How do you feel about this?

[staley7580]

What if you didn't have DH around? I was a single parent for many many years and I left baby sleeping in her crib when I went out to the laundry room in the apt complex. We needed clean clothes...I lived alone and I wasn't waking her up for a 2 minute trip to the laundry room with a full basket of clothes.

Go to a party?? Probably not...but I sure had to do my laundry!!

I was a single parent too, I had my son fairly young, and gave birth and took care of him all alone. I put him in his carrier and took him with me. I put him in his bouncy seat when I took a bath, everywhere I went, he went. I know this isnt for everyone, but its for me.

 

[Desnik]

I am also one who took my babies everywhere. In their bouncy seat in the bathroom with me while I took a shower, in the pizza parlor even if it was for a minute to pick up a pie. If I had an event to go to they either came with, stayed with my mom or we didn't go. I am over protective though! I even still peel the skin off the hot dog before my 3.5 year old eats it!! He also never eats popcorn!LOL So, maybe my judgement on this matter is from the stand point of an over protective mom!

Like someone else mentioned they also could've brought the baby with them. At that age they could've had the baby in a bouncy chair or stroller that reclined. I still don't see how this party of their neighbors was so important to attend they had to do what they did, yet not important enough to plan it so they would have a babysitter.

DH and I were young parents and the only ones in our circle of friends who were married, let alone had a baby. So, there were many times we missed out on things, but we happily did it! There were a few times we were invited to parties or places with our friends and they knew if they were to invite us that there was a chance we would be bringing our DD. We only did it twice and it worked out just fine. We brought the pack n play over(it was neighbors at the time)and DD slept happily in it in the room right next to where we were.

 

[katerkat]

I was a single parent too, I had my son fairly young, and gave birth and took care of him all alone. I put him in his carrier and took him with me. I put him in his bouncy seat when I took a bath, everywhere I went, he went. I know this isnt for everyone, but its for me.

My son is too big for a bouncy seat now. I, personally, think it's safer for him to be in his crib, asleep, than locked in the bathroom while I shower, where he could get into too much trouble even with me "watching" him.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My neighbors would do this all the time. We would sit outside on the court and they would all have their baby monitors on.

 

[PrincessMom2002]

Desnik Not taken personally, but I'm willing to risk believing that our space is relatively safe, and not live my life in fear. Statistically speaking, the chance of my home catching on fire, or someone breaking in during the daytime hours is miniscule.

I'm one of those statistics. My house was broken into on my very first day back to work part-time from maternity leave after 7 weeks home. We narrowed down the timeframe of this happening to 11:30am-1pm. Our 100lb dog did not deter the robber, who went straight upstairs to our bedrooms, and according to the police, was probably in and out in less than 5 minutes. The robber stole our guns that were locked, keys stored in a separate place than the guns. (I was actually happy about that because I didn't care for guns in the house now that we were parents). But not only did we get robbed, but the person managed to become armed in the process. Possibly it was someone we knew, who knew our story and I was back at work that particular day or possibly it was all coincidence. Either is disturbing. Given that, I'd NEVER leave my baby home unattended, monitor or no monitor. There are a million could-haves and what-ifs to my story. And we lived in a neighborhood that was not known to have break-ins. Fortunately, nothing bad happened other than "stuff" being taken and broken. But it was a real eye opener. You think bad things can't happen to you or the chance is very slim, but why take that risk. Sure if I'd been home that day with my baby and confronted by the robber, there's probably not a whole lot I could have done to defend my baby and myself, but it sure beats this all happening while I left the baby at home for 5 minutes while I ran down to a neighbors house or something. That is why I never stepped foot outside of my house while my little ones were inside, other than to go to the mailbox right outside our door. They went with me or I waited until DH was there. Granted, the likelihood of it happening again are slim (I hope) and it probably will never happen to any of you, but it does happen. I don't consider my vigilance as living in fear, because I'm not fearful of it happening again. I consider it learning from an experience that bad things do happen when you least expect them to.

