Do You Have Relatives That "Walk In?"

[arielsleepingbeauty]

My mom lives close by and she comes over alot, but she will call from down the street and ask if we are home. My dad ususally will come on Saturday mornings. He has the key and sometimes we are still sleeping. He will unlock the door and usually i hear him and end up coming downstairs. If no one is awake, he will just leave whatever goodies he has brought us and then leave.
When we do have parties and there are tons of cars it really does bother me when people ring my doorbell. Obviously we are expecting them so why won't they just come on in. I don't mind people just coming in when they are expected to be coming. I love company so it's not a big deal.

 

[4cruisin]

I would never just walk into someone's home (family or friend) without being told to nor would I appreciate anyone just walking into my home without being told to. Period!

 

[txSleepingBeauty]

My brother and SIL only live about a mile and a half away, but we always call before we come over (brother doesn't care but my SIL does and don't want to step on any toes). Usually when I get over there I'll either let myself in with my key or just walk in. That way the dog doesn't bark and wake up the kid ( and because my brother is just too lazy to get up and answer the door).

Now I have been known to go over there when they're not home and let myself in just to escape the craziness of my own house....as far as I know my SIL is ok with that

 

[Keli]

My golden retriever sees to it no one besides Ashli, Matthew, Dh and I walk into our home without knocking. She's much more protective than most goldens. Actually she's just scared, poor thing, but I think she would bite if someone invaded her home without one of us there to correct her behavior.

I walk into my parent's home without knocking and all my siblings do too. I have noticed that my BIL's and SIL's do tend to knock if they come to my parent's home without their spouse. My dh usually just kinda knocks on his parent's door as he's walking in and calling "Hey Mom" at the same time. I always knock and wait if I am by myself though. I don't think they'd mind at all if I did the same thing dh does but it just doesn't feel right to me.

 

[BeNJeNWaFFLe]

No one just walks into my house. But that is because it is always locked. And you would deny the dog the pleasure of hearing the doorbell if you did.

I wouldn't like it if people were to just walk into my house. I like to have say over who is in my house and who isn't. DBF's front door is usually open and he tells me to just walk in but I can't. I feel too weird. It's not my house. Even if I had a key, I would still knock and wait for someone to answer the door.

 

[dcgrumpy]

yep all the time. However we don't use our front door everyone comes in the back. Now that DH is redoing the sun proch there's no way to even get in the front door. Most people will knock on the back door but we can't hear it since there's a mudroom there. When we don't answer everyone but my BIL will come in the mudroom and knock or call out to us. BIL just walks in. The other night DH wasn't home and I had just gotten out of the shower, luckily I had dressed before I came downstairs. Poor guy would have been traumatized for life, LOL.

 

[Chattyaholic]

(Is not-locking-the-door another of those regional things, like not having fences?)

Yup! No fences here, except to keep the cows in the pasture!!!

People leave their doors unlocked, and leave cars parked in the driveway with keys in them.

 

[KRIS10420]

We have a cute little sign above our door that says "Friends welcome, relatives by appointment". Actually our (DH & I) families live at least two hours away from us so we usually know when they will be arriving and meet them at the door or as they are getting out of their vehicle (cause we're so happy to see them). With our friends however, we insist that they just walk in and make themselves at home. After your first visit to my home you are no longer considered a guest, Mi casa es su casa. If it were a time that I wouldn't want to walked in on (ie: home alone in the bath or ?) then I lock my door. I would never just walk into someone else's home unless I had prior permission like both our parents houses and a few friends.

 

[binny]

We have a cute little sign above our door that says "Friends welcome, relatives by appointment". Actually our (DH & I) families live at least two hours away from us so we usually know when they will be arriving and meet them at the door or as they are getting out of their vehicle (cause we're so happy to see them). With our friends however, we insist that they just walk in and make themselves at home. After your first visit to my home you are no longer considered a guest, Mi casa es su casa. If it were a time that I wouldn't want to walked in on (ie: home alone in the bath or ?) then I lock my door. I would never just walk into someone else's home unless I had prior permission like both our parents houses and a few friends.

