To wonder at what age you can leave children in a different part of the house unsupervised?

[tropicalpalmtree]

As in downstairs when you’re upstairs in bed or having a bath … when does this usually start?

I can’t think of a single room in my house where there isn’t something DD could climb on and then fall off, and it’s pretty well child proofed!

I also shower in the evening, but if I needed a quick shower DD comes into the bathroom with me and some toys. Same if I go to the loo, to be honest. My friend’s daughter is 6 weeks younger and they let her roam free in those instances. Different people have different thresholds where they are comfortable.

Very much depends on your child

I’ve always nipped in and out of room when mine were tiny. Left for a quick shower from about 1.5. The past few weeks I have come downstairs in the morning to find my eldest 2 (ages 6 and 3) downstairs doing jigsaw puzzles together. My sisters kids are the same age but she cannot leave hers along for more than a few mins.

generally though they end up gravitating to wherever I am to play near me 😂

Totally depends on the child.

My DD would have been safe from about 3 1/2 but would never have left me alone for more than 2 mins! If I went upstairs she’d follow me. She’s 9 now and would still coming looking after about 15 mins!

DS5 absolutely cannot be left alone as he’s very impulsive and unpredictable, with no sense of danger (asd/adhd). The most I do is be in the next room with doors open so I can hear him!

Yes, 7 years old. My eldest has got adhd and would be trying to cook something or light candles or climb on the furniture or something mental. There’s no way I’d be able to have a nap or have a nice relaxing bath! Perhaps my youngest will be different but he’s only 2. I still don’t think I’d nap while I was solely in charge of a child though.

The first time I allowed my child to go downstairs alone in the morning he was 6.

We ended up in A and E

Just to clarify, I would leave them on their own while I had a shower since they’ve been about 2, but OP was asking about examples like being in bed or having a bath.

I had a playpen for mine which was brilliant.

I'd leave them in it from about 9 months with safe toys (both were walking then) and do things in the other areas of the house.

Depends on the child and the house really and how well you've done things like baby proof, if you're open plan (makes seeing them easier but having one "safe" room harder), if your house is over more than 2 floors etc.

I tried with mine when they were about age 3 - but they still kept bloody coming back and finding me within about 30 seconds! Had the conservatory set up as a playroom where they were still basically in the same room as me if I was in the lounge... they'd still bring everything back into the lounge to be right next to me within about 10 minutes!

My kids' superpower is finding insane and deadly things to do in a situation where they should be totally safe. I do let my three year old alone downstairs if I'm up or on the patio if I'm down. But when her older sister is there too, ie not at school, I know I have to keep more of an eye not less. Older one will suddenly decide to cook a fried egg, or do parkour or climb a tree and younger will join in.

That said actually, .y 3 year old went in my handbag and took two paracetamol out of their packet while I was sitting opposite her in the living room doing emails. She wouldn't have eaten them and asked me what they were but yeah, things you don't think of. Even when in the room.

@ccheesedome curious as your eldest sounds similar. Is it inattentive or hyperactive adhd or combo? Boy or girl? I am a full tick box for inattentive but can't afford diagnosis (wouldn't medicate anyway, so little point) and am 99 per cent sure my dd9 is.

@Carouselfish yes, they do sound similar! It’s combined type, he’s a boy. I’m convinced I’ve got it myself since becoming a parent. Apparently the hyperactivity part can also relate to the mind, not necessarily physical, so if you ruminate, have repetitive thoughts, that sort of thing.

1.5 year olds can fall over their own two feet, lol.

There's also a huge difference between popping upstairs for five minutes and going off to have a bath...

Ha yes, that's the other end of the scale isn't it?

But I do think if you left a 1.5 year old alone to have a bath and something happened, you'd have social services at your door. Less so with a 7y/o.

We live in a bungalow and I can hear what's going on from all over the house. If my 4.5yo and 2.5yo are up early at the weekend then they will always come in to see me then I'm happy for them to go play in another room. I wouldn't go back to sleep but gives me a bit of extra time to properly wake up or sometimes to read some of my book. They can play in the back garden while I'm inside, as long as I can see them out the window or hear them. I can go clean the bathroom or make dinner while they are playing in a different roo. I also don't mind doing little jobs outside of they are busy playing together inside. With the back door open I can hear of there any problems. My 4 yo is really sensible and careful so he isn't a concern. My 2yo just loves playing with her sibling so also isn't a concern when the two of them are together.
The biggest concern is the mess they make. So I have to weigh up whether the 30mins of unsupervised play is worth the mammoth tidy up that follows.

If I need to shower in the morning and I'm alone, my 3 year old comes in the shower with me and plays with bath toys and gets a wash too. If he really doesn't want to come in and he doesn't need a wash I shower with the door open and he plays in his room with other rooms locked off.

They were about 2.5 when I felt I could leave them both playing together for a bit u supervised. Obviously not for too long as you never know what they will get up to! But old enough to know a little bit of safety unlike say a mobile 18 month old that has no safety awareness!

I think it completely depends on the child and the layout and safety of the house.

That is really interesting. I have a 2 & 3 year old and I leave them alone to shower with the door closed. I do live in a flat so I’m not sure if that makes a difference

@ItsTheGAGGGGGGGG

We live in a small house. I wouldn't shut the door as I wouldn't hear him call me or if something happened I wouldn't hear with the door shut and the water running.

Exactly. I don’t leave them whilst they eat.

I know this is a old post but it's made me feel better about searching it because I was panicking my 3 half year old woudlnt come up to her room so I could go for a pee so I sat her Infront of the TV and ran to toilet , toilet is top of stairs living room is first door at the stairs and kept both doors open earlier today 🙈 I thought I'd done something really bad 🙈 I've only the last year pet my son play on his room alone he's 9 🙈

Bloody hell. I hope you’re seeing you need to ease up with the anxiety 😟

I mean there’s quite a difference between a quick bath or shower, door open and half an ear out, than going to bed!

Do you mean actually properly sleeping in another room while they carry on around the house?