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Neglecting the child

28 replies

Lapochka77 · 18/04/2021 22:08

OK, here the story. I just would like to know if I'm panicking or its normal. My best friend leaving her 8 years old daughter home alone, because she refuse to go on family walk and they tired to argue. So they left her alone home with no Internet and electricity. No phone or any sort of communication in case of emergency. They went for walk for 1.5 hour walk with their youngest. Older daughter was playing lego all this time. I was in shock. I found it very neglecting!! Plus dangerous, even so you trust your child. Also, I think it's not fair. All family goes out and they leave oldest one behind like this. Am I wrong? I left my 8 years old twice for 15 min and was worried sick. But I had to go out to shop. They went for dog walk. And my friend said she is not worried at all. I wad trying to tell her it's wrong and strange, but she thinks it's fine

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
DonLewis · 19/04/2021 07:06

Poor kid.

It's not normal or OK. And I'd be worried that it's set a precedent now and they won't think twice about doing it again.

The weirdest thing? The electricity. I wouldn't even know how to turn mine off.

Horrible punishment.

MitheringSunday · 19/04/2021 07:15

1.5 hours too long at that age, especially with no way of calling a parent. I do know people who would do it (not in UK!), but it's not for me.

15 mins at 8yo, discussed beforehand, child happy with it and knows what to do if there's a difficulty, OK IMO. I started leaving my eldest for 20 min at just turned 9.

HalfTermHalfTerm · 19/04/2021 07:31

I wouldn’t leave an 8 year old at home alone and if I heard about it through work/volunteering then I would consider it to be a safeguarding issue. However other than not having a phone to call on if something went wrong she was probably safer being left with no internet/electricity. There’s no need for her to be on the internet unsupervised in order to entertain herself (hopefully she has books, toys, paper to draw on etc) and at least with the electricity off then she couldn’t attempt to make herself a cup of tea and accidentally burn herself or similar.

Also, I think it's not fair. All family goes out and they leave oldest one behind like this. Am I wrong?

I think this is a bit unfair though. You said she didn’t want to go for a walk, so how is it unfair to leave her behind?

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