to think leaving sharp knives within a 2 yr old's reach is stupid?!

[boo64]

I was at my MIL's this weekend. She was chopping some fruit or veg on the dining room table. 2 year old ds was there.

She put the knife down and walked away, leaving it very near the edge of the table, within ds's reach.

Fine, maybe she isn't used to having to think of these things anymore.

So I said something like 'it's probably not wise to leave the knife within ds's reach' and she said 'oh yes I was always very careful about that with dh/ dh's brothers etc blah blah blah.

Then 2 mins (literally!) later she puts it down AGAIN in a bowl on the edge of the effing table - I'm not overly cautious but ds could easily have grabbed the lovely blue bown, knife tumbling down onto him.

I say again 'It's too close to the edge of the table, he could easily grab that' and again she spouts all this cr*p about how careful she used to be.

I don't care how careful she used to be, just how careful she is now and if she can't remember 2 mins ago and leaves sharp knives within a 2 year old's reach, well, would you let her look after your child alone?!??!

I just ask as I wonder if I am being unreasonable. She is a bit doddery but I think dh thinks it would be ok to leave ds with her babysitting soon. I think not personally.

..

just move them yourself

Yep I can if I am there but the point is should I let her babysit ds alone when there is no one else there to move them/ the boiling hot cup of tea she leaves on the table etc

cut her some slack, how doddery is she?

Trust your instincts - probably 'no'.

My MIL gaily leaves her medication hanging around

Agree with SEA - move them yourself, when she is looking after him, she will probably be more careful.
It's not her responsibility whilst you are there but would be when you are not and she would probably respond accordingly, I can understand the worry though.

Good point that if I am there I should keep an eye on things. I see your point.

I guess it is indeed an instinct thing regarding whether I can trust her not to do this kind of thing when we aren't there.

used to have to continually remind dp about this.

I had the same worry with my parents after I found my Dad's air rifle (he uses it to shoot pigeons and squirrels in his garden ) on their bedroom floor but when I took the girls on their own to stay my parents had gone completely over the top removing things that could possibly hurt them.

I agree that you should trust your instincts but at the same time give them some credit, they will probably revert back to their own parenting as soon as you walk out the door and if you do decide to leave your dcs then do a quick scout round pointing things out to both of them (if there are two) and remove things yourself to make a point. It's easy to forget as you get older and she may just need a gentle reminder x

Actually one thing that makes me sad is that she is a widow and if there was still a FIL I reckon it'd be much easier as one of them would spot things even if the other didn't, it's a shame really for her and ds.