Is this child neglect or just normal parenting?

[Maman79]

Would you consider this neglect of a child?

-Leaving toddler in bath alone & in front of tv for a few hours while mum sleeps upstairs
-Leaving weedkiller/ fertilizer near a bouncy castle in shed where children could get chemicals on hands/ lick and ingest etc
-Leaving doors unlocked-kids could get out onto road

Every time I hear about a new incident and am wondering how 'endangered' the kids actually are and if there is cause for concern.

I think you have a duty of care here to report to SS

The one that stands out to me is mum going to sleep upstairs leaving children alone for hours ☹️ just so incredibly sad for them not having mummy around.

Absolutely agree yanbu re: the bath.

However, I'm feeling a bit sad about those calling using the tv for a break neglectful.

I have an autoimmune disease which means I'm often very very tired, and i'll absolutely have an hour long nap while DD watches TV on the bed next to me. (I do tend to wake up if she moves though).

I imagine very bad, untreated PND can be just as draining.

I don't think anyone is saying using the TV for a break is neglectful. We all need a break at times, illness or not.

What is neglectful is leaving a 2 year old alone in a separate room while you sleep elsewhere. It puts the child at risk as anything could happen.

Dosing with your child while they watch TV is totally different. I don't think anyone could get through the early years of parenting without doing that!

Surely, as a childcare professional, if you knowingly leave a small child unattended in the bath, you would face some sort of sanction? I am assuming you have professional insurance - would you be covered or could you be sued and lose everything? I would be expecting you to be a bit more proactive about getting this sorted very quickly before one of the children is seriously injured or drowns.

What does the father have to say about it?

You have raised it with the father, haven't you? Before posting here?

OP go on your local council's website, there will be a safeguarding contact - talk through your concerns with them rather than putting it out to the MN jury. Then sign yourself up for some safeguarding training for the future of your career.

The mother has PND and is struggling even if there is a legitimate reason/excuse for neglect, it's still neglect from the child's perspective.

Imagine how you would feel if something happened to this toddler as a result of being left alone in the bath, or if they wandered outside whilst mum is sleeping. Knowing that these things are happening, and doing nothing about it, makes you culpable.

From what you say, the mum needs extra help and support, but until somebody steps up to the plate for her children, then that's not going to happen.

I'm at the amount of people saying it's ok to leave a 4 and 2 year old downstairs on their own for hours while you're not aware of what they're doing!

Give your bloody heads a wobble!

Are you a qualified nanny? Find it hard to believe you've undertaken any safeguarding training