Feeling shitty about this

[NewName4Mee]

Right I REALLY hope this name change has worked.

Today my DD came home from school and went for a bath, i was making tea and realised I needed something for it so I got her out of the bath when she was all done and told her she could put netflix on for a bit.

I told her I needed to nip out, I will only be a couple minutes.

I called my work phone from my personal phone and left it going the time I was out so I could listen and hear if anything went wrong.

Oven/Hobs went off and front door was locked (with spare key near by so she could still get out if emergency) and my parents live close too.

I went there and back as quick as possible (walking) and no more than 5 mins as the shop is very close by.

I got back and she hadnt moved. Hadnt even realised Id gone!

Its the first time ever Ive done that and I feel so shitty about it.

Am I a shitty mom for this? Shes 7 btw and quite a sensible girl. Has her moments (as we all do)

I probably wouldn’t do it but I don’t think it makes you a shitty mum

7 seems a bit young to be honest. Sounds like you done everything you could to minimise the risk and she was fine, so I wouldn’t beat yourself up about it. In the future, maybe best to take her with you. You never know what could happen in those 5 minutes.

I leave my 8 year old at home for 5-10 mins if I'm nipping out. If she's responsible and you trust her nipping out this one time was ok. Don't be so hard on yourself.

You spend more time in the garden pegging washing out. People get so overwrought about the most trivial things

I've done it for medicine when they've all been asleep at night for a 10 min drive there and back. No help, no neighbours or friends or family who could sit in and watch. Gamble but had to be done, otherwise shops wouldn't have opened until 10am next day.

Ps- you're not a shitty mum.

The only thing I would have done differently was to say I was going quickly to the shop

Only you know your child best.

And with the precautions you took, she was very safe.

My little girl isn't even a year yet so I've no idea what I'd do when mines is 7, but every child is different, and your definitely not a bad mum in the slightest.

If you hadn't done any of the safety stuff, and pissed off to the pub for 5 hours, that'd be a different matter, but it was a short trip, and if (God forbid) you had been hit by a car, there was a safe place for her to go in an emergency.

In short, don't beat yourself up

7 is too young.

7 is fine for a 5 minutes pop to the shop in my opinion.

God, I read that wrong and thought you’d left her in the bath!

But since you didn’t, I don’t think it’s very bad.

You're not a shitty mum.

Ive never needed to leave my 8 year old home alone but she's in and out of peoples houses where we live (as are her similarly aged friends) and I often don't know exactly where she is.

I'm very comfortable with her having that level of freedom.

Oh my god no, I didnt leave her in the bath!!!.

She was watching TV. With her towel wrapped around her as she couldnt be bothered getting dry straight away 🤦‍♀️😆