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.

@Wishyfishy

whats the issue with play pens?!

sod pushing the hoover round with a massive toddler attached to me hip! Sounds knackering

It’s a few years ago but I think I usually got them to help by ‘dusting’ tables and anything that isn’t valuable so they came round the house with me when I was hoovering.

Cant leave my 3YO for twenty seconds let alone minutes because he follows me round the house questioning everything I’m doing. Wish he’d done that at 18 months. Will never forget the time I went to pee and came back 2 minutes later to him standing at the kitchen worktop on a dining room chair with a kitchen knife in each hand.

OP… you’ll be fine, just move the knife block into a high cupboard.

I’m not sure id leave a 1.5 yo alone in a room for that long unless they were in a playpen. There is only so much baby proofing you can do.

No, I wouldn't have left mine unattended at that age. Though they always followed me everywhere anyway, so there wouldn't have been any chance of it happening. In the unlikely instance of it having been possible, I'd have gone for a playpen. We had a stairgate when the DC were babies/toddlers which was actually a playpen (just Googled, and it was one of these - www.johnlewis.com/babydan-configure-large-baby-gate-white/p1189060?sku=233080481&s_ppc=2dx92700070985443024&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqY2d5JKc-QIVy7TtCh0-ZQ42EAQYAyABEgIYVvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds). We used it as a stairgate because our staircase was too wide for a standard gate, but it could have been used as a playpen too.

On the few occasions that I Hoovered when they were little, I got them to 'help' me.

It’s not an issue with them just I’ve never felt the need for one and haven’t seen them in most homes I’ve visited. I’m more objecting to the odd poster acting like they are a necessity. They’re obviously quite big and plasticky but I would have got one I guess had I felt like it was absolutely necessary.
I would imagine most 17 months olds could easily scale a playpen anyway though so it’s too late for that anyway? My first wouldn’t have.. but then he wouldn’t have needed to be contained. My second was way more chaotic and I’d find her scaling the sink or standing on top of the table just after turning 1.. so containing her would have been useful I suppose, but impossible.
Especially with my second whirlwind child I think a lot of it has to do with trusting them to make a mess but be safe and getting used to it. So she’s (a bit older now but still chaotic) outside with her older sibling in the garden right now and I’m having a cup of tea and paying no attention. She’ll be fine.

If you are sure they are safe. This is about common sense. Don't ask for approval, ask yourself exactly what the risks are and whether it is necessary to take them. Who cares what others think? It's down to you to assess risk at all times for the benefit of the baby. I was too paranoid to leave mine for 20 mins but had a monitor I took round the house with me while I cleaned.

How do you think single parents manage?
It's fine to leave them if there's nothing that could harm them.
Playpens are great. Would never have had a shower without one.
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I left mine in a different room if I was doing housework etc. I would check on them frequently and tbh you are listening out for them and they soon find you if they want you, mine never really gave me 5 minutes peace at that age.
Madness lies in never letting them out of your sight for a moment. If you have toddlers your house should be pretty toddler proof anyway.

Get a playpen.

They are bloody brilliant.

She can play happily, and SAFELY in a controlled environment for a few minutes, and YOU will not have that worry. If you cannot find one a travel cot is a good substitute.

Honestly they are marvelous.

My youngest has just turned 2.

If she’s engrossed in something, I can wash up in the next room, checking every couple of minutes.

My living area is baby proof, but she’s the sort of child who could find a way to harm herself in a padded cell, so it’s honestly every couple of minutes.

I'd leave my 2yo now alone but not when he was younger. He would cry if I left anyway. Tbh, now that he understands I mean it when I say 'I'm coming back' it's much easier.

At 17 months, no I wouldn't.
I would have them "help me" as I went round.

If you check on them every so often 🤷🏻‍♀️ it's just hoovering not like a bath or something you can't stop.

I leave my kids playing in the living room while I cook and keep checking on them

@postpartumproblem

These aren't my first children so pretty well versed in what is and isn't likely to be child friendly

My toddler would follow me around anyway, especially if I got the hoover out! But yeah they can be left. I live on one floor so if I'm getting in the shower for example I shut the doors to the bedrooms and the kitchen so she can only wonder round where I can basically see her from the shower. If I shout for her, to ask if she's ok she'll reply. Another kid might not though, and get into all kinds of bother so it depends on your home and your kid!

I’d like to know how! My 2yo doesn’t leave my side!

We had a playpen which helped a lot with this kind of thing. You can also put them in it and go to the loo in peace .

We had a really sturdy metal BabyDan one that came with a play mat.