Okay to leave sleeping kid to go to neighbors house?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not just bring the kid over and let him sleep in a bedroom upstairs? Don't leave him alone. That's just irresponsible and idiotic.

You're kidding right?

In no way in hell would I leave my kids alone but if I had to choose I would pick leaving them over putting them upstairs alone in a room or unfamiliar house with a bunch of drunks. Who know what could happen to your kids up there?! You sound irresponsible and especially idiotic.

Completely disagree but I may be working with a different prior than you. We've done this at our friends house but the "Party" is usually 8-12 very close friends . I'm not talking about a party of American Pie proportions. Are people still having parties like that at these advanced paternal ages ? Man I'm missing out. OTOH, if you're talking about molestation, one should generally not leave children unattended around known child molesters, but we aren't partying with them either.

[Anonymous]

Monitors are extra protection. Not a replacement for someone in the house. I wouldn't do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids are 3, 5 7.

I see an overwhelming response of "no". I guess i am more laid back, since I don't think it is really a big deal, but have enough worry that I thought to put it out to the DCUM world.

I just don't want to be judged by neighbors.

In Maryland this isn't legal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is wrong with you?

Post a notice on your neighborhood listserv and get a sitter.

No you can't bring a monitor to a party, parties by definition are loud, you aren't going to hear everything. What if one of your kids gets up in the middle of the night and goes looking for you? Or ends up pounding and wailing on a locked front door? People will think you are insane for bringing a monitor to a party.

You can't afford a babysitter?

+1

[Anonymous]

Monitors can go in and out, and depending on how loud it is and how often you look at it, you may still miss anything happening with your child. It's just not safe to leave young children alone at night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids are 3, 5 7.

I see an overwhelming response of "no". I guess i am more laid back, since I don't think it is really a big deal, but have enough worry that I thought to put it out to the DCUM world.

I just don't want to be judged by neighbors.

In Maryland this isn't legal.

PP is correct.

Montgomery County, MD 311 - Answering to You. Children under age 8 cannot be left home alone for any reason. Children age 8 or older can be left home alone for short periods of time, as long as a parent or other adult can be contacted. Short periods of time could be before or after school, not an entire day.

I'm a mandatory reporter. If I was at a party and knew that a guest had done this, I would let them know the law and urge them to go home. If they decline, I would make sure they knew I was calling CPS's reporting line.

[Anonymous]

If I'm in the farthest corner of my backyard I am probably equally as far away from my sleeping child as I would be if I went and sat on my neighbors front porch. Monitor stretches to both distances just fine. I fail to see why being 30-40 feet away on the neighbors porch is more negligent than being 30-40 feet away in my backyard. I mean sure, if you want to follow the law to the letter, but this is honestly not a huge deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If I'm in the farthest corner of my backyard I am probably equally as far away from my sleeping child as I would be if I went and sat on my neighbors front porch. Monitor stretches to both distances just fine. I fail to see why being 30-40 feet away on the neighbors porch is more negligent than being 30-40 feet away in my backyard. I mean sure, if you want to follow the law to the letter, but this is honestly not a huge deal.

I agree. I wouldn't do it because I am paranoid, but I wouldn't have a problem if someone else did. I do think it depends on the age of the kids. Very young and older are ok; not so sure about the 2-5 range. If your kid would be upset by the thought of you not being there, I probably wouldn't do it. As an 8 or 9 year old I wouldn't have minded. As a 6 year old, I would have been scared by the thought that my parents weren't there.

Honestly, though, if you are really listening to the monitor it's probably fine. My DH sleeps so soundly at night he doesn't hear the baby wake, doesn't hear when I go feed her, etc. Doesn't even know I'm gone until I come back to bed and poke him to move over. And we have the monitor right next to the bed. His level of responsiveness would probably be higher if he were conscious and at the party!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I'm in the farthest corner of my backyard I am probably equally as far away from my sleeping child as I would be if I went and sat on my neighbors front porch. Monitor stretches to both distances just fine. I fail to see why being 30-40 feet away on the neighbors porch is more negligent than being 30-40 feet away in my backyard. I mean sure, if you want to follow the law to the letter, but this is honestly not a huge deal.

I agree. I wouldn't do it because I am paranoid, but I wouldn't have a problem if someone else did. I do think it depends on the age of the kids. Very young and older are ok; not so sure about the 2-5 range. If your kid would be upset by the thought of you not being there, I probably wouldn't do it. As an 8 or 9 year old I wouldn't have minded. As a 6 year old, I would have been scared by the thought that my parents weren't there.

Honestly, though, if you are really listening to the monitor it's probably fine. My DH sleeps so soundly at night he doesn't hear the baby wake, doesn't hear when I go feed her, etc. Doesn't even know I'm gone until I come back to bed and poke him to move over. And we have the monitor right next to the bed. His level of responsiveness would probably be higher if he were conscious and at the party!

I'm the PP. Last weekend a bunch of families on our street had a BBQ. We have a 5 year old and a 7 month old. Around 7:00 the baby needed to go to bed. 5 year old walked across the street with me while I laid baby down. I waited til baby was asleep, then grabbed the monitor to head back across the street to the BBQ. 5 year old wanted to stay home and watch tv. I said she could not, because of course a 5 year old can get into a lot of mischief left home alone. But a baby asleep in their crib... No biggie. And my neighbor is a teacher, so a mandatory reporter, and she didn't seem to think I was a negligent or abusive mother.

[Anonymous]

OP, go to the party and have fun. For Christ's sake, it'll be fine.

[Anonymous]

Our neighbors house is almost close enough to reach out and touch through a window so we take the monitor and hang out with them. We stay in the yard mostly, but I think we could get back in the house quicker from their house than we could from our own back yard which we also do. She's in a crib, I'm looking at my house and I can see and hear everything going on in her room

[Anonymous]

I just think of the McCanns in this scenario. The chances of anything happening are slim but why risk it for a party? If it means that much to you to attend hire a babysitter for a couple if hours.

[Anonymous]

Op if you go to the backyard when the kids are sleeping you can go to your neighbors. I can't believe how many people her overreact! Do you all sit by your kids' beds all night watching them breathe ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just think of the McCanns in this scenario. The chances of anything happening are slim but why risk it for a party? If it means that much to you to attend hire a babysitter for a couple if hours.

Totally different. McCanns were at a resort with lots of unknown people milling about, didn't have a monitor, and were a good ways away from the room. Not at all the same thing as leaving your baby in your locked house in a trusted neighborhood where you know your neighbors and going next door with a monitor.

[Anonymous]

Has anybody brought up the fact that if the kids wake up and don't find mom and dad in the house, how scary that could be