Leaving children alone for 20-30 seconds - is it okay?

[user1471550953]

I would be grateful for views on this please.

My partner was taking our children (aged 5 and nearly 2) to the shops. He crossed the road (side road, not busy) outside our house. On the other side of the road, two people with a toddler (who he had not seen before) asked if they could borrow an allen key to build a table. He left the children with them, crossed the road, came back into our house, got the key from the kitchen, and went back out to the children. They would have been out of his view (on the pavement) for 20-30 seconds at most. Is this considered reasonable or should he have taken the children back into the house with him? We have different views on this.

I’d have done the same as your DH.

I’d have been 🤨at a random street request for an Allen key.

I’d not have left my kids with randoms. I don’t care if they have their own kids.

I would have been suspicious that a random family were wandering around asking people for an Allen Key.

I would have worried that one of the children would have darted into the road after daddy.

Why on earth did he leave 2 young children who are supposed to be the most precious things in the world with complete strangers.

Why did their need for an Allen Key trump the safety of his children

Noooooooo way would I leave my young kids with strangers!!

The clear sensible thing to do if he really wanted to help them was to ask them to knock on your door and ask you. Why didn't that happen?

I would NEVEF inflict my two year old on strangers

*never

Nope I wouldn’t leave my kids with a stranger like this. Ever

I'd never leave my young kids with strangers in that situation. It wouldn't even occur to me.

I would find it so odd that complete strangers asked me for an Allen key in the street there's no way I would leave my children with them! Even if it wasn't an odd request, I probably still wouldn't.

No way In hell ! I have mega anxiety issues though I'd be scared they'd get run over or worse taken by the strangers!

Not a chance. I'd be cross if my DH had done this. He didn't know or even recognise these people.