Reddit reviews Seward Trunk College Dorm and Camp Storage Footlocker, Black, 30-Inch (SWD5120-10)

Just get a trunk from amazon and a lock, put the key for the lock on your keychain and you'd be good to go. Put the trunk under your bed and put anything of value in it. Also doubles as storage for anything else that won't fit in a closet/wardrobe.

The one I have looks almost identical to THIS (but wasn't anywhere near as expensive) - /www.amazon.com/Seward-Trunk-College-Storage-Footlocker/dp/B004835DI4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1482100362&sr=8-2&keywords=storage+trunks+and+chests

It'll be a handy way to keep your stuff safe in your dorm-room, too :-)

It sounds like your kids are craving more attention/interaction, which they probably get when they terrorize or destroy the house. I work with special needs kids that have some pretty extreme problem behaviors--tantrums, aggression to other kids and adults, destructive behavior, etc. I had a kid who would make herself throw up if she didn't get her way. This is how you get it to stop:

1. If your kids are terrorizing the house, it likely has 2 motives. 1) To access something they want. 2) To get attention. If they "get into everything," get a box like this or this to keep things safe. These boxes lock with combo locks that young kids can't figure out. Removing that means of getting attention as much as possible will make you and your wife's lives easier since it will be less time spent physically controlling/redirecting your kids from hurricaning through your house.
   
   
   
2. Give tons of positive attention for every single "good" behavior you see. Kid sitting quietly? Hugs/kisses/tickles/small treat (think 1 Skittle or something like that) and very specific praise. "Great job sitting so still and quiet!" If you just say "good job" your kid has no idea why you're saying it. If you praise them specifically for sitting quietly/following directions/helping mommy/etc. they will eventually know exactly what you want them to do if you tell them to sit quietly/do [instruction]/help mommy and do [instruction]. Kids want attention, and giving it to them when they do good/appropriate things will make good behavior more motivating.
   
   
   
3. SUPER IMPORTANT, and the hardest thing to do: IGNORE bad behavior. Sounds bad, but hear me out. Kids act out most often because of being denied access to something they want or because they want your attention. If your kid is having a tantrum/destroying things/etc. for either reason, ignoring that behavior will teach the kid that it doesn't work. Ignoring doesn't mean let them destroy things without intervening, it means that they get zero reaction or attention from you (no eye contact, no talking) as you block them from doing anything destructive or physically dangerous.
   Example: Kids want something, get mad and tantrum when mom removes it from reach or says no.
   What to do: No eye contact. It's okay to tell the kids, "You can't have [whatever it is] right now. When you have a quiet voice and nice hands we can play with (something they like and can safely play with)." Then let them cry or tantrum. Crying never killed anyone. This is hard because the first several times you use this method on the kids they will be pissed. Acting a fool has been working for them their whole lives, so they'll probably tantrum themselves to sleep/exhaustion several times trying to get what they want. Let them. If you can't confine them to a baby proofed area or your house is set up in a way that they can climb or hurt themselves, you will need to be on your shit until you gain a little instructional control over the kids. (There really isn't a way to baby gate one room and take out the stuff you don't want them to touch?) This means that if they're doing something physically dangerous, like climbing, you block this behavior every time they try without giving them any attention for it--no eye contact, no talking to them, just pick them up from whatever they're attempting to do and move them away from it. They will run back to it and try again. Repeat, repeat, repeat. They'll get tired and give up eventually. If you let them get away with it, or give in after initially blocking the behavior, it will keep happening. And it will be harder to get them to stop in the long run. If your kids are just having a run of the mill tantrum, let them lay there and tantrum. It's not hurting or inconveniencing anyone but them.
   
   
   
4. CONSISTENCY. "No" has to mean NO, no matter what. And if your kid is acting inappropriately in any way--whining, yelling, crying--you cannot give them what they want until they are behaving nicely. If they're crying because they want X, and it's okay for them to have it, tell them, "You can have X when you have a quiet voice and nice hands." Then hold the item where they can see it and as soon as they are quiet for a few seconds straight, give them the item and say, "I like your quiet voice, here's your X." If they sometimes get things when they're bratting out they will keep trying that behavior as a means of getting things every single time. (It's like if your parents gave you $100 every time you mentioned how broke you are for a while, then only every second or third time you mentioned being broke. You'd still try it each time you wanted money because it works sometimes!)
   
   
   
5. When you want your kids to not do something, always tell them what they can/should do instead. Just saying "no" is frustrating for kids because they feel attacked and don't know what to do. Instead of saying "Don't do that!" you should say, "No climbing on the counter. You can climb on the beanbags or on the slide." (Go to a kids' consignment shop and on Craigslist--the Fisher Price slide that fits in a bedroom or living room and bean bag chairs are super cheap second hand.) Carry or guide them to where it's okay to climb, or to a toy they can play with, as you say this. If they start running back to what you told them not to do, start with the remove-with-no-eye-contact-or-talking each time they try that. Keep doing it until they give up.
   
