To be fuming DH left our 8yo to supervise the baby while he mowed the lawn??

Is your 8 yr old developmentally delayed in any way? I can't imagine any 8 yr old I've ever met thinking that drawing on a baby with biro was "helping".

That aside, your DH was in the wrong because he couldn't hear them. It wouldn't be such a problem if he was putting the washing out or loading the dishwasher but mowing the lawn meant he was outside and unable to see or hear them and that's not ok.

If a baby choked on a pen lid, you would most certainly not have heard it if you had been in the shower. I think you are being over the top, myself.

I took scribbles to be the baby playing with the pens and getting marks on themselves. Happy to be corrected!

Going against the grain but I wouldn't have let mine supervise a 16month old at 8yrs but then again I know mine and they'd get bored and have wandered off to play!

An 8 year old thought that drawing on a toddler was “helping”? Really?

I think an 8 year old should be able to watch a baby for ten mins whilst an adult is nearby.
However, iI think your H was BU as the lawn mower meant he could not hear if anything kicked off. So being as he was effectively deaf to the kids, he should not have done it.

I think pp are over reacting to the biro thing. Yeah, your dd should not have done it, but she was only playing and I do think it’s quite funny. She probably did too. Have a word with her, but don’t go OTT

’Furious’ is an over reaction from you, and I am guessing that your H has form for being crap and inept and never recog using it if you are so angry. If so, sympathies.

I’m with you OP. An 8yo should not be asked to watch a toddler. If he absolutely must do something that means he can’t keep eyes on the toddler he should make sure the toddler is somewhere childproofed and within his hearing.

there are always “funny” videos and stories of young children getting into mischief like drawing on things or spilling out things. People blame the children, when they should be blaming the inadequate parental supervision and childproofing.

Are you always this precious? An 8 year old should know better and is old enough to watch their toddler sibling for 10-15 minutes.

The 8 yr old wouldn’t have drawn on the baby if they were being supervised as any decent parent would do.

Your DH is a typical fucking male idiot!

My DH was useless at looking after our DS until he was about 10 and by then, he was very sensible.
DS almost drowned after running off along a river bank when DH was left to supervise him in a playground whilst we were on holiday when DS was about 3. DH was happily reading his book on the bench totally unaware that DS had escaped from the playground.

This wouldn't bother me, the child being drawn on would. At that age they definitely know better

Absolutely not. An 8yr old isn’t aware of the same potential dangers as an adult.

Your DH should have been watching the baby and the older child. Mowing the lawn should have waited until you got back. Your 8 year old obviously can’t be trusted to be sensible and definitely shouldn’t be left alone watching the baby.

What??

Your EIGHT year old did this to a baby but it's your DH you're annoyed with?

Cop yourself on.

Unless there's a massive drip-feed coming about your 8 year old having SN, there's nothing wrong with asking her to watch her younger sibling.

DD8 is unreasonable. My DS is 6 and I can (and do) leave him to keep an eye on DD2 whilst I shower. It would not enter his head to think it’s acceptable to draw on her. He knows to alert me if there is an issue.

If there was “no other way”, how come they were able to come and find you if necessary? You were either available or you weren’t?

Lots of household noises could drown out shouting, though - washing machines, boiling kettles, flushing toilets, vacuum cleaners...

An 8yo is more than capable of getting up and running to get their dad if there's a problem, it's not like he was across the street or off the property - he was only in the garden!

What is wrong with your 8 year old? Don't see your DH has done much wrong here, an 8 year old should be able to look after the baby for a few minutes.

How is “popping into another room for a few minutes” comparable to going outside and mowing the lawn for 15? The sound of the lawnmower could easily drown out any shouting or god forbid screaming.

Absolutely no problem with a sensible 8 year old as long as it was only 10-15 minutes though

your 8 year old is not sensible though.

I presumed the toddler drew on themselves while the 8yr old was trying to play schools..ok 8 yr old should have stopped them but a NT 8yr old should be fine to be left in charge for a few minutes.

There are 8 year olds that would be more capable then many adults and others that I wouldn't leave unattended with a pot plant.

It didn't need to wait, though - that's the point. At 8yo, a child should be trusted to supervise a toddler for a few minutes.

I would be angry with my DH because an 8 year old with a child this young is not OK.

I would also be angry with my 8 year old who should know better than let the baby colour itself all over.

What was so important that the lawn couldn't have waited until you got home?

The 8yo wasn't responsible - the dad was only in the garden. Do you really never leave a 16 month old alone for a few minutes in their own home while you pop into a different room?