Like a key that could use a little turning

[venta]

I've just been reading an article about the threat posed to companies by sysadmins, and the trouble they can cause when they leave. In it, the writer draws the analogy to his own son who, on moving out of the family house, will be required to leave his doorkeys behind: "Just because he lived here does not mean he's entitled to just walk in when it suits him."

Which surprised me. I still have a key to my parents' house, despite having not significantly lived there in a decade. I feel it would be impolite just to walk in unannounced (not to mention impractical - our respective abodes are a couple of hundred miles apart), but in theory I could. When I visit, I let myself in rather than ringing the bell. Occasionally I stay there when my parents are away, though I do ask in advance.

Observation of a limited number of friends in the environs of their parents' houses has suggested that they have broadly similar arrangements.

So, o LJ, tell me what is normal, usual behaviour.

I guess it depends to some extent on the relationship you have with your parents and, possibly, whether or not they've moved since you last lived with them. I have never formally 'moved out' of my parents' house - my bedroom is still notionally my bedroom, and has quite a lot of my stuff in it; I suspect this will change if/when I ever manage to purchase my own residence. How many people do officially 'move out' as opposed to slowly drifting into new routines, leaving their parents' house festooned with junk to be tolerated, delivered in a crate or quietly thrown away. How many people have been relieved of their keys ? Have people been presented with keys to a new parental abode in which they've never lived ?

Comments

[reddragdiva]

When I lived in the same city I had a key to their place. They didn't to mine. But I was round there MUCH more than they were round at mine.

It was basic practicality - trusted person with cause to use it, give 'em a key.

[ghoti.livejournal.com]

I have keys to my mother's (and have used them when she was working odd hours, and thus was probably asleep/out when we turned up- also, her area is dodgy so she doesn't answer the door after a certain time). Colin has a key to his father's, where he has never lived, and we both know the alarm code. This has also been useful. Neither lives closer than an hour's drive away.

Both have copies of our doorkeys, too.

[satyrica.livejournal.com]

I never had keys to my parents' house! There was a key I could take if I's gonna be out late but it always had to be put back once I got in . . . I do still have plenty of stuff there though: mostly in the loft but books in 'my' bedroom, which I still stay in but has been completely redecorated since I left home

[beckyc.livejournal.com]

I have a key, but for a variety of reasons rarely need to use it. I don't knock unless I'm locked out and they're in, but I will announce my presence when arriving.

I have most of my possessions where I live, and I no longer have a room in my parents' house. But I basically didn't have a room since I went to university and was expected to store my stuff at college. College, on the other hand, expected me to store my stuff at my parents' house. That made things Real Fun.

[shrydar.livejournal.com]

I had keys to the parental home I moved out of. After they subsequently moved, they told me under which garden ornament to find the spare to the new place. They don't have keys to my place. I think we left a spare with our downstairs neighbour in England, but IIRC rabbit1080 and I only have two keys between us for where we are now.

The day after I left home, my youngest brother moved into my bedroom. (It was his chance to escape from the bedroom at my parent's end of the house).

[hughe.livejournal.com]

i have keys to my parents' house but i never visit unannounced, even if they are away. if i go there and ring the bell instead of letting myself in they say "have you forgotten your keys?"

my room has since been redecorated as a generic guest bedroom but is still refered to as my bedroom. my brother's room is in the process of having the same done.

[sesquipedality.livejournal.com]

Still have a key, and use it whenever I go to stay at my mothers - ie a couple of times a year.

I don't in any sense live in my mother's house. There really aren't any of my belongings left there.

[mrph.livejournal.com]

I have keys to my parents' place, and (probably) to my sister's house as well.

If I'm visiting my parents and they know I'm turning up at an approximate time on a certain day, I'd let myself in instead of using the doorbell. I probably wouldn't do that to my sister, though.

My sister has keys and alarm codes to my place, too - although I would be a bit surprised if she used them without warning me she was visiting.

[glittertigger]

I have a key to my father's house, which is the house I grew up in. He gave me a new one when the locks were replaced a year or so ago. I do think of it as home and will happily let myself in without checking if I'm in the area;) I've never had a key to any of the houses my mother has lived in. Neither parent has ever had a key to anywhere I've lived since I left home.

[cuthbertcross.livejournal.com]

OK, I seem to be the only one who does this.... but I have keys to my dads house- and when I go round I almost always let myself in but then announce I'm coming in by shouting "heloooo?" or ringing the bell as I open the door.
I did this well before Dad acquired the Girlfriend, it just feels polite to give him a little warning,,,, I did live there for a year 4 years back or so, and still shouted when I came in!