Okay to leave sleeping kid to go to neighbors house?

[Anonymous]

If the monitor works well, all windows and doors are closed, nothing's cooking, I don't see why you shouldn't try.

However, the risk is that you're not going to hear the monitor if the party is too loud.

And perhaps it's not legal.

But... you can try.

[Anonymous]

If there was a fire you wouldn't know until it reached the bedroom, by then it could be too late.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did it once. Not a party, but a women's church tea next door, not really a rowdy group. DC was 4 months old and could roll. Her crib was empty. I had the monitor with me, but her room was 20' from my neighbors deck so I could actually hear her when she woke up. I checked on her every 10 minutes or so.

I would not do this for a party at night where I couldn't see the house the whole time.

I think Madeline McCann's parents rationalized their choice by saying they could see their room the whole time. Yet somehow their daughter vanished, never to be found.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If there was a fire you wouldn't know until it reached the bedroom, by then it could be too late.

And in response to the OP's earnest and honest question, what could happen?

If you don't have a carbon monoxide monitor, they could be dead when you get home.

If you have a sudden electrical fire and no working smoke detectors (or even smoke detectors you think are working), they could be dead when you get home. (This happened to a house in which I was babysitting and no alarms went off and the house was big enough that I didn't smell the initial smoke: fortunately, I checked and got out the three children. The baby monitor didn't catch the sound of the flames. I am sure those children's parents continue to think, as I do all these years later, what if I had been upstairs with the kids and had been unable to get out?)

If your child wakes up and slips down the stairs or hits her head, she could be dead when you get home.

If your child dies of Sudden Unexplained Death of a Child syndrome, she could be dead when you get home.

Yes, all of these things could also happen while you are *in* the house, but with the exception of the last point, theoretically, you might have time to respond on site; you wouldn't from across the street. And if the unthinkable (the last 'if') happened -- as it did with friends of mine who left their sleeping child with incredibly wonderful family members, only to get a call that he had died, inexplicably, in his crib, you would spend the rest of your life, as they do, wondering if it would have made a difference if they'd been there. Of course it wouldn't have made a difference -- they know that intellectually -- but what one knows in the head differs from what one questions in the heart.

I hope it works out, OP, but I would far rather manage this a little differently

I know I'll get flamed for being 'so dramatic.' But I've been very close to two situations in which people continue to wonder "what if". In one case, it's with a huge sigh of relief; in the other, it's with pain for which there is absolutely no remedy, even the best kind of faith and reasoning.

[Anonymous]

In theory, it's probably fine. In reality, I wouldn't do it with children under 6ish. For one, people will judge . For 2, a 2-4 year old can get into some trouble on their own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If there was a fire you wouldn't know until it reached the bedroom, by then it could be too late.

And in response to the OP's earnest and honest question, what could happen?

If you don't have a carbon monoxide monitor, they could be dead when you get home.

If you have a sudden electrical fire and no working smoke detectors (or even smoke detectors you think are working), they could be dead when you get home. (This happened to a house in which I was babysitting and no alarms went off and the house was big enough that I didn't smell the initial smoke: fortunately, I checked and got out the three children. The baby monitor didn't catch the sound of the flames. I am sure those children's parents continue to think, as I do all these years later, what if I had been upstairs with the kids and had been unable to get out?)

If your child wakes up and slips down the stairs or hits her head, she could be dead when you get home.

If your child dies of Sudden Unexplained Death of a Child syndrome, she could be dead when you get home.

Yes, all of these things could also happen while you are *in* the house, but with the exception of the last point, theoretically, you might have time to respond on site; you wouldn't from across the street. And if the unthinkable (the last 'if') happened -- as it did with friends of mine who left their sleeping child with incredibly wonderful family members, only to get a call that he had died, inexplicably, in his crib, you would spend the rest of your life, as they do, wondering if it would have made a difference if they'd been there. Of course it wouldn't have made a difference -- they know that intellectually -- but what one knows in the head differs from what one questions in the heart.

I hope it works out, OP, but I would far rather manage this a little differently

I know I'll get flamed for being 'so dramatic.' But I've been very close to two situations in which people continue to wonder "what if". In one case, it's with a huge sigh of relief; in the other, it's with pain for which there is absolutely no remedy, even the best kind of faith and reasoning.

All which could happen while you are home too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If there was a fire you wouldn't know until it reached the bedroom, by then it could be too late.

And in response to the OP's earnest and honest question, what could happen?

If you don't have a carbon monoxide monitor, they could be dead when you get home.

