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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU? Bringing DS along to a house viewing

25 replies

user1488488748 · 02/03/2017 21:20

DS is 2yo and we have a house viewing booked tomorrow at short notice for a property we are very interested and is new to market. Unfortunately no babysitter is available for DS so decided we will be taking him along with us when we view the property. Mentioned this to a friend who was absolutely horrified and said we cannot possibly take a toddler along! AIBU in assuming it is perfectly ok? (Of course I would not be letting him run wild!) what is the general consensus please? For info the house is empty and the vendors will not be at the property when we view.

OP posts:

UsedToBeAPaxmanFan · 02/03/2017 21:23

I took my son to lots of house viewings when he was about 14 or 15 Months. It was fine. Why should it be a problem?

rightsofwomen · 02/03/2017 21:23

Did your friend explain why they were horrified? It would never occur to me to make childcare plans when house hunting.

Okite · 02/03/2017 21:23

Yes fine, why would it be a problem? We had to take our whole brood along when we viewed houses, they were bored but hey ho, just has to be done.

holyshitballs · 02/03/2017 21:23

Took my dd with me to practically every viewing I went to when we were looking. Didn't even enter my head not to!

haveacupoftea · 02/03/2017 21:24

Of course its ok! It will be his house too.

rallytog1 · 02/03/2017 21:24

Of course it's fine. You might struggle to concentrate but as long as you keep hold of him it's not a problem. We had to take our baby and toddler on viewings as there was no one else to have them.

contractor6 · 02/03/2017 21:28

You have to take ds, at least to a second viewing, I've taken dc, it's their house /home too. Also find out how child friendly it is!

Original poster

user1488488748 · 02/03/2017 21:29

Brilliant thanks everyone!

OP posts:

TricuspidValve · 02/03/2017 22:00

As long as he doesn't run wild, don't see why not.

If he's in an exploratory phase though.....

Rainshowers · 02/03/2017 22:02

We're viewing houses at the moment and we've been taking our almost 3 year old (and when people were viewing ours a couple came with kids).

Only thing is I find I can't concentrate very well when she's there as I've always got an eye on her. It's maybe worth one of you walking round with him to start and then swap so you both get a proper look.

PurpleDaisies · 02/03/2017 22:03

People viewed our house with their small children. It was fine.

ExcellentWorkThereMary · 02/03/2017 22:05

What?! I took my son to all house viewings when we moved. it wouldn't even have occurred to me to try and get a babysitter!

Iamastonished · 02/03/2017 22:06

DD was 2 when we were house hunting. She came to all the viewings with us.

AndShesGone · 02/03/2017 22:07

It's fine. But if they break something don't say 'luckily it's only a cheap dish'. And when the house owner says 'actually my grandmother made it', don't sniff condescendingly after.

Still annoyed.

SuchHysteria · 02/03/2017 22:20

I think it's ok but no snotty faces or food and make sure he has clean hands. Don't let him touch anything or wander around.

msannabella · 02/03/2017 22:23

It's perfectly fine, although when we took our then 19 month old to a house viewing he proceeded to projectile vomit all over the place. Luckily he mainly contained it to the bathroom. So embarrassing but the owner was lovely about it.

Hassled · 02/03/2017 22:23

It's absolutely fine. It has to be a good fit for your toddler too and there's no better way to test that than to bring the toddler. Just keep him away from glass ornaments etc.

specialsubject · 02/03/2017 22:27

Take him by all means, but make sure he is wrangled.

gillybeanz · 02/03/2017 22:30

We took ds1 who was a baby to view a house, he was a very placid baby, never met one so content.
From the moment we walked in he started to scream and was unconsolable the whole time, I had to take him out and leave dh to it.
He was fine as soon as we left.

Turned out the young woman who'd lived there had been killed in a crash not far from her house.
Also found out it was just off a really dangerous road with lots of fatalities.

I don't usually go for the woo factor, but makes you think.

rubberducker · 02/03/2017 22:31

We took our then 2 yr old to viewings. It was fine - until the house where he tripped and fell, bumped his lip on the wall and started bleeding. Bit of drama but nothing a wipe and cuddle wouldn't fix thought I... until DS decided to dive onto one of the beds that unfortunately had white linen on. Face planted so blood from the cut on his lip was all over the bedding! I was mortified and offered to pay for cleaning but the house owner was absolutely lovely about it and wouldn't hear of it.

We also had a small baby. At one viewing it became clear that he needed a nappy change. It was the agent doing the viewing and she insisted that we could change him in the bathroom which we did - but it was a real stinker! Whilst we took the dirty nappy out and disposed of it, I always wondered what the sellers thought when they arrived home to that lingering stench in their bathroom (they were pulling onto the Drive as we were leaving so smell definitely would still be there!).

So whilst I took my kids with me, it would have been an altogether more relaxing experience without them!

leighb23 · 02/03/2017 22:38

You've said he's good but I think I'd still take the precaution of sticking him in his buggy with toys for x amount of time while you and partner peruse, then at least you can concentrate knowing he can't come to harm. Especially as house is empty, I don't know why friend had problem with the thought of it!

Previously1488218868 · 02/03/2017 22:48

Don't let him take something off the wall and squeeze it so hard it breaks, then put it back and say nothing. (Still upset as it was something special to me)

Do not let him bash on the sellers keyboard as if it is a piano, then let him open their drawers and take stuff out.

If he needs the toilet have the decency to ask because it might just be that it has a pull flush and not a push button which will need to be re-set if it is buggered up.

And one more, don't sod off and leave him with the seller to babysit while you talk to the agent for 2 bloody hours.

All different families, same house. Thinking of banning children next time unless they are attached to the parent securely.

littlefrog3 · 02/03/2017 23:09

What a bizarre reaction from your friend. Why WOULDN'T you take your child? We always took ours!

LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett · 02/03/2017 23:34

I think you should always take DCs to a first viewing. You'll only know if a space suits your family when your family is in it. But second viewings should be adult-only so you can concentrate and look at things like cupboards and sockets.

One story: ds has autism and we went to view a house in a very desirable village. Turned out the seller was a teacher in the local school who picked up on Ds' issues, then spent 10 minutes earnestly explaining that the very naice village school really preferred to focus on high potential children and most children with 'needs' did better at the next school along. Still honestly don't know if she was a cow or actually trying to mark our cards...

TheOnlyLivingBoyinNewCork · 02/03/2017 23:38

I don't usually go for the woo factor, but makes you think

Makes you think you must be mad if you think your baby was psychically reading recent deaths and warning you about dangerous properties!

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