To have gone to the loo?

[FCEK]

At the weekend, dd and I went to the cinema to see frozen. She's 5.

Half way through I went to the loo. I thought about leaving it til the movie finished as was unsure about leaving dd in the hall, but I was desperate!!

Dd was fine, enjoying the movie and I made sure she knew to stay put. I was only 5 mins (toilet right next door to the room).

Mil and sil seem to think it was very risky (dd told them mummy missed some of the movie)

I'm annoyed. WIBU?

[Feminine]

I wouldn't have done.

But, as you know/knew the layout you probably made the correct choice.

[Boardingblues]

Well I would have done it. When a girls gotta go, a girls gotta go!
The risk of anything happening in the auditorium is considerably lower than in the rush of cinemas emptying

[GhoulWithADragonTattoo]

Not unreasonable at all.

[grabaspoon]

Maybe it's because I am a nanny but if I need to go during the film - I take dc aged 6. I don't imagine he will miss out too much in the 3/4 minutes we're out of the room.

[curlew]

What on earth is going to happen to a 5 year old left for 3 minutes in a cinema?

[BaileysOnRocks]

I wouldn't have left a 5 year old alone. You have no idea who can be around.

[LeafyGreen13]

I would have taken her with me to be honest.

Another film might have come out and sometimes the queue for the toilet at cinemas can be very long.

I once had a creepy guy come and sit next to me halfway through a film. I moved seats but to be honest I find cinemas quite creepy in general because of the dark.

[cazzybabs]

I would have taken mine too - sorry!

[HeadfirstThroughTheTimeVortex]

I've done it. If your dd knew to stay put I don't see the problem. I couldn't leave dc4 aged 6 as he would run around/bounce on the seats/poke people without supervision, but my others were fine to leave for a few minutes.

[lynniep]

I have a 6 year old and left him for 5 minutes during Frozen to take the 4 year old to the loo. It really depends on the child. If I was really worried I might ask the (obvious) parent next to us to keep an eye on him.

[HeadfirstThroughTheTimeVortex]

I have asked another parent to keep an eye out for the other dcs when taking one dc to the loo too. Plenty of other parents aroing during a family film.

[Onesleeptillwembley]

I personally wouldn't have left her. But head first has a good point - ask another parent to keep an eye open.

[5HundredUsernamesLater]

I'm guessing with the choice of film that there were plenty of families also in the cinema and probably not too many dodgy weirdos waiting to prey on vulnerable children. I'm sure too that anyone seated behind would have noticed if anyone different approached your child while you were gone and would have been suspicious especially if your child seemed distressed by it. Lots of mums leave children in cars while they pop in to the bank etc and I think that's a lot bigger risk as you really don't know who can be hanging round the streets.

[Nancy66]

you know your kid. you were confident she'd be ok and stay put.

I wouldn't leave my daughter because I wouldn't trust her to not get up and come and look for me.

[somethingchristmassy]

I've left my 6 and 4 yo in cinema and in a cafe while i go to the loo. I also let them go to the loo by themselves.

[QueenofallIsee]

Hmmm, I have left DS2 aged 8 for a few mins at the flicks while I nipped to the loo (The Hobbit was looooooong) but I would not leave the other 2 boys as they are different kids and more inclined to get into bother. I would allow NONE of them to go to the loo without me in a public place.

[YouTheCat]

I used to leave mine at that age. She was perfectly capable of sitting still and knew not to leave the screen with anyone but me.

No way would my bladder have lasted through a whole film back then.

[FCEK]

It's not something I normally do, I was just desperate that time. Yes she's well behaved for her age and there were other mums about.

[monicalewinski]

I would have done it, and I have done it.

My boys are 8 & 11 now and this year I've started letting them be in the film on their own, whilst I have a coffee in the café next door - my mum and sister are very that I do and think it's awful.

You know your own children and you make decisions based on your own situation, YANBU.

[AngelsLieToKeepControl]

I wouldn't have done it, if I took too long (which is more than a minute in my dcs eyes) they would have come looking for me and might have wandered into another film by mistake or whatever, I wouldn't judge anyone else for doing it though, it isn't that big a deal, you know your own dc and what they will be likely to do.

[curlew]

"and probably not too many dodgy weirdos waiting to prey on vulnerable children"

Oh,ffs!

[formerbabe]

I did this when I took both of mine to the cinema. My youngest was in nappies and pooped hallway through the film. My son point blank refused to move...he was sat between 2 other mums and their kids. I also changed my youngest in the loo with the door open so I could see the door to the screen he was in. I therefore would have seen him if he had walked out.

[clarinetV2]

I did this with DD1 when she was that age and she was fine. DD2 would have freaked out, come to look for me, got lost, shouted the place down and generally caused mayhem. YANBU. As others have said, you know your own child and if she's OK with being left for a few minutes, make the most of it!

[StealthPolarBear]

I wouldnt have but id happily ask anothernparent to keep an eye on mine. Risks of abduction - very very low. Risk of him deciding to have a wander, look for me or go to buy an ice cream - still low but not as low. In which case another parent saying "your mummy will be back in a sec" would be enough to keep him where he was till I got back.