Privacy for parents.

I read a book about a boy whose father put a bolt on the parents’ bedroom door, so it could be locked from the inside. Being too prudish to explain why a mother and father might want privacy, the father said it was to keep burglars out if they were broken into during the night. So the boy grew up thinking his dad was a coward who would leave the children to face an intruder while the father hid safely in his locked bedroom!

If you have the right kind of door handle, this is a simpler and more discreet method for stopping kids barging into you’re your bedroom:

Tightly grip the circular plate that sits flat against the surface of the door. Turn it anti-clockwise – it may take a firm grip and a fair amount of force to get it turning. After many turns the door handle or door knob assembly will come away from the door.

Now, remove the squarish bolt that goes through the door and into both handles – make sure you don’t lose it!

While the bolt is out, the door cannot be opened. The door will not look any different from the outside, but if someone tries to open it, the handle will turn around and around without any effect.

To open the door, simply reverse the procedure, making sure to screw the assembly back tight.

This can also be used to lock naughty kids in their room. Of course, as they grow up, kids may cotton on to this technique. Who knows, they might even try using it to lock you in. so it’s prudent to keep a spare bolt hidden away.