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?

How do you know someone else e.g. a grandparent wasnt visiting and sitting in the house?

Are you joking? What if they woke up, realised you weren’t there, got scared and left the house looking for you? Absolutely not and the fact you have to ask is a little worrying.

You were irresponsible! And just lucky nothing happened. A 3 and 5yo? That’s negligent

Why did they both go? One parent walks the animal and one parent stays in the house surely?

I remember when my child was sick and my neighbour had a child at home - we left our front doors at the same time - ran down he street - she handed me the Calpol and I ran back again.

It took all of 5 minutes and we prepared on the phone first so we were in sync with each other

my child was about 6, we were both on our own as single parents. Thankfully she had Calpol in the house and id run out

now id just order whoosh

Unforgivable and I don’t believe was 5 minutes - no one goes for a 5 minute walk. Poor kids - imagine waking up and no one there. Never mind the risk of something dangerous happening. I’d report to SW, if people think that’s acceptable in public, imagine what they feel is acceptable behind closed doors.

Absolutely not. My biggest worry would be fire. Remember the woman who went out to Sainsbury's and left her four kids at home? Even 5 minutes would be too long if a fire started downstairs

My husband and I have only recently started leaving the kids alone in the house for short periods of time and they are 10 and 12. Would never go out whilst they were sleeping

What if their was a fire never mind them waking up

Nope, never. No reason this would ever be acceptable in my opinion.
If two parents were home, why the need for both to go.

Completely disagree

The chances of any of that happening in 2 minutes are so miniscule that they are impossible

That could happen to a 12 year old or a 36 year old too if what youre saying is correct, guess we should just keep someone on watch the whole night then?

They took their dog outside for a poo if you read on

Outside in their garden or the two of them walked away from their house to let the dog poo somewhere else??

Literally five minutes I think is fine

No, it isn't

nothing is more likely to happen during those five mins than at any other time

Yes it could.

😠

OP still hasn’t clarified how - if these are neighbours she barely speaks to at the end of her street - she knows exactly who was or wasn’t in the house, how long the couple were out, or how she knows how many walks the dog had already had that day!

If this thread is real, OP is obviously the worst sort of busybody curtain-twitcher!

The government guidelines in the UK are that young children should never be left alone even for a few minutes and parents can be charged with criminal neglect if children are placed at risk.

I find it so interesting (and disheartening) that when someone awful happens to a child, everyone asks why didn’t someone notice and report, but when concerning behaviours are noticed, people seem to try justify and say to mind your own business.

Imagine the kids woke up to find their parents gone or worse, they woke up to someone at the door or the smoke alarm going off or they woke up unwell. Awful, selfish, neglectful and completely unnecessary.

What if they were both hit by a drunk driver while they were out

This was my thought. I’d be extremely worried that there was an open window , a child could fall out of that in seconds, regardless of whether anyone was in the house or not.

Of course unreasonable at that age.

It’s absolutely not ok. Remember the mum who did this and her children died in a fire. She went to prison.

Well, technically speaking if something had happened then the court would be trying them for child neglect

You don’t know the children are on their own! They may have a grandparent staying or another relative

Before being able to say either way, are you 100% sure there wasn’t anyone else in the house?

In that case you have no idea whether they had a visitor they left them with, or that the children weren't staying at Granny's overnight.

I'd be careful with assumptions - there may have been another adult in the house that the couple were only too pleased to get away from for five minutes to have a private chat.