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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to leave a 3.5 yo on her own?

64 replies

Flojo1979 · 30/07/2012 23:12

It's just been brought to my attention on another thread that I'm wrong to leave my 3.5 yrs dd unsupervised downstairs for half am hr and that I need to 'get off my fanny and supervise her' nice huh?
I am wrong in thinking I shouldn't have to entertain her 24/7? She's up from 5am and a bundle of energy.
Is it so wrong to put Peppa pig on and leave her to it for a bit?

OP posts:

charl0tteBronteSaurus · 31/07/2012 12:52

YANBU
I left mine downstairs for 30mins in the mornings while i got dressed from about 2.9. The sitting room was pretty child-proof, and I could hear if she got up and left the room. I'd pop in every 5-10minutes to check on her. As long as she's within earshot I can't see it being a problem

QuenelleOJersey2012 · 31/07/2012 12:54

YANBU

I leave DS on his own downstairs while I hoover or shower. He doesn't go downstairs on his own in the mornings though, he won't step foot off his bed on his own, even in the middle of the night.

GreenEggsAndNichts · 31/07/2012 13:01

Am about to go wash my hair and leave DS, 3.5, alone. Of course, this will translate into him following me upstairs and trying to hand me random things while I'm in the shower, but if he decided to stay downstairs that would be fine as well.

I do have the kitchen effectively locked, though.

SparkyTGD · 31/07/2012 13:02

Have only recently started to let DS (7) be downstairs on his own, he's a helping himself to things type & when younger, I was concerned about choking.

But I'm a worrier and a bit ott (usually) about supervision

libelulle · 31/07/2012 13:08

like I said on the other thread, I think you were really unfortunate to get some wannabe social worker/busybodies who made all sorts of amazingly patronising and unwarranted assumptions about you based on, well, some pretty unpleasant stereotypes about 'feckless single mothers' I suspect. Reminded me of 19thC middle class 'social missionary' type women wandering into poor areas, bestowing clueless advice armed only with the warm glow of smug superiority.

For what it's worth, I think at 3.5 if your dd is only having half an hour of peppa pig unsupervised a day, you are doing pretty damn amazingly, especially if she's up at stupid o'clock in the morning. My kids (2 and 4) get left for longer than that! I'm popping in and out, yes, but then I suspect so are you - it's not like you said you were off down the pub while you left them watching peppa pig with a can of coke! Though I'm sure it would have pleased the busybodies no end if that were the case.

tittytittyhanghang · 31/07/2012 13:23

YANBU, ds2 (1.7) will happily play on his own with the telly on, i just let him get on with it. Hes in a playpen though otherwise he'd makes too much mess pulling everything out of drawers. I shall be sad when he outgrows the playpen.

thebody · 31/07/2012 13:23

Bollocks, kitchen lock, door of living room open, bedroom door open, long video on, heavenly rest with a cuppa or book.

Really feel sorry for some kids whose parents NEVER FUCKIN LEAVE THEM ALONE but hover over them... Poor kids.

surroundedbyblondes · 31/07/2012 13:24

DD1 and DD2 are 2 tears apart. DD1 has been by herself for short times ever since then. Now they are 3,9 and 1,9 and while there aren't many moments that they are unsupervised it certainly does happen as I don't have then glued to me 24/7.

GoldWithADragonTattoo · 31/07/2012 14:53

How do people who don't do this ever clean the bathroom, make the tea, have a shower, put the bins out etc? It's not healthy to be attached at the hip to your kids.

MindTheElephant · 31/07/2012 14:57

I'd be Demented by now if i hadn't left any of mine unsupervised for short periods of time.

Kids are supposed to be taught independance and wont get that if you are hovering over them every waking minute.

Mamamaiasaura · 31/07/2012 15:01

I am laid in bed nursing baby while ds2 (4.5) plays on iPad in his room). Doors all open. If he needs me he comes in.... He just did a poo and bought bum wipes in, stuck his bum in air for me to wipe, while feeding baby. Multi tasking he then threw bum wipes in loo. I don't have shitty wipes in bed.

Mrsjay · 31/07/2012 15:06

really a 3 and a half year old can't stay alone in their own house/livingroom/bedroom on their own seriously unless you live in a mansion and you are in the west wing a nearly 4 year old can be left watching peppa pig

Howmanymoremedals · 31/07/2012 15:17

Yanbu as long as you're checking in on them. Shuddering and rocking at the washing powder all over the place story up near top of the thread though.
I left (stupid stupid) the washing powder cup beside washing machine by accident last month. Dd 1.8yrs picked it up and pretended to drink out of it.......a bit of powder got in her eye. She had chemical burns on her eyeball and came close to permanent damage. It was horrific make sure all that stuff is up high and locked away. And I was in the room...you can't keep them out of trouble all the time. I still feel like a useless mummy for that one.

Original poster

Flojo1979 · 31/07/2012 23:48

Thanks libe glad it wasn't just me, was beginning to wonder if I was stuck in some parallel universe.

Howmany not useless at all, u can't possibly protect them from everything and I certainly wouldn't have thought washing powder was that dangerous.

mama u made me laugh! Thanks for that, just what I needed after a shitty day (not arse wipe shitty) of tantrums.

OP posts:

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