SAHMs, do you answer when someone knocks on your door?

[Anonymous]

We moved to a new neighborhood recently that I'm not feeling entirely safe in yet. We don't have a peephole in the door, so if someone knocks I have to look out the window... but then they can obviously see that I'm home. Our large dog and 3 year old also go crazy when someone knocks. I feel rude not answering when someone knows that we're home, but I'm also worried about keeping my very pregnant self and 3 year old safe. This didn't seem to be an issue in my old neighborhood, but between yesterday and today 3 different men have come and knocked on the door. During a recent thunderstorm in the evening while DH was home, someone knocked on the door - the dog went nuts - and when he answered it, there was no one there which was also strange. So, SAHMs, do you answer the door if you don't know who it is? If it matters, it's a townhouse community in Herndon.

[Anonymous]

No I don't.

[Anonymous]

Why is your query only to SAHMs? I work FT, but I no longer answer the door unless I know the person knocking. We live in a SFH in MoCo, but having been the victim of a burglary (at night, while we were home) I just don't take any chances. The police who responded to our break-in asked if we'd had any solicitors recently and told us that sometimes thieves will use this as a way to scope out opportunities.

[Anonymous]

I don't. But it's because I'm usually hanging out in my nursing bra! lol

[Anonymous]

Get a peephole!

We used to have a recording of two big dogs barking and as kids, if we were home alone we'd play that if a stranger knocked at the door.

I only open the door to a stranger with my foot behind it. Your feet are much stronger than your hands.

[Anonymous]

I'm not a SAHM, but I never answer the door. It is a carryover from the rule when we were growing up, that we never answered the door if my parents were not at home, and actually, even if they were home, they answered the door most times; we really never did. Nowadays, unless I am expecting someone, I do not answer the door. If my DH is at home, he answers the door or I just let the person leave a note or whatever. If I am at home I am not "receiving callers" unless I am dressed and ready; if I am just schlepping around the house, I don't want to be interrupted or have my neighbors see me in my schlep clothes, etc.!!

[Anonymous]

Our dog goes crazy too so I feel safe having him there. I would either not answer or talk through the door to the person.

[Anonymous]

The dog is a very good deterrant. If anyone is scouting your house, they'll probably move on.

You can always call through the door. "Who is it?" And if they're not someone you want to talk to, just say "Sorry, we're not interested."

On the Hill, strangers are usually selling something or offering "good news," but once it was a new neighbor who had locked himself out and just wanted to know how to get around to the alley behind our row of houses, and once it was a guy just letting us know there was a car with its lights on parked in front of the house (wasn't ours, but nice of him to try). People aren't all bad.

[Anonymous]

My husband travels a lot so I am hope with the kids. I got a "no soliciting" sign which has helped - no strangers knocking. I still am cautious about who I open the door for - neighbors that I know...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get a peephole!

We used to have a recording of two big dogs barking and as kids, if we were home alone we'd play that if a stranger knocked at the door.

I only open the door to a stranger with my foot behind it. Your feet are much stronger than your hands.

This would not work for us b/c our door has a vertical pane of windows on both sides of it, so people can see in. So, if the doorbell rings and we are not expecting anybody, we (DD and I) generally stay out of sight of the doorway until they leave. I don't care if they are inocuous or not; I just mostly do not want to be interrupted when I am frumping around the house. I work long hours and have a long commute; when we are finally IN, we are IN and the drawbridge is pulled up.

[Anonymous]

I cannot stress this enough: YOU MUST LET THE CALLER KNOW YOU ARE HOME.

Call through the door, look out the window and be seen, whatever. YOU CANNOT LET THEM BELIEVE THE HOUSE IS UNOCCUPIED.

I never open my door, but I always look out through the sidelight to say no thank you, put it in the mailslot, whatever. There have been quite a few cases of break-ins while non-answering residents were at home. When the initial knock gets no reaction, the criminal thinks the house is unoccupied and breaks in. And then where are you? Stuck in your house with a criminal who, with the charge (if caught and identified) upped from B&E to home invasion, becomes dangerous.

[Anonymous]

Nope.
I have a "No Soliciting" sign and a "Beware of Dog" sign on my front door and then BOD again on the gate across the driveway. The BOD sign I think is the biggest deterrent. I also put up a sign during nap time "Baby Sleeping, Please Do Not Ring Bell" in case FEDEX etc comes by.

[Anonymous]

Nope, I never answer the door. I'm not going to buy anything that they are selling anyway, and I don't feel safe doing it.

[Anonymous]

I think it'd better to let them know I'm home. At my previous house we had an iron decorative storm door which allowed me to open the door and say no thank you. The new house doesn't but I open it a crack, with my foot at the bottom and say no thank you. Also, I peek out the window and if the person is standing right at the door instead of down a step or two I just wave no.

[Anonymous]

So weird. I am home and always answer the door. Sometimes I look to see who it is first but I answer it. Never taught the "rule" to not answer. I feel safe.