Wibu to leave my son in this scenario

[Frazzled2207]

Was at a major shopping centre earlier (they had a free kids event on, I don't normally take them there!)
Two DSs are 3 and 5. 5yo is fairly sensible and mature for his age, 3 yo not so much.
At lunchtime they got whingey and demanded lunch. Agreed on McDonald's which took quite a while and by the time it came they were very whingey.

Found table, get bits out, elder son very happy tucking into burger. At that moment younger son demands toilet. He is only quite recently trained so from experience I know that getting him to wait is not an option.
I look around and there is a very respectable looking family (with older children- young teens) sat on the next table. I asked them if they'd be fine keeping an eye on 5yo while I dashed to loos with 3 yo. They were totally fine with it. They were not far away (the loos). 5 yo was fine with the plan so off I went. I was back in 3-4 minutes. All was well. Mum of the other family (fistbump if you're reading ) when I thanked her said "don't worry I remember what it's like when you have two smalls by yourself". However there was an older couple nearby as well and they tut tutted loudly in a very disapproving fashion and said within earshot "I can't believe she did left her son like that".

So WIBU to have done this? Agree not ideal but what were my realistic other options given that we were just getting food out- just leave it all there, take both boys and risk it being taken away? Put it all back on the tray and take it to the toilets with us?

Realise that probably the best thing was to have done toilet stop before McDonald's but they were very whingey wanting food.

I haven't ever done it because it has never happened to me but I have looked after other people's children whilst they have. I have even watched people's shopping bags whilst they take a baby into change a nappy. I must have a trustworthy face

YANBU people left prams outside shops.

We live in a world where the majority of people are lovely. It just doesn't make great catchy headlines. "Woman looked after 5 year old whilst the mother tended to her 3 year old in the toilets" doesn't exactly sell newspapers. Kid snatched from local cafe headline does.

at the train guard incident! No way would I have done that. Surely that was years ago?!

Does no one remember little Jamie Bulger?? Like fuck would I leave a 5 year old alone in a busy place asking a nearby family to watch over him.

I left a 5yo and 7yo in the food court in Westfield Stratford the other day while I took the other 5yo to the loo. They were fine and I didn’t even ask anyone to keep an eye.

Jamie Bulger's mum didn't leave him alone, she took her eye off him for a second and he wandered off. He was not snatched from a McDonalds by the family who said they'd watch him Every single day kids wander off and thankfully are found safe and well. By your lack of reasoning we shouldn't take them shopping.

By your lack of reasoning we shouldn't take them shopping

Or in a car. "Remember all those children who die in car crashes every year? Like fuck would I take a 5 year old in a car"

I'd have left the 5 year old. And I'm someone who can't think about Jamie Burger for one second without my eyes welling up.

*Bulger - not burger...

I'm a nanny and have had people ask me several times over the years to keep an eye on their kids while they pop off. I wouldn't do it with charges because it's unprofessional and not worth risking my job for but don't think its a big deal at all. The dad who left his kid with me for about half an hour was a dick though.
Kids are at more risk in their own homes with people they know aren't they?

@PerverseConverse
I have explained exactly why the scenario was not comparable with Jamie Bulger immediately before your post.
My son is 5. He was (I think) not quite 2.

I wouldn't have done it tbh. I would have taken both children and asked them to ask servers not to cjwar up food.

I wouldn't as abduction is my biggest fear and I wouldn't have wanted to ask the family to be responsible. And there was no need. As others have said, take both boys and ask the family to keep an eye on the food instead.

I'd guess that the couple didn't realise that you had asked someone to keep an eye on him

YWNBU. I've done the same.
Trust me, if you have teenagers, you aren't going to want to kidnap a 5 yr old to add into the mix

Seriously though, in a busy place like that, by asking a family like that, you've also sort of 'announced it' to the next table and the next table and the ones on the other side of you. If the family suddenly shot out their seats, lifted your dc off another table and tried to run out of McDs with him, I kind of suspect they would then be challenged by all the others you'd 'accidentally' pointed out to, that he was your child and you'd be back in 3 mins.

It's fine.

At least you asked someone. I was once out at an attraction with my two DC...a woman came and sat her toddler down on a table next to us and went up to the counter (out of sight) to get food. I was really that she did that. I felt strangely responsible even though she hadn't said a word to me. Toddler ended up wandering off whilst I stood there making sure he was just wandering off to his mum (he was and all was ok). I did think why on earth didn't she just ask me to keep an eye on him? I'm an average mum sitting there with two kids...I'd have been happy to.

Train guard incident - yep, happened 45-50 years ago. But still!!

The chances of a 5yo child being abducted while being watched by another family (and an interfering older couple) are essentially equivalent to zero. How do you ever leave the house?!! By that kind of reasoning (I use the term loosely) you really should stay at home all the time - though of course maybe don't go near your kitchen. Or your bathroom. And I'm assuming you never, ever use a car, as this is exponentially more likely to cause your child harm than leaving them in an extremely safe place, watched by other parents, for a few short minutes.