Ask:
A post under the gypsy topic about being scouted out got me wondering, How does everyone handle door to door salesmen? What if they are just scouting you out with their stupid product they are selling?
I have a hard time with my girls. I usually don't want to even answer the door, but we have a window in the front room that my girls run to when the doorbell rings. They lift the blinds open to see who is on the porch. If they get to the window I feel like I have to open the door. I try not to open the door very wide, I don't want them seeing into my house. My kids are usually there trying to get out the door and getting me to open it wider so they can see who is out there. I am always trying to push them back out of the way. I don't want door to door people seeing my kids.
I hate it when the girls get out onto the porch with a door to door salesmen. Then I have to call their name to get them to come back. I have a weird paranoya(sp) about calling out their names in public where others can hear.
Am I too paranoid or does everyone else have the same thought
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Luckly, we do not get them often. If we do, I am busy with the kids...
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If I am not expecting someone and I don't know them I just don't answer the door. I also got sick of people asking me if my mommy or daddy was home...and I am 32!
Jen
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When we get salesmen or visitors for that matter, the dog is the first one to run and bark. It usually startles those at the door and we all grab the dog just so she won't run out. I'm the one who steps outside and shuts the door -- with the kids watching by the window.
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I just wanted to say on this we were never allowed to run to the door when someone was there. We weren't even allowed into the hallway. It is something I plan on doing with our kids too. You just never know. If it was someone we knew they would come in the house, otherwise we didn't need to be involved.
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Where we live I doubt we'll ever get anyone like this, even though it is a developing plan. In our old house we never got salesmen either. Sometimes those Jehova's Witness people (I think that's who they were) would come by but that's it. Are there still door to door sales people going around? I just have never seen any. Now when I was growing up we used to get a lot and my mom would make us all hide! The front door was open, with just the screen door shut, and I'm sure you could hear us playing from a house or 2 up the street then all of a sudden you ring the bell and magically no one is home? I'm sure they found that odd!
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We have signs posted at the entrances of our subdivison that state solicitors are not welcome but occassionally we have some who will ingnore the signs. We have a glass front door so if someone comes to the door and we happen to be in sight, I talk to them through the door. If we are not in sight and can play opossum, then that's what we do. I am not opening my door to a stranger while DD and I are home alone during the day. Its just that simple. If its the weekend and neighbors are out and about or if DH is home, I might be a little bit more friendly, but not much.
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I don't get the door, period. I don't even care if my windows are open in my front room and they can see me. I say "No, thank you" thru the screen if I have to. My kids get curious too and run to the window. My dogs go crazy barking though, so I'm happy that these salesmen know I'm not completely alone. I was sitting on my couch one day nursing my youngest a couple of years ago, and this guy came to the door, kept ringing the bell, and I was not about to get up for the door, I had a baby attached to my boob, and this guy walks across my deck and peeks into my front living room where I am sitting and waves at me and points to the door!!!!!!!!!!!!! I glared at him and pointed down toward my infant dd who was nursing and he says..."oh sorry" then he left. Oh I was sooooo mad, I called DH on the phone immediately. I felt like my privacy had been seriously violated!!
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With my youngest- she will yell come in when there is any type of knock at the door- drives me nuts! Anyways- we do have gypseys in our area and I lock the screen door when we are home by ourselves (so no one can force their way into the house when the door is open). It is usually unlocked when DH is home though.
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I have always lived in rural areas and they don't come to the door often. If they see me and are at the door I either talk through the door or open it slightly. I never let them in. We have two large barking dogs that escort me everywhere, which I think scares most people that come to the door. I did once have people once that were wondering around the property with out coming to the door once. It was a good thing that dd was sleeping. I was so scared b/c I was there alone w/dd (before I had two dd's). I loaded our pistol that's how scared I was. In our area then it would have taken the police at least 10 min to 20 min to respond so I was ready to defend myself and dd. They were illegal immigrants looking for work (we were on a ranch) in that area these people are known for stealing and having weapons. I don't know if this was stupid or not but I opened the front door and yelled get off my property. They left thank God. I will never forget it.