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I think I would call the cops. I wouldn't want them in my house, but I'd be worried for them being out there alone. Not sure if I would say anything through the closed door or just wait for the police.

I would talk to them through a closed door, to find out what they needed. maybe not the smartest move, but I'm quite certain that's what I would do given the situation.

First I would call DH downstairs and then I would grab a golf club or something and talk to him through the door.

I would probably talk to them through a closed door, or have my husband do that while I called the police. Without a baby in the house I'd probably say "talk to them through an open door" since I used to be a bit too trusting of people, but with a baby at home, I don't take any chances now.

this just happened a couple of days ago to my husband's niece--she WAS the drunk teen. not the sharpest knife in the drawer. she's clearly just a dumb kid, she isn't violent and I can't imagine anyone feeling threatened by her, but the homeowners called the cops because she was a mess, was trespassing, and wasn't their problem.

True story, I was home alone with our daughter just after we moved into our new neighbourhood, and I was just about to fall asleep myself at about 1am that I heard my doorbell ringing, and not just a single press, it was multiple and in quick succession. It made my dog go crazy, and woke our dd up. I went to our door, but didn't open it since I couldn't see out it. I MAY have lost my cool -- I was freaked out. I screamed through the door "WHO THE F___ IS THERE?" ... I didn't get a response. So then I went to my front window and looked out and opened the window and yelled again, NO laughter or anything. So I called my mom. She calmed me down and told me to call the cops. She and her boyfriend came over and helped me calm down while I waited for the cop to come and check things out.

We figure it was kids fooling around, but since we were new to the neighbourhood and my husband was away for work for the two months I felt EXTREMELY vulnerable. I slept with the lights on for a few nights in the master, and I still three months later leave my outside light on overnight so I can look out the window and see if anyone is there.

They never did it again.

Hmm that's a tough one. That late I probably wouldn't open the door unless I recognized one of my neighbor's kids. I would probably not call the cops unless they were harassing me or damaging my property.

Once a a neighbor's teenage done, who I had never met, came to my door after dark but before 9 pm. He asked to use me phone cause he was locked out. I had to ask him a few questions to decide if he was telling the truth, then I stood on the porch with him while he used it. I was glad I helped him out until it happened again the next day

Call the cops, without question.

Depends if my husband is at home or not. He works a week of nights at a time. If I was by myself, I'd call the cops and lock myself in my room with my boys. If my husband was home, he'd decide. He'd probably yell at them and let our 150 pound German shepherd out to scare them away.

Honestly, I don't think my gut reaction, especially half asleep, would be to call the cops. I would probably talk through the door? Or get DH first and have him deal with it. My coach light switch is inside so that would definitely go on first!

I'd talk to him through a closed door - I definitely wouldn't open the door! I probably wouldn't call the cops though unless the kid was threatening, looked suspicious (ie was pretending to be drunker than I thought he really was, or kept looking over his shoulder as though looking for someone else etc), or if I genuinely thought he would need help finding his way home. Other than that, I'd probably just ascertain what he needed through the closed door and then send him on his way.

As an American, living in the US, with all the mass shootings and whatnot, I'd absolutely not open the door. My husband, as a European, would probably open it, because that's his mindset, he's not worried about getting shot.

@lamariniere: I lived in apartments up until a ye ar ago and I totally agree with you! It is a big perk for sure. Ransoms and solicitors have no access to your front door. They can buzz all they want but people are way less likely to buzz than walk up to knock on an actual door. That said, I would def stay inside and call the cops. I live in a safe neighborhood but that doesn't matter. At 2am after enough drinks anyone can become violent.

We had this happen (no clue who it was but someone rang and banged on our door and ran) and this is what we did. My husband got up and got his bat (our weapon of choice, lol). I went over to stand near our lo's room waiting to see what I needed to do, phone in hand. He looked out the peephole and didn't see anyone. We waited. Nothing happened. We looked out the front windows outside to make sure no one was there. Then we went back to sleep.

If it had continued, we would have called the cops.

I would've called the cops. Mostly because the kid might not be a danger to you but he's a danger to himself. I'd hate to hear that he was hit by a car, fell off a bridge, drowned, etc. I'd want the police to take him home and maybe scare some sense into him.

@looch: This!!! I cant get my head around why you'd all be so scared of a kid at your door. But I guess where my first thought is "is he okay?", yours would be "has he got a gun?". Over here, if someone is going to break into your house or rob you, they're not going to knock on the door first. But in a place where people might have guns - and kids shoot their schools - these things are totally possible. Id be scared stiff, constantly!

I would have had DH checked to make sure he was not hurt/in trouble through a closed door. We would see what he was hoping would happen from this, if he was aggressive I would call the cops, but if he was just a scared/drunk kid I would probably calls someone to come get him to get him off the streets, at 14 that is young.

I will say that a friend's brother was stabbed in a confrontation (in a good neighborhood) he was drunk. and was at a party. He crawled to a house and tried to knock but was losing conciseness and threw an empty propane tank into the glass (did not break, he was weak) but the family heard him and saved his life. This is why I would make sure he was not injured.

If I had been alone I likely would have called the police, not for my safety but for his.

Had DH been there I would have had him help the kid. I work in a university so I see drunk teens/young adults quite often and they find themsleves in all sorts of predicaments where they need an adults help.