn't like the idea my door is locked. I would suggest that those of you who are in states that want you to keep your doors open, also print this off to show the state what a silly rule it is.

[PitterPatter]

Originally Posted by Meeko60

I keep my doors locked. It's allowed in my state.

However, I am going to print off this article to show to any future potential parent who doesn't like the idea my door is locked. I would suggest that those of you who are in states that want you to keep your doors open, also print this off to show the state what a silly rule it is.

Great idea Meek!

I needed this last yr when DCM would go to leave at drop off and the door was already locked. She would say "geez paranoid much?" I bet she would sing a dif tune seeing that article printed!

[Kaddidle Care]

We're locked with a buzzer that has a camera on it. Safe Sanctuaries here.

It is serious business to keep things locked these days. The less people have, the more crime you will see. Be on your guard.

He would have been sorely disappointed with me - there are times when I have a mere $3.00 in my wallet. I don't carry much cash.

[sharlan]

Originally Posted by Kaddidle Care

We're locked with a buzzer that has a camera on it. Safe Santuaries here.

It is serious business to keep things locked these days. The less people have, the more crime you will see. Be on your guard.

He would have been sorely disappointed with me - there are times when I have a mere $3.00 in my wallet. I don't carry much cash.

Cash..........what's that?

[KEG123]

Originally Posted by sharlan

Cash..........what's that?

Agreed! He would have been sad if he came into my house looking for money.

[countrymom]

no cash here either, I live in a small town, where everyone knows everyone so if anyone new is around they sure get looked at funny. We don't like door to door people here, if we get 2 a year, mostly catholic french farmers here. And we don't lock doors here either

[CheekyChick]

Yikes!!! I lived in Irvine for five years and it's one of the safest places on the planet. Scary.

[Crazy8]

I generally have my door locked during the day too but while I don't know the exact details of this case - with the DH coming home it sounds like a day at my house - where DH is working outside, he makes a quick 20 min. run to Home Depot and yup, he'd leave the garage door open while he was gone.. Or my kids are playing in the neighborhood and yup, garage door is open then too. It can happen to anyone, anytime. Scary!!!

sharlan, I am in the OC too! That article just creeps me out! When I saw your link was the OCRegister it caught my eye.

[sharlan]

Originally Posted by LittleDiamonds

I generally have my door locked during the day too but while I don't know the exact details of this case - with the DH coming home it sounds like a day at my house - where DH is working outside, he makes a quick 20 min. run to Home Depot and yup, he'd leave the garage door open while he was gone.. Or my kids are playing in the neighborhood and yup, garage door is open then too. It can happen to anyone, anytime. Scary!!!

Your so right. I was one that NEVER, EVER locked a door unless we were going to be gone for the weekend. I didn't even have keys to our other house, never closed the back slider all the way (so the cats could come in and out).

It wasn't until 1 1/2 yrs ago when the 4 yo, then 2 1/2, started going out the front door at night without anyone seeing him. Now we have the keyless entry that automatically locks.

I posted this because someone had an issue with a parent about having their door locked. She can give this article to that parent to read.

[Michelle]

trying to rob a daycare is a bit fruitless...
We are the lowest paid people in town.
scary story I'm glad i lock my door now!!

[rjskids]

Makes me glad to have a dog! He is wonderful with the families when they walk in and they all love him. But while we are downstairs he keeps the upstairs pretty protected. PLUS my hubby is here during the day (sleeping...but here).

[Koukla]

Thats just so scary... again this is why i am so happy to have a very big dog.

[Mommyto4]

We live in a gated community and even though it's theoretically safe, you never know. I just got a text from one of my DCM's that they've put the local school in lock down because there is an armed robber in the area. My doors are LOCKED!

Lesley

[MarinaVanessa]

Originally Posted by tbutler

If my state required me to keep the doors unlocked to my home, they would just have to write me up each visit for locked doors. I'd rather have a write up than a robbery, injury, etc. Glad no one was injured. But I'm sure this really affected everyone involved badly. This incident could be the reason to present a change in the minimum standards to the child care licensing office of the state.

I agree. There was NO WAY I would leave my doors unlocked during the day. For the convenience of my clients and my customers I got a keyless key-pad entry system and they each have their own code to get in that coincides with their schedule of hours. This way I can keep my doors locked and they each get in. I carry my phone on my person at all times and it alerts me when someones comes into my home so no "surprise" arrivals. Totally worth my piece of mind and deffinetely better than having a burgler come into my home and rob me. Poor kids ... poor woman.

[Michelle]

Originally Posted by MarinaVanessa

I agree. There was NO WAY I would leave my doors unlocked during the day. For the convenience of my clients and my customers I got a keyless key-pad entry system and they each have their own code to get in that coincides with their schedule of hours. This way I can keep my doors locked and they each get in. I carry my phone on my person at all times and it alerts me when someones comes into my home so no "surprise" arrivals. Totally worth my piece of mind and deffinetely better than having a burgler come into my home and rob me. Poor kids ... poor woman.

where do you get door locks like that?

[MarinaVanessa]

I ordered mine from Amazon (Schlage Link) but you can get them from Lowe's and I'm assuming from Home Depot and other home improvement stores. It's a pretty penny and set me back a couple hundred dollars but we were having daytime burgleries in my area of a ring of people being dropped off by a van and these people were just knocking on doors and if not answered they would try unlocked or opened doors, windows or garages. Sometimes they would go into the backyards and break windows to get in. A few times people were home and just didn't answer the door. If someone did answer the door they would ask for some random person and apologize for getting the wrong house

The only thing about the lock is that you have to have internet access and pay a $9 a month service fee to be able to use it's full features like scheduling specific times that the lock will work for each code. I deffinetely thought it was worth the money and hey, it's a business expense. I'd rather be safe than sorry. I really worry about some of the ladies on the forum that aren't allowed to lock your doors during DC hours .

[Michelle]

is there a special code for the fire department? I am cleared through them because I have a large.
I would assume no, because thieves could easily get that number.
I wonder if I get one and I just go to my fire department and give it to them, and my licensing rep... but set it only for daycare hours?
probably wouldn't work in an emergency, they will just bust through the door anyway..

[MarinaVanessa]

Originally Posted by Michelle

is there a special code for the fire department? I am cleared through them because I have a large.
I would assume no, because thieves could easily get that number.
I wonder if I get one and I just go to my fire department and give it to them, and my licensing rep... but set it only for daycare hours?
probably wouldn't work in an emergency, they will just bust through the door anyway..

I was going to recommend that you just call the fire department up and set up a code just for them (you can set up codes that work 24 hours a day) and give each parent their own code that works for their hours only but then I thought about exactly what you said and how they always just end up busting the door down anyway lol. Each parent here has access and their own code based on their child's schedule. Totally awesome too if you're away from home and a family memeber needs to get in or even a contractor (if you're having work done). If you have a smart phone they have an app that comes with the monthly service where you can lock and unlock your front door from your phone. We went to Vegas a few weeks back and were already on our way when we realized none of use remembered whether we locked the door or not. I just logged into my app and checked, nope ... left in unlocked. Push of a button and locked it (we were 2 hours away). We were also able to set a code up for our house-sitter and just deleted it when we got home. Really something that DC providers should look into.