Sorry if my incredibly foul mood shows.  To set the scene - Ella's been going through a horrible phase for the last couple of weeks - if she's at home, she's crying.  If she's not crying and clinging to me, she's emptying every cupboard and draw she can, shifting furniture, and generally grumping away, all while saying "no" a lot.  And I get her all to myself every day, except when I'm at work for those few hours.  So I'm in the middle of telling her off for about the 30th time this morning, as she's climbing over top of my dresser again while I'm spending 20mins just trying to get my hair dry and clothes on.  OK so the telling-off isn't pretty, and then I hear my FIL  IN  the house.  I'm wearing undies, bedroom door wide open (right next to the front door).  I scream, he yells that it's OK 'cause he's just popped in to get his glasses.  By the tone, I think he might have realised why I'd screamed.  Great. 

Thing is - MIL and SIL don't knock - we don't know they've arrived until they step into the lounge.  SIL walked right in to me fresh out of the shower - again, naked.  FIL sometimes calls out - pity today wasn't one of those days.  BIL once just tried to open the door late in the evening, no knocking at all, while we were... ahem.  We also have neighbours who don't knock or call out, just walk in, and again, you don't know they're here until they're in the middle of the house.  I've told people to knock - even kept the front door locked one winter to make them do it.  Obviously it's not working so I need a door sign.  How to word it so it'll get the message through but not be too angry?  'cause let's face it, I'm plain angry about the whole thing so anything I write will come across just so. 

hmmmm, in winter I'm cool with doing that.  Thing is, one season of a locked door didn't learn them any.  In fact a couple of people complained about the locked door, even after I'd told them I had this need for privacy in my home.  We do leave the front door open a lot when it's hot, to get air flow through the house.  The deck it kid-proofed off, and Ella loves playing out there. 

Argh Andie that would piss me off to. I like Debs ideas esp the 1st hehehehe

I had a friend who had the same issue - she ended up getting the kids to make a sign...and then she told everyone that they were teaching the kids about manners and therefore its polite to knock.

I think the sign said something like: "Please knock on our door" and as it was obviously made by the kids it seemed to work! Ella might be a bit little for that though.

Well I think the sign is in the making!  I'll put it up as soon as I get me the chance to make it.  Yes, it has to be styley, not just rude and abrupt!! 

Y'see, we just walk into the in-laws house, as does everybody, and that seems to be the way they like it.  Their house is HUGE and without a doorbell, so you'd be standing there knocking all day before anyone realised you were on the front doorstep.  I don't overly mind if people let themselves in here, just so long as they sing out or knock to let me know there's someone arriving.  Honestly, how many times does a woman (who isn't a nudist, honest!) have to get caught nakey before they get the idea?  Anyway, thanks for the advice and the ranting - feeling much calmer about it all now. 

...and again, you'd think that the amount of nudity my various in-laws have already been accidentally exposed to would have sent them the message already! 

Nah, door sign it is.  I love the idea of kids making one - but don't think I'll wait quite that long! 

OMG how annoying. I know your house and they are mad for walking in like that.