Leaving kids for 5 minute late night walk?

[OneOliveOtter]

Husband and wife went out for a quick walk an hour ago whilst kids were sleeping (3 and 5). Gone for just over five minutes. Unreasonable or not?

What do you think?
To end of garden in earshot fine.
Down to the pub no

Yes, children of that age should never be left in the house alone for any length of time.

I'm a post-Madeline world, very unreasonable.

Even before that, very unreasonable.

3 and 5? Absolutely not.

Where could they get to and back in five mins ?

In all likelihood it would be fine, I just don't know why you'd bother tbh for a 5 min walk.

At that age my DC were unpredictable sleepers (still are tbh) and if they had woken up to find us not there I'm sure it would have taken a LONG time to recover!

Why would you even need to do that?

Unforgivable

I can’t imagine why you would go for a walk for 5 minutes to begin with. “Just 5 mins” seems so unlikely even for a short walk.
The garden is acceptable, a walk away from the home is not. 3 & 5 is so young and I would question a parents capacity if they both thought this was normal.

Unacceptable. Even now at age 16, I wouldn’t go out and leave my daughter without telling her. If she woke she’d panic if she hadn’t known I was going out. She’d then ring to see where I was but I wouldn’t want to put her through any unnecessary panic

Have these fools never heard of Madeleine McCann?!!

Ofcourse that’s not okay.

Agree with PPs, why bother with such a short walk?

It was to walk an animal. That had been walked already twice today. I wondered if I was being overly pearl clutchy in finding it a bit worrying…

No that’s not ok. Only one needed to go in this instance.

Name change as votes suggest I’ll be set aflame: when my kids were 1 and 3, OH and I had an sig change in circumstances. We also had a dog. Twice a day, when the kids were safe, I would take the dog for a 5 min walk to relieve herself (not a ‘walk’ - I did this with the kids/we had a dog walker because I also worked, but it was me, 2 kids, and a dog for most of the time so what could I do. Circumstances change). They are now quite safe and well. Check the risks, but I’m sure all will be well.

Yes this!! 👏 wtf why does it take two people to walk a dog? Not sure what other animal needs walking

It's fine I used to do this a lot - had to pop to the shop when I was a single mum to multiple young children. All grown adults now all fine.

But why did they both go?

If one parent was home alone then I think taking the dog to the end of the road for a wee isn't ideal and I wouldn't do it - if I had to (e.g. if I lived in a flat) I'd take the dog to the front of the property but no further - but I can understand it. I can't understand why if there were two adults both went out, leaving the kids alone.

Utterly unreasonable!

One or other of you could have walked the dog. Or each taken it for a 5 min walk in turns.

It’s even worse when there were two of you and so absolutely no need to leave the children.

Huge garden so they didn’t need to take it out if it needed a wee etc. The children’s windows are open (it’s still very hot here!) not on latches and I was worried about what would happen if they woke if they fell out. One of the children has sat on the window sill previously with the window wide open.

are you a neighbour?

Yes, I don’t know them very well though. They live down the bottom of the cul de sac. I was out sorting out my roses (battered in this heat!). Only know them to say hello to or nod really.