to have left 2.4yo dd downstairs on her own whilst i had a shower.........?

[diamondsandtiaras]

Due to having a bad cold and being up all night with a snotty/teething baby, I really couldn't be bothered to argue with DD1 (2.4) this morning when she refused to come upstairs with me so I could shower etc. So I put Peppa on for her and left her in the living room.

We have quite a small house and wooden floors, so I would have heard her if she was moving around. We have locks on all the kitchen cupboards/drawers too so she wouldn't have been able to get hold of anything to hurt herself with. I was in the shower for about 3 minutes and then kept calling down to her every couple of minutes whilst I got dressed etc (to ask if she was ok and what she was doing). I was upstairs for I guess about 15 mins in total (during which time she didn't move from in front of her DVD!)

Was I being U and slightly irresponsible?

[fifitot]

No - I used to leave DD downstairs watching tv while got ready for work on same basis. I couldn't really do anything else tbh.

[NotAfraidOfTheBudget]

No!! And her good behaviour whilst unsupervised is a testament to your excellent upbringing. Now stop worrying

[StealthPolarBear]

no, n ot in the slightest, started doing this with DS when he was maybe 2 and taking him in the bathroom with me was more dangerous

[JaxTellersOldLady]

no you are NOT BU, you cant watch over them all the time.

YABU to put Peppa Pig on though, I think they only made about 8 episodes of that programme and they play it all the bloody time.

[Adair]

Depends entirely on your 2.4yo. Though I leave my destructive and distinctly untrustworthy 23mth old alone for a few mins, and longer if with the 4 year old.

I regularly left dd alone watching beebies on the laptop while I put ds down for a nap (10-20mins or so). She would have been 2.6 or so.

Oh, a thought. She can get to you though can't she? I always leave the downstairs door open for the dc if elsewhere as they can't open it themselves.

[fabhead]

no of course not i do this all the time - how the hell else would you ever get things done. As long as your house is child proofed, no doors or windows open, you can hear them and you check on them regularly why on earth not.

[StealthPolarBear]

yes i always do the "i'm going in the shower. where will i be if you need me?"
"in shower!"
and leave the door open

[Downdog]

No - crack on

[3LegsandNoTail]

No, YANBU, I do this all the time (We also use Peppa!)

[Colliecross]

I used to do this - I think if you can hear them it is ok, also if they can come to you if they need to.

[qk]

Depends where you left your baby?

Even with no baby, I think I would be apprehensive about leaving a child of that age with the run of the downstairs. My DD is 2.3 and my DS is 4.3. DS can stay downstairs, but if I leave DD for a bath, I put her in the playpen and ask her "Will you sit in the playpen whilst I have a bath because I need you to be safe?". She usually says yes, so I go ahead and do it, but if she says no or is a bit stroppy for some reason, I don't leave her.

[Tidey]

Fine and dandy - she was occupied, you could hear her, you weren't very long. Fair enough.

[thecatatemygymsuit]

Completely reasonable! I do this always otherwise I would have no life!

[Rockbird]

Goodness, I've been doing this for ages and DD is 2.5 now. Slightly more wary at the moment as the stair gate has now gone but if she's engrossed in cbeebies or something then I wouldn't hesitate.

[SylvanianFamily]

Little 'taster freedoms' like this can help you build your 'mummy radar' and them to learn to be responsible. All very useful as they get older. No worries at all.

[MadameCheese]

Thank goodness I'm not the only one!

[seeker]

Unless you have a massive collection of samurai swords and loaded duelling pistols in your living room, then OF COURSE it's OK for you to leave your child watching TV while you have a shower!

[StarOfValkyrie]

oh no, I have been leaving dd downstairs since she was 18months old, with ds who was just 3 and with severe autism.

But I would keep the bathroom door open and stick my head out to listen every now and then.

[gingernutlover]

assuming she couldnt fall up/down the stairs during this time then no YANBU

stairs really worry me, but if you have gates then its not a problem

[flowerybeanbag]

I wouldn't I'm afraid. There's no way I'd be able to hear what's going on downstairs with the shower on. Assuming DS2 wasn't a factor I'd bring DS1 in with me. We do have a telly in our bedroom though so I can plonk him in front of CBeebies in there while I'm in the ensuite. If not he'd read a book or come in the bathroom and talk to me. The other alternative would be to leave him playing in his room.

[zerominuszero]

I bet in the old days people left their kids to wander about on their own all the time and they were generally fine. I don't think you did anything wrong, as long as your child doesn't have a habitual tendency to play with matches or the like.

[suitejudyblue]

I'm all for leaving children to get on with stuff but my 2.3 yo would reek havoc if left to his own devices. He's be in his element helping himself to food and drink, lucky you to have a DD who will stay put
YANBU

[bleedingheart]

YANBU, if your house is as safe as it can be and you trust your child, it's fine

[mistletoekisses]

YANBU.

DS1 is 2.9 and can be left alone downstairs unsupervised. Think some unsupervised play does them the world of good. I tend to yell down once every 5 mins asking him if he is ok and find that he comes and finds me eventually.

[StealthPolarBear]

I have to admit I do this in the morning when DS is still a bit tired and happy to sit quietly. Not sure if I'd do it later in the day - I can tell by the kind of mood he's in whether it'll be OK