My youngest's naptime was always in the middle of her sibling's preschool pickup. My rule was if it I was home and back in less time than it took me to take a shower than what is the difference. The preschool was in our neighborhood, and a less than 3 minute drive (no main roads). I was home in less than ten minutes. It wasn't ideal but sometimes you have to do what is necessary. Anything more than ten minutes total is too much I think.

When I lived in a more dense area I would go like half a block away to the corner store and like other people I'd go across the street to a neighbor's house to grab something or something like that. But anything more than that and I'd be consumed with anxiety.

Of course nothing will happen but fires do start quickly.

Anonymous wrote:I see nothing wrong with it. What could possibly happen to the baby assuming they are swaddled. They could cry a bit, but it's not much different than putting your baby down for a nap.

. A fire could happen. Ask me how I know.

Three kids and I never did this. The problem is that nothing ever would happen and you would grow more and more comfortable and 5 minutes would become 10 minutes and then 20 minutes. In Brussels a lady who had no one to watch her kids left to work at her job in a nursing home. An electrical problem caused a fire. All the kids died.

To go to the next door neighbor’s house with a baby monitor, walk the dog or kids to the bus stop, yes. To go out to eat or somewhere else for more than a few minutes without a babysitter, no!!!

My grandmother used to tell me about a couple who lived next door to her who did this to go to the movies around 1940. It was wrong then and is wrong now.

People absolutely do it, and there are some other people who absolutely judge them. That is all. You know the child cannot help themselves, and you are assuming a level of risk, but generally it is minimal and about the same as other risks we take.

My would be aunt died at two in her sleep from choking on throw up. Two adults in the house and nobody heard her. Stuff happens, but is it more or less risk than if you were home. Could you live with yourself if something happened? Someone broke in? Neighbor noticed and called child services? The people who will think this means you're a bad parent? Spraining your ankle and having to alert people to your alone baby? It sounds like you want to do more than walk around the block.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends on state law. It's not illegal in DC. I have totally mowed the yard, walked the dog around the block, walked to CVS down the block for diapers. When I do so, I inform my neighbors who have baby monitor privileges/key (and for whom I do similar sleeping baby monitoring in emergencies). I don't get in my car and I am not gone longer than 20 minutes.

DC does not specify a minimum age for leaving a child at home alone, but leaving a baby home alone could easily be considered neglect.

Yes, but not for 20 minutes when baby is asleep.

Yeah, OP was talking about her baby being asleep for hours. She's not planning on being back in 20 minutes.

I've done it to walk the dog for 5 minutes, but I am literally in view of the house the entire time, just pacing the block.

OMG @ the PP who was like, "ehh, a fire won't engulf the *whole* house in 10 minutes."

Some people should not be parents

No. You could go out to your yard with your baby monitor if you need but you can't leave them!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends on state law. It's not illegal in DC. I have totally mowed the yard, walked the dog around the block, walked to CVS down the block for diapers. When I do so, I inform my neighbors who have baby monitor privileges/key (and for whom I do similar sleeping baby monitoring in emergencies). I don't get in my car and I am not gone longer than 20 minutes.

DC does not specify a minimum age for leaving a child at home alone, but leaving a baby home alone could easily be considered neglect.

Yes, but not for 20 minutes when baby is asleep.

My spouse travels a lot for work. I’ve walked my dog while the baby sleeps, but always with the monitor in my hand and we pretty much just pace in front of our row of townhouses. Otherwise, a trusted neighbor will stop by and watch the monitor if I need to drive anywhere.

Anonymous wrote:It depends on state law. It's not illegal in DC. I have totally mowed the yard, walked the dog around the block, walked to CVS down the block for diapers. When I do so, I inform my neighbors who have baby monitor privileges/key (and for whom I do similar sleeping baby monitoring in emergencies). I don't get in my car and I am not gone longer than 20 minutes.

DC does not specify a minimum age for leaving a child at home alone, but leaving a baby home alone could easily be considered neglect.

My toddler's preschool was on the same block as our house....maybe a 3 min walk each way at toddler pace, 1min sprint for me if needed. I'd leave sleeping baby home for drop off and pick up occasionally. I had a wifi monitor to listen in to know if I needed to hustle back more quickly. To me no different than doing the laundry in the basement where I generally couldn't hear anything in the rest of the house and would spend a bit moving and folding clothes.