Napping with a child in the house

[gottastopeatingchocolate]

Hi - I know everyone is different, but looking for a range of perspectives...

What age would it be OK for you to go back to bed/take a nap and leave a child alone in the living room watching TV?

(I obviously refer to the child's age!!)

I'd treat going back to bed in the same way as leaving them in the house alone, so whatever age you'd do that. If you were dozing on the sofa, then maybe a bit younger, but probably not until late primary at least.

I wouldn't go back to bed for any age. Snooze on the sofa maybe from 7 up.

Thanks for your replies.

It's a delicate one. Acrimonious separation. DC6 just disclosed this about ex. I was horrified but recognise I might be overreacting.

I don't think I would for any age tbh although I would nap sometimes when my toddler is napping (we bedshare)

I would say going to bed is completely different to leaving them home alone, you're at most one floor up and the child can come and get you straight away if they are upset in any way.

I would say 6 is fine. Almost all NT six year olds I know are capable of getting themselves up in the morning, pouring their juice and getting themselves cereal and sitting in front of the tv or with tablets without any supervision while parents stay in bed for an hour or so.

I nap on the sofa with mine around. If just the 3yo he is normally right next to me watching telly. If 6yo there I'm more relaxed. They are well behaved though and would rarely go out the room.

I'm not sure it is a brilliant plan mind but you do what you do to get through.

I wouldn't be in a different room or floor though. Although my friend with a 3 yo used to go upstairs to bed and leave him playing downstairs. That seems wrong to me. Playing quietly I own room seems better..

We started doing this when the youngest was 5. We do live in a small, quite open plan flat where our bedroom is just off the main living area / kitchen. And they do pop in every 5 minutes for a cuddle / to ask if there are any biscuits / can they watch YouTube (NO!) / do crabs think humans walk sideways? etc.

So not really anything like leaving them at home alone.

At 6 if they are just sitting downstair watching tv while parent sleeps upstairs I don't see that as an issue.

My DD who's 8 has done this since around 6, we have a rule that she can only go down at the weekend after 7am and watch tv, even now she doesn't try to make anything to eat but is allowed to take a snack (like a breakfast bar) from the cupboard.
DD who's 3 usually sleeps until 8.30 then we all get up, so I'm going to savour that extra 90 min as long as it's on offer.

I don't do it yet. And DD is midway through primary. If I was very ill I might have to but other than that I can't see a reason to. And if I was that ill I would probably call in some help if possible. But I once found a toddler wandering around totally lost. She led me home (several roads away) where it became clear mother was having a nap. I was childless at that point but the experience always stayed with me.

Doesn't everyone Frisby an ipad at their kids on a weekend morning for an hour or so while they doze? Pretty sure I've done this from 4/5 with my eldest and probably younger with my middle one as his brother was there (and would grass him up if he even sneezed wrong).

It depends on the 6 year old and how heavily you sleep I think. If you are a heavy sleeper and have an ‘inquisitive’ 6 year old, it’s not a good idea. But if you are a light sleeper and a very well behaved child, who isn’t going to move from the sofa until their film has finished, it’s fine. But too many variables to make a judgement on the Internet I think.

My 4 year old and 8 year old come downstairs before me in the morning.

When the younger one was 1 I would sometimes nap when he did and leave 5 year old downstairs watching TV.

I have left the older one in the house while dp sleeps after a night shift from 7.

I think few people would be shocked and horrified about a 6 year old getting up while parents lie in/watching TV while parents nap.

I have a 6yo. Theoretically I think this is fine (assuming it's very clear to the child that they can come and wake the parent if needed) - but in practice, I've tried a few times and I just can't switch off and sleep, I feel too alert and responsible.

I have snuggled under the duvet with DS and a DVD and dozed, some afternoons (mainly when ill, or in early pg with DC2).

I don't get regular time off being responsible for the DC though. When I try to be fair, I recognise that exhaustion can strike at any point and can't always wait; but I might also be irked by another parent doing this if I knew that the next day I'd have the child back and they could sleep to their heart's content.