You don’t leave your kids alone

[Wonkydonkey44]

I have just seen my neighbour leave his primary school child in the garden with a nursery aged child alone to play in the back garden so he could go off on his bike.
He was away for 10 mins or so and no there was definitely no one else at home .
Am I being ridiculous in thinking this is wrong or are there any other parents who wouldn’t dream of doing such a thing?

That's definitely wrong. The nspcc guidance is that children under 12 should never be left unattended as they do not have the skills and experience to cope in an emergency. I'm presuming that you called the police or went to the garden yourself?

Yanbu. This is one way to create anxiety issues for adults; make them the responsible child. Imagine how they'd feel if anything went wrong and there was an accident.

I personally wouldn't leave a nursery aged child. I'd leave an older primary aged child but not a younger primary aged child, but I'd not leave them in charge of another child.

However, for 10 minutes I don't see it as huge cause for concern.

The thing is though, does his wife/partner know?

Or is he supposed to be looking after the DC whilst his wife is at work/somewhere else, with no clue that he has left them all alone.

Some parents just don't realise. Technically it's not illegal but if something were to happen to them then the parents would be liable. Could you tell their school? Then school can monitor and have a word. How interested social services would be depends on where you live. In the areas that are really under pressure, they wouldn't bat an eyelid in my experience.

I kept a close eye on both of them I can see their garden from my lounge . He’s back now just feel really bad for them .
They quite often are wandering round the estate ‘older’ one looking after the littler one .
She’s at work I think they both work shifts .