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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Would you let a three year old sleep outside on his own....??

24 replies

flootshoot · 19/07/2010 16:07

Just interested in opinions on this. Some friends of ours have a camper van and often go away to campsites etc. They happened to mention casually to DH that their son sometimes sleeps in it overnight when they're at home as a little adventure. Fair enough, but he's only 3 (well, 4 in October). The camper van is parked on their drive and I presume it's locked but I don't know if he's in it on his own or whether one of them sleeps with him.

What do you people think? I would have thought 3 1/2 to be a little young for this but I may be being over the top!

OP posts:
Lulumaam · 19/07/2010 16:09

no, not in a million years. not solely the risk of someone breaking into it and taking him,but what if he got upset or sick or ill , how would he get there attention..

surely one of them must be with him??

ArseHolio · 19/07/2010 16:09

Surely this isn't real.

Very few people would be stupid enough to let a 3 year old sleep outside on his own.

KnitterNotTwitter · 19/07/2010 16:10

I'd think it was a bit young to do that on his own - but I'd be more worried if he was locked inside it....

lulabellarama · 19/07/2010 16:10

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

TeeBee · 19/07/2010 16:10

Absolutely not

overmydeadbody · 19/07/2010 16:10

I tihnk it would be unreasonable if he was sleeping there all night alone, but as you don't know the whole picture it's a little hard to judge.

From about 7 my parents let my siblings and I sleep in an old caravan in our back yard, but it wasn't locked and wasn't on the front drive.

Lulumaam · 19/07/2010 16:10

their not there.

and am also finding it hard to believe somoene would let their 3 year old sleep outside in a van alone.. surely it must be an exaggeration if not a lie?

azazello · 19/07/2010 16:11

tbh, I'd let them worry about it and not judge them on the internet.

It isn't something I'd do but you have already said you don't know all the facts, you don't even know whether they're telling the truth.

overmydeadbody · 19/07/2010 16:13

why did your DH not get more information?

I doubt any parent that actually cared about their child would ever let them sleep alone in a campervan on the drive all night, with it locked. It just goes against every parental instinct.

usernamechanged345 · 19/07/2010 16:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
flootshoot · 19/07/2010 16:16

Fair enough.

DS is still v. young so I don't have much of a clue how mature nearly four year olds can be!

I'd like to think one of them stays with him!! Not least because presumably there is no toilet!

Perhaps they are exaggerating although they're not really the types. That's why I thought I'd ask on here - I'm not judging as such, I'm just trying to get an idea of whether this would be usual for that age of child.

OP posts:
Original poster
flootshoot · 19/07/2010 16:17

mrspickles, they may well have a monitor.

We don't see them very often and I don't think DH really took it in until I questioned him on it!

OP posts:
prozacfairy · 19/07/2010 16:18

On his own? Not in a million fucking years.

With mum or dad? Not an issue.

porcamiseria · 19/07/2010 16:26

err NO FUCKING WAY cant beleive this is for real!!!!

chandellina · 19/07/2010 16:29

i support the 8-year-old in a tent next to mum but not a 3.5 year old in an enclosed space where presumably no one can even hear him. even with a monitor, that is too young, IMO.

Original poster
flootshoot · 19/07/2010 16:34

chandellina, that thread was what prompted me to post this. I have no experience with any children older than DS (17 months) so I was interested to know the cut off age that people would imagine is reasonable for this sort of 'adventure'.

I'm sure one of them must be staying with him and the general consensus on here is that that would be the acceptable thing. Unfortunately I don't know them well enough to be more nosey about it.

OP posts:
thisisyesterday · 19/07/2010 16:34

well, bearing in mind you don't know if one of them is in it too then yes, you are being unreasonable

Triggles · 19/07/2010 19:23

I have to agree that if you don't know if one of the parents is sleeping out there with him or not, then you are getting all worked up over nothing at this point.

Original poster
flootshoot · 19/07/2010 19:44

I'm not getting worked up Triggles, just genuinely wondered what other people thought of this (i.e., am I being over the top or are they being lax??).

My first mistake was posting this in AIBU. Meant to put it in chat!

OP posts:
Wallace · 19/07/2010 19:55

Just answered YANBU on the tents thread, but no I wouldn't do this.

I would though if my three year old was with his 9 year old sister or 11 year old brother though!

grapeandlemon · 19/07/2010 19:58

Good God no!

rubbersoul · 19/07/2010 20:01

That is insane! No way!

thesunshinesbrightly · 19/07/2010 20:07

No and i dont believe anyone would unless your tapped in the head.

shabbapinkfrog · 19/07/2010 20:08

No, never, nay, not at all, never in a month of Sundays, not in the memory of man, no, no, no, no!!!!!

When my DS1 (now 28years old) bought his first house with his partner - when they were both about 23 I panicked ... so

NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO....and, er.....NO!!!!

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