Is it ok to leave a toddler alone?

[Feelfreetocallme]

In the living room for say 20 minutes while I put the hoover round? Other thread got me wondering if this is ok or not. She’s my first so I’ve just been winging it.

This. DD would have climbed the curtains or escaped through the window. My friend's child would still be sitting, staring into space.

Depends on the house. Ours has hard tiles, lots of level changes and we have a toddler who could climb a greased jelly. We daren't leave him for more than a couple of minutes.

She’s almost 17 months.

Probably not for 20 minutes. No.
You just never know with a toddler. Unexpected dangers and messes can happen in a very short space of time.

Depends on the specifics of your house? My 18 months twins are often downstairs whilst I get on with stuff but we have Stair gates and shouldn't be any hazards

Isn't this what playpens are for? Or are they seen as barbaric these days?

The issue with the Hoover is you can’t hear what’s going on. Get her to come round with you - IMO 20 mins at that age without hearing or seeing them is too long (but then my boys get up to all sorts)

This.
With my toddler this would end up in some mischief or another.

Depends on the room. I have a babyproofed playroom with a baby gate on it and i'm comfortable leaving my todder in there to do quick jobs. I would want to hear her though and would keep sticking my head in to check on her.

Play pen and safe toys is the answer here I think!

At that age, mine just followed me around while I did stuff. I used to have to shut the landing stairgate when I wanted a shower!

@cantcomplainabouttheweather

”shouldn't be any hazards“

unless your twins are immobile, everything is a hazard! Especially as there are two of them

OP we have a baby gate on the living room door, and the living room is pretty baby proofed, I pop the TV on and leave my toddler in there sometimes when I’m cooking, just checking on them every few mins, (especially when they are being quiet lol)
I used to stress out a lot about this when I had my first too, I think the key is just being sensible and not leaving them for too long. I am also incredibly anal about which toys are in the living room toy box and if any of them have the potential to be a hazard if I am out of the room (recent example, my 3 year old was given an octonauts toy where the shoes came off and created a perfect choking hazard)

Christ I’d love to hoover by myself for 20 mins. After 30 seconds apart the 3.5yo shrieks to find out where I am and immediately wants to ‘help’. The 11mo is infinitely better at entertaining itself but is sadly an outstanding climber so has to be moved from room to room for jobs.

If they’re happy and safe, then 20 minutes while you’re in shouting distance is fine.

My 3 year old could be left. She is happy playing, colouring, watching TV or on my phone. My 2 year old gets hysterical when I leave the room. Anyone would think she has been abandoned. I can't wee without hysteria. She says she is scared.

Absolutely not at 17 months for mine! We had the playpen up until nearly 2 and he went in there if I needed to leave the room. We babyproofed as much as possible but he would still try to climb the sofa, bookcase, coffee table and TV cabinet (and fall off).

I've been happy to leave him for long enough to get a job done since about 2.5.

There as my DD at that age would play for 5 minutes with her toys and then start shouting "Mummy where are you?" and come to find me.

Even though I told her I was going off to hoover.

My toddler used the microwave when left unattended for about 5mins. Managed to blow up a highlighter pen. I’d consider the child.

Not without checking on them every few minutes (so not just 20 mins solid), but coming and going while they play and you do other stuff is fine assuming room is safe and you don't have a tyrant. DD was content to play by herself for a time, so I would get stuff done in earshot or check in from time to time.

At 17 months you need a playpen if you’re getting on with chores elsewhere in the house.

My DD used to put all sorts in her mouth to explore right up to the age of 3years.

Mine at 18m, for 20 minutes, not a chance. He'd have scaled the curtains and rewired the telly.

I went for a wee once when he was about 2, came back and he was sat on top of the four drawer unit. He'd opened each drawer, climbed in then opened the next one until he was on the top.

He's 5 now and took a double bed apart today, completely silently. Even braced the sides with books so it wouldn't fall when he'd got all the screws out.

My DS was very chilled and I could leave him - we had a playroom off the kitchen & I had a safety gate across in the door and he would happily play on his own ... never been the type to follow me around or demand attention . I think it clearly depends on the child and the set up in your home.

I’ve never owned a playpen and I didn’t think the majority of people I know have (at least, I’ve never seen one in their homes).

When an older baby / young toddler I think I’d have them on my hip to hoover or even in the carrier and then started to leave them in the next room etc etc, I think it’s a gradual process. Somewhere from 2 I’d happily go out and do the bins so that’s quicker but not even in the house and outside of earshot.

There aren’t many things in our living room that are choking size though like those small bouncy balls etc, I’ve always been pretty careful with that.

I have a playpen in my living room that I put my 18 month old in when I do housework, go to the loo etc. He's into everything so I couldn't leave him to his own devices!