Kids entertaining themselves whilst I sleep

[Kerlassic]

This is fine isn’t it?

Kids 4 and 8, get on well. On a Sunday DH has his lie in. Children get up at 7, come in for a cuddle then head downstairs, I go into guest bedroom and leave the door open so I can hear them and leave DH in bed with the door closed. I leave out a brioche and banana each the night before and cups. Eldest pours milk for them both and they eat brek and play/watch TV until I come down about 9. I only doze and am listening out for them. They know they can get me if they need to.

Can anyone see a problem with this?

I don’t remember the exact age we could trust our daughter to watch cartoons for an hour before we got up, but the ages you are suggesting sound ok to me.

It’s a truly glorious day when you can lie in bed on a weekend again.

Meh. If your 4 year old doesn’t need watching and you’re happy with it, carry on.

It’s fine. My 8 year old can look after his brother for a bit (nearly 4, so technically 3!). Our downstairs is utterly safe. And both kids are fairly calm and sensible. In fact they don’t watch TV (we don’t watch a lot of TV) but they will play quietly for ages. In fact yesterday they were in the garden for ages and I was upstairs putting away clothes.

8 yo yes but I wouldn't leave the 4 yo to sort them self out or expect my 8 yo to do it either.

I agree it's fine. I leave a snack and drink out for DS and he potters around playing games or watching TV.

We do this. Our dc are 7 and 4 and have done it for over a year occasionally. Not a problem for our dc, they can come get us if they need to, both sensible. I can hear them and since they were born I'm a light sleeper anyway.

Luckily dh is an early riser so it's not often it needs to happen but don't see a problem with it.

Lol at those who thinks it’s lazy to lie in for two days at the wknd.

Not exactly the same but I used to leave them at a similar age ( may have even been 3&6) to go and lie down before a night shift. The only difference is they wouldn't have been eating (would lie down maybe between 6-7 pm) DS knew where I was and would have come to get me if there was a problem.

I would happily do this with an eight year old but certainly not a four year old. It's not fair to expect the elder child to look after the younger either - I was made to do this a lot as a child and hated It.

I’m quite surprised at the responses to this. I don’t know why. I think it’s lazy parenting. Mine are 11 and 3. At the weekend we lie in til 8, the 11 year old can get up if she wishes. We co sleep with the 3 year old and just put Netflix on if he wakes before 8am and I might doze in and out. I must admit though I’m not a lie in sort of person so don’t find it an issue to get up with the kids. Might be different if we’d had a heavy night out 🤷🏻‍♀️

So to answer the question I’d be happy to do this with an 8 year old, but not a 4 year old. And certainly not under the supervision of an 8 year old.

Fine in your situation. I have twins who are 4 and they would fuck shit up together

I wouldn’t leave my 5 year old without adult supervision for 2 hours no.
In your scenario I don’t think it’s fair on the older one.

Works for me. Mine are 9&7, but ha e probably done this for the last two years. They are more then capable now of getting their own breakfast and entertaining themself

Absolutely fine!
Wouldn’t be managing now if it wasn’t as a healthcare worker working some night nights! Need a nap and if husband (also HCW) is at work that day, what can you do!
Loved hearing my youngest shout to the oldest ‘do you want a big bowl or small’ for his cereal.

Goodness it's fine! Widowed parent here and I do this both weekend days, kids 9 and 5. I'm not sleeping though, just enjoying a cuppa in bed and resting.

It's fine my 5 & 8 yo have been doing this for a while now, sometimes the 5 yo is down first and I have no problem with that.
Before 4 it was a film in their bedroom and not downstairs.
I'll even fall back to sleep and we keep the door shut as our dog sleeps with us and I wouldn't leave them with the dog unattended.
I'd hear anything out of the ordinary and they're both responsible enough not to misbehave or to come and get me if I'm needed.

The 4 year old is worrying. What if they climbed on some furniture and it tipped over?

I think that's fine, it's likely you don't really "sleep". Probably just doze. Do people on here never leave their children unattended in a different room? When I was a kid Saturday mornings were for cartoons and cereal.

They are watching telly not juggling knives.
It's fine.

Totally fine! I used to do this from the age of about 5 as a kid and I loved my Saturday cartoons and cereal!

Everyone saying it’s “lazy”... so what? The kids are happy, OP is happy, no harm! Being a parent is hard enough work without inventing standards for ourselves just for the sake of it

Surprised so many people are okay with leaving a 4 year old for so long, expecting an 8 yo to be responsible for them. Having a 'doze' is still being asleep! I think 4 is too young to be left for 2 hours.

I did a first aid course a couple of years ago, where the paramedic told us never to leave a 5 year old to eat alone (and told us some horror stories, which I will spare you). She said that until then, they have no idea what to expect so if they start to choke, they don't make a fuss - they just think it's a new experience. So I wouldn't leave the 4 year old to eat while I slept...

Huh? Climbed on what furniture and it tipped over? I mean technically that could happen if you were in the toilet having a poo. Do people really watch their four year olds constantly and never leave them to play in their own rooms?!
No wonder MN is full of ‘my 5 year old cant entertain themselves during the lockdown and I am going mad.’

Sounds fine to me

I wouldn't be fine with that. Even if you are listening something could still happen that you would prevent if you were watching them. Even a sensible child might get a stupid idea in their head from time to time.
What about choking. It is usually silent - if one of them chokes on their banana you won't hear anything.