So I'd like to preface this by just explaining that I'm one of those people who reads Mumsnet for the funnies and I don't have kids myself, but I decided to post this here because it's a thing that's been playing on my mind, especially over the last few days and my partner has told me it's not my business and I shouldn't stick my nose in, but I want to get some opinions from people who do have kids.
Just a few facts before I explain what I'm looking for advice on, or looking to be told if I'm being too nosy on. I live in a house that's converted into flats, my partner and I are the only childless couple that live here. The neighbour that lived here when we moved in has two kids, one is about 6 and the other is 4. The other neighbours got here a few months after we did and have a baby, they're not relevant really but I just wanted to point out that the only time these neighbours have ever spoken is over the four year old. The other neighbours are constantly complaining about him because he makes a lot of noise which did annoy my partner and I when we first moved in as well, but we've come to learn that he's actually autstic and his noises are just his way of stimming I guess? Either way we're used to it and it doesn't bother us in the slightest but the other neighbours think he should be quieter and voice this out of their upper window loudly when the little boy is in the garden so we all get to hear it.
When we first moved in, I noticed that Mrs Neighbour works most of the day and Mr Neighbour stays home with the kids and takes them to school, etc etc. I like running in the mornings and when we got settled in I decided I wanted to start again, so this is around eight months ago and I went out for a run one morning and noticed that Mr Neighbour was taking Mrs Neighbour to work in the car, but the kids were nowhere to be seen. Mentioned it to my partner later on that day and he said that because it was so early they probably just leave the kids to sleep, which didn't seem like a big deal to him, but I thought was a bit dangerous because obviously they're locked in their own flat when Mr drives Mrs to work and what if something happens? He said I was worrying too much and to mind my own business and to not antagonise the neighbours when we'd just moved in. This went on for the best part of about two weeks, Mr would be gone for about half an hour and then come back and take the kids to school. Then they got a second car or the second car came back from wherever it was and she took herself to and from work and so it didn't seem like an issue anymore.
It's come up again this week, the second car has been going and coming every day so I know Mrs is at work, or at least gone somewhere and I've been working split shifts due to work issues, so I've worked the mornings til lunchtime and come home for a bit and gone back in the late afternoon. When I'm leaving Mr is normally leaving too to pick his kids up from school and I go past them coming out on the bus. He's only been picking the older child up -- which means it really seems like he's leaving the younger, autistic one on his own while he does so. I know he's there, because I can hear him when I'm home and getting ready to go back to work and I don't hear anyone else come in the house so it doesn't seem like anyone is keeping an eye on him. The school is only about a ten minute walk from the house, but a lot can happen in ten minutes.
So AIBU for wondering if I should tell someone about this? Either our landlord or Child Protection or something because this is really weighing on my mind and worrying me quite a bit, or should I just leave it because they aren't my children and I shouldn't be nosy? For the past few days when I've seen this happening I've just been thinking about how much can happen in the time that kid is by himself and it makes me feel a bit sick because he's only 4 and it's scary to think that something could happen. My partner pointed out the first time we noticed it happening that the kids aren't alone because we're in the flat at that time and so are the other neighbours but that doesn't make sense to me, as obviously none of us have access to THEIR flat if something did happen.
Ugh, kudos if you read that but help a girl out here.