   
   
6. To teach them that they get praise for doing what they're told, tell them to do things you know they want to do, and then praise them for listening to mom or dad/following directions. Gradually start telling them to do other things that aren't necessarily preferable, but are still easy (close the door, copy me, clean up the puzzle, etc), and increase the difficulty of directions as you gain compliance. Start off with telling them to do things you can "help" (force) them to do if they don't listen. Like if you tell them to clean up the puzzle and they try to run away or ignore you, physically (but gently) return them to the task, saying only "It's time to clean up the puzzle." Then use your hand to bring their hand to the puzzle pieces (again, you don't have to be aggressive with this, use the minimum force necessary), put a piece in their hand, and move their hand with the puzzle piece to put it away. Repeat until the kid starts doing it without you physically making them. If you have to "help" them with every single piece, that's okay--the important thing is to show them that when you give a direction, ignoring it or running away is not an option and will not work. Don't give any directions you can't follow through on. As soon as they start doing as they're told without you physically guiding them to do so, praise them a lot: "Great job cleaning! I love how you're listening to mommy and cleaning up the puzzle. Good job!"
   
   
   I know this sounds like a lot. And it will feel like it isn't working for a while, because their behavior will get worse before it gets better (Google "extinction burst" to see what I mean). But you're a good dad for recognizing what's going on and wanting to improve it instead of just trying to avoid letting the behaviors happen.
   
   
   BIG NOTE If your child is 2 and not talking, have you looked into referrals for an assessment of any speech or developmental delays? In most states children with a delay of any kind are entitled to a certain amount of free therapy services. Giving your child a way to communicate, whether it's speech or signing if he's not at the speech level just yet, will reduce so much frustration. Ask your pediatrician, it can't hurt! If you do qualify for therapy services that would also give your wife a break from constant childcare--ABA services are often available in-home, and while your wife would need to be home, the therapist would be working with your son so your wife would get a break (at least as much of a break as you can get with just one kid instead of 2). PLEASE look into this--if you qualify for any kind of services it will make all of your lives so much easier, and it shouldn't cost too much if they find that there's a developmental delay of some kind.
   
   Good luck, man! Parenting is HARD!

When we were in college we had a roommate that liked to steal make-up and even underclothes. I got myself something like this:

Storage Trunk

Lockable Chest

And that worked pretty well. When she had the gall to say something about it I let her know it's because she stole my things and didn't return them - so I couldn't trust her with my belongings.

I still kept things locked up because those kind of hams have no shame and will do it again. They are weak willed and selfish.

We use something like this guy. Lives at the foot of our bed. It just looks like the kind of trunk most people keep extra blankets in, so it doesn't scream sex toys at anyone that happens to come in the room. Our bad dragons we just wrap in cheap cotton towels or hand towels depending on the size to keep them away from anything else in there that might be bad for them.

(Ugly link, sorry)

https://www.amazon.com/Seward-Trunk-College-Footlocker-SWD5120-10/dp/B004835DI4/ref=pd_aw_sbs_12?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B004835DI4&pd_rd_r=d8227b23-1ecd-45e1-8eeb-8a1ac5680c7a&pd_rd_w=RAUTg&pd_rd_wg=3zEo9&pf_rd_p=aae79475-6dc9-4a12-80e8-27b63108fa72&pf_rd_r=W16FV1PAC04P8S7G87Y9&psc=1&refRID=19CB4ZYXC76637EMBD27

Seward Trunk College Dorm and... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004835DI4?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Riddle 1 - A goblet to drink potions out of! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000817BQC/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=32C0C61J310BI&coliid=IRF1DDCPWGG7N&psc=1



Riddle 2 - A broom to ride around. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00940DUE0/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=32C0C61J310BI&coliid=I2HCV5SJI9A0SA&psc=1


Riddle 3 - A hat to wear for formal occasions http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IXCU9SK/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=32C0C61J310BI&coliid=I1YM6VHB4IGD7



Riddle 4 - A book for lessons! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BSB2AE4/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=20STX7OWX18SI&coliid=IY33907YDWDWD



Riddle 5 - A trunk to store everything in http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004835DI4/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=32C0C61J310BI&coliid=I4VN3YKOQ3102&psc=1

Bonus Riddle - A cloak to wear and keep warm http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005ICGFDQ/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1SJ3U9NEDM7M9&coliid=I2EI50W0EZV7M3

Mischief Managed.

https://smile.amazon.com/Seward-Trunk-College-Storage-Footlocker/dp/B004835DI4/ref=sr_1_3