Would you leave 14mo to play in garden alone with 3yo?

[oneplusone]

I'm not worried about DD (3 nearly 4) as she's very sensible but DS is into everything. We were out there today and I just hung around near the house to see what DS would get up to if I left him to it and he was just wandering about and seemed fine.

But we have some gravel at the side of the house which he loves throwing and putting into the watering can etc but every now and then he finds an interesting piece which he puts in his mouth and I feel I just can't risk leaving him alone out there, there are also prickly shrubs etc.

I can see out from the kitchen window but not to the side where the gravel is and sometimes we have foxes at the bottom of the garden. (we have a very very long garden).

I think I've answered my own question, I probably shouldn't leave them alone out there, will probably be able to do that next year?

Yours views much appreciated.

[moondog]

No

[EscapeFrom]

No.

[MadEyemarthamooDy]

No.

[ProfYaffle]

I leave 19 weeks old dd2 alone with 3yo dd1 for short periods but wouldn't leave a baby at the 'mobile but no sense' stage - am dreading that bit with dd2.

[hippmummy]

DS2 is 21 months old and I've been happy to leave him out with DS1 (age nearly 4) from about 18 months old.

[cylonbabe]

no

[funnypeevesculiar]

leave ds (3.5) & dd (15 mths) out for short periods - eg whilst I stick tea on - but dd isn't walking yet, and our garden is only just big enough to have worms in

[WigWamBam]

No. It's a lot to expect of a three year old, no matter how sensible.

My sister did this many moons ago and all was fine until the older one walloped her younger brother with a hairbrush leaving it embedded in his scalp, left him unconscious and bleeding on the lawn, and wandered nonchallantly back into the house saying "It's OK, Mummy, I've killed him so he won't ever bother me again". She was normally very sensible too ...

[HappyMummyOfOne]

Personally wouldnt leave either of them alone but its down to you to decide.

[bigmouthstrikesagain]

ds is 3 next month and dd is 15m - she constantly puts things in her mouth - bark, stones, sand, grass, rabbit droppings in the park - there is no way I can leave her with her brother to play - my life will be soo much easier when i can but I am not sure when this virulent oral stage will pass.

[eemie]

No

[Pitchounette]

Message withdrawn

[oneplusone]

Thanks all, I knew really that I shouldn't leave them out there but sometimes I feel I am overprotective and paranoid and wondered whether this was one of those occasions.

I want to start a vegetable patch so might go ahead with that, wonder if I should've started it in the spring?

No harm in having a go I guess, at least it gives me something to do whilst we're out, playing in the wendy house or with gravel is just not my thing!

[mumeeee]

No

[HairyToe]

DD1 nearly 4, DD2 nearly 1. IN the garden when DD2 has seemed especially engrossed in something I have been known to dash inside to get a drink/the camera/the phone, shouting to DD1 to "not let her DD2 put anything in her mouth". NOt very often - so panicked i nearly broke my neck sprinting back outside. I too have bl*y gravel in the garden - can't wait to get rid of it.

[OonaghBhuna]

NO

[boo64]

Nope.
You'd feel so guilty if something did happen.
And why not just take a chair out and a cuppa and watch over them out there and have a daydream! Or take a portable radio out and listen to Radio 4 or 5?

[Enid]

I leave 14 month old dd3 in the garden alone for very short periods and with dd2 (4.5) for longer periods but I don't expect dd2 to watch her.

[Enid]

she wanders around plays on the mini slide, picks daisies etc

short of a buzzard swooping down and carrying her off I fail to see what might happen

as long as I can hear her chuntering away I am happy

[Toothyboy]

Same as Enid really. Ds1 is 4.3, ds2 is 17 months. I potter about in the kitchen and at the back of the house, checking every couple of minutes what they're doing.