Children in waiting rooms

[BigRedLondonBus]

Dd has some regular hospital appointments at the moment but I have no child care so it means taking all 4 children to the hospital with me. It’s abit of a nightmare what age would it be acceptable to leave children in the waiting room whilst we have the actual appointment?

I wouldn’t have done this when my DDs were younger, but they’re now 10 and 7. I’ve left DD1 on her own for 15 minutes when picking DD2 up from after school activities before.

I haven’t had to leave them in waiting rooms before, but I don’t see an issue with doing so if necessary at the ages they are now. And I wouldn’t judge any other parent for doing so.

Yes, over 7 in the waiting room not their own is totally fine. I know I was raised in a different country where the norms for kids independence is different, but I do think at that age the kids shouldn't need too much supervision anymore.

Obviously the answer would be different if the DC were badly behaved. It’s therefore down to the parent’s discretion and they would be judged if their DC behaved badly.

Hercule. Nothing ever did happen, if they got upset or needed to see me for whatever reason they knew exactly which room I was in and could see me any time they needed. They never needed to. Hypothetical scare mongering scenarios are not helpfull.

my2bundles

I am not meaning to be rude, but that doesn’t answer my question. If someone had sat down next to your DC and said something inappropriate or - god forbid - touched them inappropriately - they were unsupervised children in a place where people who aren’t always that mentally well will often be found. I am happy it worked out for you, but it isn’t that ridiculous to imagine a “hypothetical” (something that might happen). That’s what we all do when deciding whether or not to take a risk.

I NEVER LEAVE MY CHILDREN ANYWHERE ON THEIR OWN!!

They are always strapped into my papoose /sling until they are 25...
I am their mother and ALWAYS responsible for them. How ridiculous to even pose this question.!!! Call SS and self refer yourself OP.. I'm sure they will have them all taken into care immediately for such a preposterous thought...🤣

Like I said hercule. Hypothetical scare mongering scenarios are not helpfull.

my2bundles

Nobody, then. That’s why I wouldn’t do it.

7 & 8 year olds don't need to be under supervision the whole time.

They go in to changing rooms and toilets alone, I think they will survive the risk of someone talking to them while their parent is the other side of a door.

FrancisCrawford

It’s a bit different in a hospital. It’s not just a public place. It’s a public place full of people who behave in unpredictable ways.

So, for example, if I left my 7 year old standing outside a ladies’ toilet for 3 minutes, I would be less worried than I would be leaving them in a hospital waiting room, UNLESS I was secretly relying on staff to watch them. Which I wouldn’t do, because it isn’t their job.

Sorry my last should have said check with the receptionist and ask hospital policy? They may be used to these situations arising and have something in place?

It’s a paediatric clinic waiting room. What people behaving in unpredictable ways are likely to be there? It will be other children and their parents. It’s fine, OP.

smallereveryday Do you know that many hospitals don’t allow children to be left unsupervised in the waiting room and have signs up saying so? So in those instances it’s kind of moot how over-protective a parent is, it’s still against the rules. Not that everyone abides by those rules, mind.

Alsohuman

Actually, the OP hasn’t - that I have seen - said it is paediatric. I would expect a locked waiting room (our hospital has one). She said it isn’t locked.

Hercule out of all my time in hospitals which has been a huge amount in the last few years the only unpredictable thing I've seen was a man in handcuffs chaperoned by 3 police officers in a@e. In a normal waiting room nothing.

It might depend on the type of appointment but I've always went in with my mum and never waited outside.

No hospital I’ve ever worked in has had a locked waiting room.

my2bundles

Whereas I have seen people swearing, shouting, soiling themselves etc. It’s great that you have been more fortunate.

That depends on the department!!! Kids audiology isn't a hotspot for psychiatric outpatients. In most hospital waiting rooms for check up stuff, you will have the same crowd of people you'd find in a coffee shop. They aren't more likely to be oddly behaved. I go every 6 weeks for my son to get his eyes checked at the hospital, so it's just full of people who need their eyes looked at. No more chance of "wierdos" than any other place I might take my kids.

*when I was younger.

I don't think the hospital will be happy with that. We don't allow any non patient under 18 to be without an adult.

I have never seen "unpredictable" patients or locked waiting rooms in outpatient clinics, paediatric or otherwise.