Is it Ok to watch your children sleep on a video monitor whilst you go out to dinner

[Jzee]

Whilst on holiday? I can't really believe that someone I know seems to think this is an Ok thing to do? Personally, I think it's pretty selfish and when I've been on holiday we've allways taken DD out with us either for an early dinner or taken the buggy so she can sleep. In the light of recent news events I can't believe some parents are prepared to take these chances?

Erm 'Madeline McCann'?! How would her parents have done anything even if they'd seen it happening?! You've got to be there at the exact moment something is happening, not after you've eaten your steak dinner!

Seen it on a video I should've said.

Couldn't agree more - but this mum I know made me feel like I was being over caucious?

People do it, but it's not a choice we'd make ourselves.

only for middle class doctors.

if i was going to sit there with a video , i;d rather actually watch my children right next to me

We caravan or self-catering cottage, so dinner's at 'home' anyway.

When the kids get older, we'll be camping, so eating just outside the tent.

Even if we could afford a resort, it's not our ideal of a holiday.

Depends on your definition of "out". I've stayed in small hotels where our room was very close to the hotel restaurant (same sort of scale as a typical bedroom - dining room distance in a domestic home) where I would eat in the restaurant using a monitor, and in larger hotels where I definitely wouldn't.

If staying in a gite I would be happy to eat outside on decking/balcony/etc. with DCs inside in their room.

I wouldn't consider doing it from another building.

But the range of a video monitor isn't that great, surely? I'm pretty sure it's less than a sound monitor, and those don't normally have huge range if there's anything in the way.

I am begining to wonder if this really is a middle class thing? Like getting babysitters from internet agencies? Would you let someone into your house that you have never met before look after your child? This also seems common practise? Personally I won't even get a cleaner from the internet!

For me, at least, I grew up in areas of high crime where kidnapping and abduction weren't rarities.

So I guess my perspective is different and it would never cross my mind to leave my kids and do something like that.

What are your friends actually doing, Jzee? Where are they staying and where are they eating?

Jzee - do they not like their kids enough to let them come out to dinner? How old are the kids?

God aren't kids a pain, you can't go out to dinner, you can't go on holiday and leave them in a hotel room, you can't leave them in a car unattended, you can't leave them in the house while you shop.... it's called parenting and I wish people would realise that it just IS. Yes, it's sometimes inconvenient eating your dinner on holiday at 6pm but I'd rather my kids were with me.

5 + 2 similar set-up to the Mc Cann thing - said they wouldn't be far away - within view etc, etc,,, Didn't want to get a hotel babysitter as they think that is too risky as they don't know them? Instead they'd rather leave them with no one? I don't understand the logic?

They wouldn't leave their wallet on the bed in hotel room in case they were burgled or the cleaner stole it but they'd leave their kids there.

Fucking crazy.

I know, and as for sitting up at home watching television or reading a book in another room from your sleeping child -- shocking behaviour! Clearly parents should go to bed when the child does, in the same room, and read under the covers with a torch. If they want a morsel of anything to pass their lips after the child has fallen asleep and before breakfast time they can take a packet of cream crackers to bed with them.

And I don't swear on Mumsnet!

people have different comfort zones, and do what they are happy with

just because it appears totally irrational to you, does not mean they have not thought about it

maybe they think, if it happened to the McCanns, it won't happen to me?

i can understand why parents do not want to take young children out for dinner ,but it is what you are comfortable with...

some people would not leave their children in the car whilst they pay for petrol , some will

some people will leave a child asleep in bed whilst they go out for 10 minutes to collect another child, some won't

Couldnt they leave kids with hotel babysitter and the monitor if they feel they couldnt trust carer?

Couldn't they all eat dinner together early?

sorry, I'm ranting but it really annoys me this "leave your kids alone because they are inconvenient" bollox.

You can't see smoke slowly suffocating a human while they sleep on a monitor can you?

Im with Kbear!

A middle class thing?

Being stupid and selfish isn't exclusive to the middle classes, I find it spans all of them.