Playing on his own upstairs at nearly 3

[MNersanonymous]

Ds has taken to playing alone sometimes upstairs whilst I am downstairs and to be honest it feels like bliss!!

But he is only 2.9 and I want to check if I'm being a bit stupid leaving him up there alone.

I've put the baby monitor on as otherwise I can't hear him. Generally he is a very sensible little chap - will always ask before touching things he knows aren't supposed to be messed with e.g. pens, pots of my face creams etc. so I really don't think he's going to do anything to worry about.
All the really serious stuff is child proofed e.g socket covers, cleaning stuff out of reach (although even this I'm sure he wouldn't touch)

Do other people do this at this age?

You make me feel neglectful for not even having the monitor on! I'm always delighted to see DS disappearing upstairs, as long as DD is safely out of reach, of course! He is also 2.9. Usually he's just going through his books though.

yes it is fine
just look around with an eye to safety as it sounds like you already have done

if you like you can use a monitor so you can hear all is well

Yes, I did with dd, but I think she was a couple of months older. Like you, I kept the monitor on so I knew roughly what she was doing, and went up regularly at first to check on her.

oh sorry i didn't see the monitor thing
yes it really is fine

yes they do, ur doing the right thng with having the baby monitor on, sometimes kids just like quiet time, and providing everything is safe: ie taps turned tight: any cleaning products put away etc then just enjoy the bliss

It is fab - I am so happy he is doing it as he can be quite clingy at times. He's just playing with his toys and unlikely to get up to mischief - he has his faults but he's really sensible around the house and there's a gate on the scarily steep staircase to the top floor which would be the main danger point.

I couldn't hear him without the monitor and I think I'd feel uncomfortable if I couldn't hear his random mutterings from time to time.

I guess it just takes some getting used to after spending his waking hours for the last almost 3 years when we are together pretty much in the same room most of the time!

Yes, we're reaching that stage too (ds is 2.9 almost 10) and you do have that nervous 'this can't be right - can it?' feeling. I remember a friend (whose dw is a MNer) saying about his dd "she's just learnt how to play on her own in her room!" and I thought 'er, yeah, whatever' but feigned excitement on his behalf - now I know why

They seem to crave independence at this age; at the farm today ds wouldn't let me walk with him, he had to run ahead and then would call back "now it's your turn, ready steady go" and as I ran towards him, he ran back to me to give me a 'big hug' (Teletubbies stylee).

You have to treasure these moments for when they're 15 and you think they're dealing in cocaine and hacking the Pentagon from your spare room, yes?

DD is 2.9 and I leave her playing upstairs when I'm down and vice versa - don't even bother with the monitor though tbh house is small, floors are wooden and she is always giving a running commentary on whatever she's doing so I know what's she up to - only check if she's silent. She doesn't do it for v long though - still prefers to play with me if she can.