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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to leave the children home alone for 5 mins

117 replies

nancydrewrocks · 27/01/2010 15:16

DD is 5, DS is 3.10.

I am staying with my sister at the moment. The only arrangement for parking is using two hour visitor spaces at the bottom of her road (there is no access to the road either for pedestrians or cars at the other end - may or may by relevant depending on paranoia level)

So if we are in the house I have to move the car every two hours (so maybe twice in an afternoon).

AIBU to leave them unattended in the house for 5 mins whilst I move the car?

OP posts:
ChasingSquirrels · 27/01/2010 17:00

I would have with mine at those ages. I don't know your children though.

StirFry · 27/01/2010 17:04

Sorry but uabu!

You are risking the safety of your very young children because its a bit of hassle to take them with you.

I know its hard getting out of the house with DC, I have 3 myself, the youngest just 4 months old but you are being really daft!

Imagine how you are going to feel if one of them hurt themselves or something! Can you live with that?

Or stop parking where you basically shouldn't, and find somewhere else.

Bex80 · 27/01/2010 17:49

Sounds grim! Parking issues in London are horrific full stop. I leave my son to go bathroom and shower but he is 5 months and he is in playpen so I guess acceptable..he cant go anywhere. I guess at the end of day you gotta go with your instinct only you know your children or how they will behave for 5 mins when you have left the house

tootiredtothink · 27/01/2010 18:00

YABU.

Of course it's not alright to leave children this age on their own in the house.

It's only for 3 weeks did you say? Sure you can live with it for that long.

eggontoast · 27/01/2010 18:04

tootired - how are you so sure it is not alright?? Have you children of the same age?

eggontoast · 27/01/2010 18:05

The reason I ask is that I would not know if it were unreasonable as my 2 are younger and so I don't know what they would be like. Also, I dont know what her house is like etc.

NoahAndTheWhale · 27/01/2010 18:09

I would have left mine at that age and for that long I think.

thirdname · 27/01/2010 18:09

depends on how childproof her house is, but would otherwise not have any problems with it. Ials have showers that take longer then 5 min (well maybe not, have never timed myself taking a shower)but then I think those peole who take young children with them when going to the toilet completely insane.

notsoteenagemum · 27/01/2010 18:17

YANBU, IMO it's not any different to going down to the bottom of the garden to hang the washing out (which takes me way longer than 5 mins) or putting the bins out or popping next door to collect a parcel.

Bumblingbovine · 27/01/2010 18:22

I would, assuming the road isn't very long. I had to do this sometimes when I lived in a flat with very restricted parking. Even taking the rubbish out to the bins meant gong out of the flats and up the hill a bit. (2 mins away)

Whe ds was a baby I'd wait until he had just fallen asleep and then I'd run out.

As a toddler I took him with me in a sling to the bins (he didn't sleep in the day and no way would I have left him awake at that age). For moving the car I got a couple of tickets because I just never moved it with ds as a toddler even if it needed moving.

I couldn't face the whole strapping in palavar with the car - Ds had a long stage of hating being stapped in the car seat so a 3 min move the car turned into a 25 min screaming fit.

As a 4 year old I'd have left him if he was watching TV and happy to be left although he often would have objected and wanted to come too.

peasandbeans · 27/01/2010 18:42

I would leave them, if they are happy to be left, if they understand that you will be back soon, and that you think they are resposnible enough to be left alone for that amount of time.

I indeed left my two of similar ages this morning for 10 minutes whilst I went to buy a loaf of bread. It was -18° outside, dd2 has a bad cough, dd1 has her leg in plaster, and having not been able to go shopping for days because of the snow here, we needed something to eat. Both were happy to be left and were playing quietly when I came back.

Incidentally I don't live in the UK and all the friends I have consulted on this question said that they would have been happy to do the same.

activate · 27/01/2010 18:47

"and that you think they are responsible enough to be left alone"

they're 5 and 3

peasandbeans · 27/01/2010 18:50

Mine are 5 and 3 and I consider them responsible enough to be left alone for 10 minutes.

CantSupinate · 27/01/2010 18:50

If it were me I'd probably mostly take them out but sometimes leave them (depending on weather, what they were doing, etc.). I could easily imagine taking the 3yo with me most the time but leaving the 5yo occasionally.

They don't really need their coats/umbrella/gloves, to run down the road 2 minutes, hop into the car, sit there for 1 minute, and run back up the hill again for 2 minutes, do they?

yummyyummyyummy · 27/01/2010 19:14

I think they will be fine !

cranbury · 27/01/2010 19:26

FFS they are 5 and 3, I leave my very sensible 3 year old and 10 month old (he can't move though) in the living room and get the buggy into the car its across the road, put out the dustbins, go to the loo, hide in the kitchen pretending to be busy with their dinner when I've had enough.

Can't you just get some visitor permits, or am I missing something.

They will be fine.

Lots of people here won't leave their kids with babysitters (serial killer), hotels with baby monitor (kidnapping)...

eggontoast · 27/01/2010 19:31

nearly 4, the youngest. 3.10. Poster has tried to get a permit, too expensive

ToccataAndFudge · 27/01/2010 19:33

you know the "3" year old is actually almost 4. - not only just 3........there's a huge difference between and "only just 3"yr old and "nearly 4yr" old ime.

feelhorrid · 27/01/2010 19:34

I have just left my 15 and 12 year old boys in the same room while I went into a different room for two minutes. Result one bruised arm, one broken laptop (yes really) and bedlam.

How I wish for the return of those days when my boys were young enough to be left.

orienteerer · 27/01/2010 19:35

Most resident permit parking areas have a scheme where by residents can buy pre paid 24 hr visitor permits from the council. I'd get on the local council website if I were you.

orienteerer · 27/01/2010 19:35

Most resident permit parking areas have a scheme where by residents can buy pre paid 24 hr visitor permits from the council. I'd get on the local council website if I were you.

eggontoast · 27/01/2010 19:36

Just asked dh what he thought - he is a police officer - he said if something happened to kids, she would be investigated for neglect. BUT, thats if something happens. She's leaving them because she is almost sure that nothing will happen. Plus, my hubby is the biggest worry monster ever.

eggontoast · 27/01/2010 19:37

poster explains about parking permit earlier on thread.

DaisymooSteiner · 27/01/2010 19:40

Could either your sister or your boyfriend take your car to work instead of theirs so that you don't have to keep moving it?

eggontoast · 27/01/2010 19:41

daisy - thats earlier too.
Good idea though.