If you have a sudden electrical fire and no working smoke detectors (or even smoke detectors you think are working), they could be dead when you get home. (This happened to a house in which I was babysitting and no alarms went off and the house was big enough that I didn't smell the initial smoke: fortunately, I checked and got out the three children. The baby monitor didn't catch the sound of the flames. I am sure those children's parents continue to think, as I do all these years later, what if I had been upstairs with the kids and had been unable to get out?)

If your child wakes up and slips down the stairs or hits her head, she could be dead when you get home.

If your child dies of Sudden Unexplained Death of a Child syndrome, she could be dead when you get home.

Yes, all of these things could also happen while you are *in* the house, but with the exception of the last point, theoretically, you might have time to respond on site; you wouldn't from across the street. And if the unthinkable (the last 'if') happened -- as it did with friends of mine who left their sleeping child with incredibly wonderful family members, only to get a call that he had died, inexplicably, in his crib, you would spend the rest of your life, as they do, wondering if it would have made a difference if they'd been there. Of course it wouldn't have made a difference -- they know that intellectually -- but what one knows in the head differs from what one questions in the heart.

I hope it works out, OP, but I would far rather manage this a little differently

I know I'll get flamed for being 'so dramatic.' But I've been very close to two situations in which people continue to wonder "what if". In one case, it's with a huge sigh of relief; in the other, it's with pain for which there is absolutely no remedy, even the best kind of faith and reasoning.

All which could happen while you are home too.

Right. PP said that.

[Anonymous]

They did it on Mad Men so that's good enough for me!

[Anonymous]

Fairfax County - children under 7 years old should never be left home alone.

[Anonymous]

And that's why there's a law saying it's illegal to do that.

Clearly OP and lots of people here lack common sense. I'm glad there's a law to bring such people back to reality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I used to babysit for a family that did this with their neighbors. They lived in a condo building. They would let the kiddos sleep and then just drink/hang out in the courtyard.
I would say that across the street is just too far.

I live in a similar building and some people do this. I would not, and did not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If there was a fire you wouldn't know until it reached the bedroom, by then it could be too late.

And in response to the OP's earnest and honest question, what could happen?

If you don't have a carbon monoxide monitor, they could be dead when you get home.

If you have a sudden electrical fire and no working smoke detectors (or even smoke detectors you think are working), they could be dead when you get home. (This happened to a house in which I was babysitting and no alarms went off and the house was big enough that I didn't smell the initial smoke: fortunately, I checked and got out the three children. The baby monitor didn't catch the sound of the flames. I am sure those children's parents continue to think, as I do all these years later, what if I had been upstairs with the kids and had been unable to get out?)

If your child wakes up and slips down the stairs or hits her head, she could be dead when you get home.

If your child dies of Sudden Unexplained Death of a Child syndrome, she could be dead when you get home.

Yes, all of these things could also happen while you are *in* the house, but with the exception of the last point, theoretically, you might have time to respond on site; you wouldn't from across the street. And if the unthinkable (the last 'if') happened -- as it did with friends of mine who left their sleeping child with incredibly wonderful family members, only to get a call that he had died, inexplicably, in his crib, you would spend the rest of your life, as they do, wondering if it would have made a difference if they'd been there. Of course it wouldn't have made a difference -- they know that intellectually -- but what one knows in the head differs from what one questions in the heart.

I hope it works out, OP, but I would far rather manage this a little differently

I know I'll get flamed for being 'so dramatic.' But I've been very close to two situations in which people continue to wonder "what if". In one case, it's with a huge sigh of relief; in the other, it's with pain for which there is absolutely no remedy, even the best kind of faith and reasoning.

I mean at least you know you're incredibly dramatic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

It's not that different to the extent that the McCanns could see their room from where they were hanging out and it was 30 feet away. Evem at such close proximity someone managed to take their four year old and she has never been seen or heard from since. Sure, you'd like to think that nothing like this ever happens in YOUR home in YOUR nieghborhood. But what about Elizabeth Smart or Polly Klaus? These girls were taken from their bedrooms while their parents were home!

Unless you're staring at the monitor for every second you're at the party then you provide an opportunity for someone to take advantage. You want to risk that for a party? Seems sort of desperate to me. Get a babysitter and go out on the town.

[Anonymous]

OP, I don't even take the garbage downstairs in our condo building if I'm alone with DD. I wait until DH is home. And my monitor works down there too. There are just too many unknown potentials.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I don't even take the garbage downstairs in our condo building if I'm alone with DD. I wait until DH is home. And my monitor works down there too. There are just too many unknown potentials.

This is a good idea not just if something were to happen to DD but if something were to happen to you.