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Parenting

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Original poster

Would you leave a two year old unsupervisied?

80 replies

MiaWallace · 04/03/2007 18:29

Would you leave a two year old to play alone in their bedroom/playroom?

If so how often would you check on her?

I'm not going to express an opinion because I don't want to influence any replies.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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AllieBongo · 04/03/2007 18:31

i wouldn't leave mine full stop. she'd climb out the window or something similarly hideous

FrannyandZooey · 04/03/2007 18:32

I would leave her, yes. As long as the room is safe and has no hazards. I would check as often as I felt like it

AllieBongo · 04/03/2007 18:32

it depends on the 2 year old. i may have left ds for a few mins but not dd

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WinkyWinkola · 04/03/2007 18:33

Well, I leave him when I have a shower. He often just comes into the bathroom to play anyway then. And I leave him in front of Thomas the Tank Engine when I'm cooking his supper. I know an accident can happen in seconds but I'm not an octopus!

Hulababy · 04/03/2007 18:33

If the room was safe without obvious hazards then yes, I would leave them for short periods. Would keep checking in every 10 minutes or so though, or shout up for a response at very least - maybe a bit more if it went particularly quiet!

Bellie · 04/03/2007 18:34

I leave dd 2.4 for about 10 mins. I am in the next room and can hear her chatting to herself and playing. I go and check her if she goes quiet (usually a sign she is up to something) or just keep popping my head in.
What normally happens is that she gets bored and shouts until I go in or she comes to find me.

DimpledThighs · 04/03/2007 18:34

depends a lot on the child i could never leave ds but often left dd.

swifterella · 04/03/2007 18:34

my DS, 18 mnths sits watching thomas while i cook his dinner, also will play in his bedroom while i am pottering about. dont see the problem

lostinfrance · 04/03/2007 18:34

This reply has been deleted

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Gobbledigook · 04/03/2007 18:35

Yes - my 2.5 year old is playing on his own all the time. If he's downstairs then he's fine and I know he's safe. If he goes upstairs I'm a bit more edgy simply because he loves climbing in the bath, turning taps on, smearing shower gel all over the shower cubicle, unravelling the toilet rolls, pulling the duvets off the bed......

StinkyPete · 04/03/2007 18:36

think it's more than just an age thing. depends on the personality, development, what child is left occupying self with etc. i could always leave ds if engrossed in particular play and within hearing distance. i found it's when they go quiet that the trouble starts...

Biglips · 04/03/2007 18:40

yes and i check on her every couple of mins in the next room...but ive never had left her upstairs on her own!...as she will end up climbing out of the window within 2 mins! as my dd is into everything...she is 2.5 yrs old

Biglips · 04/03/2007 18:42

BUT we used to able to leave my SD when she was same age as my dd alone in her bedroom

hunkermunker · 04/03/2007 18:43

Yes, I do all the time.

OMG - he won't be a 2yo in less than a month!

LazyLine · 04/03/2007 18:45

I leave my 18MO whilst I shower, or do other stuff, alone in his bedroom. It is babyproofed so relatively safe. He could climb on something or fall off, but he could do that whilst I am on the toilet. I check him regularly and they should be left alone from time to time. (for short periods of time, before anyone takes my words the wrong way again!)

colditz · 04/03/2007 18:46

yes, even ds1, who at 2 was a maniac, but he would be barricaded, and windows would be locked, and every item in the room would be tennis ball sized and larger, electric caps superglued on, etc. And I would call him about every 30 seconds to see if he answered.

Biglips · 04/03/2007 18:47

colditz - ...... thats sounds like mine too

RubberDuck · 04/03/2007 18:49

Mine gets left - he's a NSC (neglected second child ) so perfectly happy to wander off and do his own thing. Everything is (fairly) toddler proofed, although if it goes quiet I do go up to check

littlerach · 04/03/2007 18:49

I often leave dd2 downstairs whilst I go and put the washing away. But not if I ma hoovering upstairs and so couldn't hear her.
I once put her to bed at lunchtime, as usual, and she kept shoutingm again, as usual. After 10 mins she was shouting "help me mummy, I am stuck". So I went up to her room and couldn't actaully se her. Then I saw a movement form behind the curtians and shed managed to climb up her headboard and onto the windowsill. .
I tried v hard not to look too converned, and put her back to bed. that afternoon I moved the bed well away fornmt he window!! Sh kept telling me that hse'd seen the woman next door go out in her car, and that she'd watche dour cat go inot the woods opposite. Had the time of her life!1

Fillyjonk · 04/03/2007 18:51

oh god yes. I leave dd to potter about as she likes and she's 20 months.

I mean, both my kids do a running commentary anyway.

but regardless, they are pretty sensible

2boysmacca · 04/03/2007 18:51

Yes but I agree is entirely depends on the personality of the child. Ds1 was left in front of Milkshake whilst i had a shower but I don't think I'd ever be able to do that with ds2. He would also go up to his room from about 2.5 years. The windows all have locks so he can't climb out (although he's never shown any incliantion of climbing)

Are you going to give us all a horror story now?

RustyBear · 04/03/2007 18:53

Trouble is that hazards aren't always obvious. DD still has a scar (15 years later) from piling up her ride-on car and an ELC little red chair to reach the playroom light switch - we'd come in at dusk & I was trying to free a stuck zip on DS's coat.
The supposedly child friendly ELC chair broke, leaving a horribly sharp edge which scratched DD's face.

That doesn't mean I wouldn't let a 2 year old play alone, though - I think you just have to accept that accidents may happen anytime, DS's worst accident happened when I was right next to him.

BarbieLovesKen · 04/03/2007 19:02

No, well my little girl is only 16months (well 17 on the 10th of this month) so mabey this question isnt relevant to me.. but no... would worry too much (shes into everything at the minute, obviously at her age she has no sense of danger) so feel better when I have an eye on her..

largeginandtonic · 04/03/2007 19:02

Heee, heee mine are lucky to get any attention. Regularly neglected little urchins they are, ds #4 is 2 and wanders freely, he is awful though. Toilet paddling is a fave past time as is nicking the newly made cakes of the kithen counter. He is much like the twins i had first, i would only go to one friends house (the only friend that would have us) i just keep thinking at least there is only one of him, no egging on from a deviant twin brother! DD and ds#3 were angels though and didnt touch anything really. Im soooo hoping this next one is like the middle two

Fillyjonk · 04/03/2007 19:08

pmsl lg+t

lets sit in the Bad Mummies corner together shall we? and eat cakes while the kids paddle in the toilet.

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