dining next door and leaving kids alone

[princessparty]

Just a debate really as I'm not sure what my opinion on this ,I feeel very uneasy but can't justify why.
Couple invite couple next door round for dinner who leave 3 preschool kids home alone asleep but within range of baby monitor.Ok or not ?

Just me thinks this is OK, then!

If we're talking literally next door, in a teraced house then it's probably fine. After all, people who live in mansions are probably further away from their sleeping kids.

My DS is further away from me when sleeping in my parent's house when we visit, then he would be if I popped next door.

It´s not just distance though is it?

I can hear my children in my house-through the internal walls/doors.

Can´t hear a thing from next door.

They are 3-storey terraced houses

'But a baby monitor picks up everything - you could hear someone shuffling around out of bed, being sick, crying, a fire alarm going off....'

well it would if they were listening to it and/or watching the little lights.But more likely they'd be talking and laughing.
And also I don't know how well the monitor would cover the whole house if one of them gets downstairs for example.

I wouldn't do it.

onlyjoinedforoffers and others talking about fires etc, that's why you should have fire and carbon monoxide alarms fitted, preferably in each room. I mean, a monitor would not pick up a fire starting in/carbon monoxide seeping into your kids' rooms, regardless of whether or not you're in the house. If you're in a different room of your house and your DCs are exposed to CO, you're unlikely to pick it up (odourless, colourless) in time before it does serious damage. Would you then argue that it's irresponsible to ever be in a different room to your DC?

Personally, given that they have a monitor, are next door and at least check in on the kids if they're planning on being at the neighbours' longer than an hour, I wouldn't have that much of a problem with it

Also, in your own house when you hear something you can get there quickly.

Not from next door & then unlocking the door to get in.

ok. I'm going to be brave
we did this when my ds was about 5/6 months old. He couldn't get out, we would hear if he got up - just as well as if we were downstairs. We checked him every half hour, and didn't stay long.

TBH, we were really uneasy, although it really would have been no different than us sitting out in our back garden.

Wouldn't do it with older kids though

Personally I would never do it.

No never.i am always amazed that any night out can be seen as enticing enough to do something this reckless.Kids grow up/babysitters are cheap there is no need really

We are over-protective parents.

We wouldn't (and didn't) leave our children alone at night until the oldest was 15 (and then not for a whole evening).

Most parents are less paranoid than us but no where near as reckless as the OPs friends.

I wouldn't consider it.

No, Seeker, you're not alone. I have actually done this for about 25 minutes when we had to go to a parish council meeting to beg them to give approval for our new playground. We couldn't find a sitter so next door took the monitor (she was by herself so couldn't sit). The children were about three and four, healthy, no electical appliances on, two dogs downstairs who'd create a furore if there were anything funny going on, etc. I didn't feel entirely happy but because it was such a short time we just did it. It was also about 8 years ago and life felt simpler back then.

no way

I wouldn't consider it, and my dd is 6, she'd be terrified if she woke up and no one was in the house.

That reminds me, TOS, my 4 year old woke up from his afternoon nap and went downstairs. I heard him open his door and thought he had gone to watch tv so I finished what I was doing and went downstairs. Poor thing was sat at the table crying as he didn't know where I was. I felt so bad.

forty, I'm cringing and giggling at your story.

i'm not sure what I think about this. i have friends who do this.

no way

how could you enjoy dinner?

nope

My git reaction is no, however, we have a large house and from my childrens' bedrooms to my kitchen is really the same as being next door. We can only rely on a monitor when we have people over for dinner etc. Just a perspective...

No way. One of us would rather stay at home. I would be constantly watching the monitor and would have no fun at all.

We were invited to my neighbours for a party on boxing day. I asked 3 people, all said they were busy. I asked FIL and his answer was to take the monitor. I just couldn't.

DH even said he would take it over to make sure it worked and all that...but something just didn't feel right so I didn't.

I got someone to come in the end. Going out, without kids, is meant to be relaxing. I could not shut off if I was in that situation. Much better to get a sitter so you can relax and enjoy your night. Better safe than sorry as they say too!

Nope. Wouldn't ever do it. My 7 year old is a very light restless sleeper and she would be freaked out out if she woke up alone.

no no no no no no. I;d invite them to ours.

no. You wouldn"t hear a fire on the monitor