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Original poster

OPINIONS PLEASE - LEAVING KIDS TO GO TO SUPERMARKET

78 replies

SEXGODDESS · 07/04/2004 09:12

DH is asleep upstairs and kids (11 (v sensible)and 7 quite sensible) are watching tv in lounge. I need to go to supermarket but they don't want to come. Am tempted to go and leave them with strict instructions not to open door (which I know they won't) and if they are worried they should wake daddy. Anyone done this before?

OP posts:
Sonnet · 07/04/2004 09:16

My Children are much younger so I've not come up against this yet.
I think, if it were me, I'd wake DH to tell him what I was doing, give strict instructions to the children not to answer the door or the phone and Daddy was there if they needed him, go locking the door behind me....BUT then i am over cautious....

handlemecarefully · 07/04/2004 09:19

...it sounds fair enough to me Sexgoddess. Daddy is at home (albeit)asleep, and you do say that your 11 year old is very sensible. Good to 'reward' a sensible child with some responsibility I think!

FairyMum · 07/04/2004 09:22

Just go. My children are too young for me to have had this scenario, but I was home alone from the age og 6-7 every day after school and managed fine. Daddy is there if they need him (although not if he has difficult to wake as my DH perhaps....)

SoupDragon · 07/04/2004 09:22

Sounds OK to me since Dh is in the house.

Original poster
SEXGODDESS · 07/04/2004 09:25

Sonnet - that's exactly what I thought of doing. Daddy has his own key if there's an emergency and the key to the patio door is always in the lock. I know friends who do this but it's never really cropped up before for me. I think of it the same way as if they woke up in the night when I was asleep (I think) and HMC my very first post (back last October was about dd having responsibility and confidence so I'm going to do it. ANyone want anything......?

OP posts:
Original poster
SEXGODDESS · 07/04/2004 09:26

What I mean is daddy has his own key all the time (not just in an emergency)

OP posts:
150percent · 07/04/2004 09:26

Personally would only do this if Dh was aware that you were going out, but he could still sleep whilst the kids amused themselves. Only say that as DH will sleep through anything if I am "in charge".

aloha · 07/04/2004 09:41

I would go.

WSM · 07/04/2004 09:47

Do it, it sounds like there would be very little 'risk' involved. Not sure I'd do it with mine without waking DH up first but then my 2 boys (10 & 11.5) are a nightmare when left to their own devices !

twiglett · 07/04/2004 09:55

message withdrawn

hercules · 07/04/2004 10:03

My DH works nights so sleeps during the day. I often go to the sm and leave 8 year old ds but always let dh know before I go.

Tinker · 07/04/2004 10:13

Go. My daughter gets up and plays downstairs whilst I'm asleep - no difference really.

Janstar · 07/04/2004 10:21

I would go. A sensible 11 year old is a great asset. My 11 year old is daft, but she would know to wake up dh if something went wrong

tigermoth · 07/04/2004 10:26

I would go. I've left my sons, age 9 and 4, with a sleeping dh, when I've neede to pop out to the local supermarket. I keep my mobile switched on and ds will phone if he needs to.

Original poster
SEXGODDESS · 07/04/2004 10:32

I'm back and my house isn't trashed and the kids are both alive!!!!!

OP posts:
jasper · 07/04/2004 23:35

are you sure daddy is safe on his own?
Sounds fine

essbee · 07/04/2004 23:38

Message withdrawn

Original poster
SEXGODDESS · 08/04/2004 00:10

I sense a new found freedom heading my way....

OP posts:
fio23 · 08/04/2004 00:45

Message withdrawn

juniper68 · 08/04/2004 10:18

That's so good that you're conscientious. There's a mum round near where i live who lets her under 5s (she has 3 of them) roam all over. I've told someone who lives near her to text me next time they see this and I'll ring the police. People are scared to do it but I'm not. She can come knocking on my door any day

jodiemay · 08/04/2004 10:18

I don't want to be the party pooper here, but what would have happened if one of them had started choking or had an accident and your dh slept through it, I think better to be safe than sorry and would always make sure that an adult is there (and awake) to supervise.You just never know what could happen and you'd never forgive yourself if something did! May have worked out alright this time, but what will you do in a similar situation next time?

tamum · 08/04/2004 10:25

But jodiemay, one of the children was 11- is choking really an issue? They do have to learn to manage for short times on their own at some point. If there had been an accident then both of them would have had to be involved before it would have been a problem, otherwise the other one would have gone and woken their father. I wouldn't have hesitated in similar circumstances.

Slinky · 08/04/2004 10:26

I would have done the same! My kids (younger 2 who are 6 and 4) get up before DH and I at weekends and they come downstairs to play/watch TV - to me it's no different.

Jodiemay - the OPs children are 11 and 7 - not exactly young children - and they are not being left in the house completely on their own.

I would done exactly the same as you SexGoddess -wish I could today - DD1 left the freezer open last night, didn't notice until this morning and everything single bloody thing is defrosted AND I DID A TESCO ONLINE SHOP YESTERDAY - ARRRGGGH!!!

Now I have to face Safeways with all 3 of them now - it will be packed

tamum · 08/04/2004 10:28

Oh god Slinky, you poor thing! That happened to me last summer, it's such a nightmare combination of waste-of-money and mess.

jodiemay · 08/04/2004 10:30

I understand that, but I couldn't have gone without waking dh first! Just to be on the safe side, you just never know what might have happened and at 11 and 7, that is not old enough to be responsible for their own and each other's lives (although dh was asleep), the time it could've taken to wake dh might have been too long for an accident....who knows. I am just a very cautious person who wouldn't take the risk