Thank you! I am always a minority on these threads LOL.


We would know if it were a stranger at the door because our Golden would bark, if its one of our friends who she knows she just kind of looks at them like "did you bring me anything or are you willing to pet me? No? then move along"

 

[lowie]

we used to have problems with my in-laws walking in. nearly gave my dh a heartattack when he came down the stairs, fresh from the shower and there they were on the couch! luckily he was dressed, but he has vision problems and didn't see them so he was double startled!

we always keep the doors locked, they had a key. but no more, we changed the locks and didn't offer them a new key!

 

[lowie]

My parents walked into our home once, too bad we were doing the naughty in the middle of the living room at the time. They now call before they come over.

 

[Beth76]

My parents and sister will walk in if they are expected and my door's unlocked. It's unlocked because I'm expecting them. Go figure. I will walk into my parents and sister's houses if the garage is open and I'm expected. I knock, open door and say "Hello!" My in-laws live 4 hours away and don't know where we live so we don't have to worry about them.

 

[T1130]

My inlaws would walk right in. But I lock the door just to **** them off.
When I was on my honeymoon they would bring friends and relatives over to give them a tour of my house. I changed the lock and never gave them a key.

 

[lulugirl]

Our doors are always locked, so it's never been an issue.

 

[ozarkmom]

My parents walked into our home once, too bad we were doing the naughty in the middle of the living room at the time. They now call before they come over.

Okay now that's one time I'd lock my door!

 

[CinderellaIam]

If the front door is open, with just the screen/storm door closed...then everyone we know from family to friends and neighbors knows they can just walk in. We love having people drop by. If we are indisposed in any way or not in the mood (sick) for company we just lock the front door and everyone knows to ring the bell or knock. Except my sister, if she sees the door is locked and knows we are home she lets herself in with the key we gave her for emergencies. The last time she did this she caught SO and I in an embarassingly underclothed embrace. SO very calmly asked her if the house was on fire, she stammered NO. He said then maybe we need to discuss what an emergency key is for. She stammered a little more and said, uh, no, you can bet your life that unless your house is on fire, flooding or someone calls me to come running over, I will never use my key again!! lol

Forget about our dogs warning us that company is coming up the drive way, they love everyone, including strangers and just sit there wagging their tales!

 

[vsimeone]

My parents don't knock and none of DD18's friends knock. We live in the region with no fences and no locked doors. We only lock them when we aren't home or at night when we go to bed. DD's friends always call ahead to make sure DD is there but they don't knock when they get here. And Dumb Dog could care less! In fact, he's estatic when her friend comes that occasionally dog sits him - he's happier to see her than he is to see us!

The house will be quiet here next month when DD leaves for college. No teenagers traipsing in and out all day. I imagine it won't be long though before DS15's friends start invading the house though!

 

[Stitchfans]

My family knows it's ok just to walk in and I do the same to them. Of course we know ahead of time when anyone is coming since we don't live that close to each other.

Same for our frig. They all know to just help themselves. AGAIN I do the same at their houses.

 

[Spoisal]

I HATE IT HATE IT HATE IT HATE IT! My Aunt does this to us several times a week. Here is the problem - she use to be my child care when I worked, so she had a key to get in if she needed to for my kids. Now I am a SAHM & she no longer needs the key - but she uses it ALL THE TIME - I mean ALL THE FREAKIN' TIME! Can you tell this is an issue for me lately?
I can't say anything to her - she would take it very personally.... I just don't know what to do about it! By the way - I would never do it at her house - I don't even 'drop by' without telling her I am coming.

 

[Micca]

I'd rather no one just walk in. If I am expecting a family member at 5pm, then it's ok for them to come on in. If they just happen to be in the neighborhood, they can knock and wait for me to let them in.