 

[A4Disney]

I see a huge difference. What if a home intruder came in, snatched the baby all while the parents were doing their socializing and not watching the monitor at that moment? I am having such a hard time with so many people here thinking that its okay to just leave a baby alone. If thats ok, is it okay to JUST run into a store while the baby is in the car? Same thing, the baby is alone, period. It just shouldn't happen.

I agree 100%

 

[Fishbone†]

Like someone else mentioned they also could've brought the baby with them. At that age they could've had the baby in a bouncy chair or stroller that reclined.

It was a family party. Everyone had their kids there. In fact, DH2B and I and one other couple were the only two families who didn't have kids. The hosts have two - one 2 year old and one 6 month old, so there wouldn't have been an objection to them bringing her with for sure.

 

[orljustin]

So according to this logic you're probably OK with the mom who left her sleeping child in her BMW and took her dog into Nieman Marcus to pick up a few things in Scottsdale, AZ just last week? After all, what are the chances that someone is going to pick that particular car to break into etc, etc. She was only in the store for about 30 minutes or so.

Great use of the stupid eye rolling smiley. Of course, these situations are nothing alike.

 

[orljustin]

Okay, I live in an Apartment, but I have never left kids alone to check the mail, do laundry, or take a shower. No matter what I need to do, i can wait til they can come with me, or till my DH can watch them.The thought of them leaving their baby home alone? I would have said something, or left. Or even called the cops........... I know that sound extreme, but I am so not cool with leaving a baby home alone for any reason. And I too let my baby eat hot dogs, peanuts and too many sweets. And shes a co-sleeper, but I will NOT leave my kids alone in my house.

Where the heck do you people live that the world is so dangerous that you cannot take a SHOWER while the baby is SLEEPING in a crib? This thread is starting to border on the ridiculous.

Do you hover over the crib all night in case the ceiling should collapse? Do you let them sleep naked in case the pjs should spontaneously combust? Do you velcro them to the wall in case they might fall down?

 

[dreamcometrue]

I never would have done it. When my kids were babies and needed to nap or we knew we'd be somewhere late, we would take the port-a-crib and set it up in a spare bedroom/master bedroom of our host, and we took our baby monitor to listen, but the babies were always in the same house as us. We did the same for a lot of our guests. That way the babies could still sleep in peace.

 

[catherine]

No way, no how would I have left my DD's alone in the house like that! If I didn't have a baby sitter I would've stayed home!

 

[flying_babyb]

Isnt it like child endangerment and illegal? I would have called the cops, or asked for the keys to wacth the child myself. Im a daycare teacher and very offended.

 

[John VN]

INCONCEIVABLE

I doubt the event ever took place since that kind of behavior would simply be outrageous.

 

[MichelleVW]

Where the heck do you people live that the world is so dangerous that you cannot take a SHOWER while the baby is SLEEPING in a crib? This thread is starting to border on the ridiculous.

Agreed....it's starting to get silly and way away from the point...

 

[noodleknitter]

PrincessMom, I would have been horrified in your posisiton. And understand your fears, and wouldn't have gone to the party/turned off the monitor either.

My point is that I am not going to put bars around my home and live everyday in fear that my children will be stolen or my house burn down, if I am not right with my child. (mowing, etc.) I'm sure you feel the necessity, but you have that right.

Statistically, my kids have always been pretty darn safe!

 

[Bob Slydell]

Isnt it like child endangerment and illegal? I would have called the cops, or asked for the keys to wacth the child myself. Im a daycare teacher and very offended.

Fortunately, I don't have neighbors and friends who would call the police on me.

 

[MELSMICE]

Fortunately, I don't have neighbors and friends who would call the police on me.

Yeah - me either.

 

[KristinBelle]

The only part of the story that bothers me is when they turned the moniter off.

 

[cats mom]

This thread is starting to border on the ridiculous.

I'd say it's starting to border on the downright rude as well:

Great use of the stupid eye rolling smiley. Of course, these situations are nothing alike.

Here's what you said:

Neglect? That's ridiculous. Child snatching? C'mon. Like someone is going to be watching this house, out of all the houses in the neighborhood, 24/7 until the parents happen to go out to a party next door? Sure, there can always be a fire. But really, what are the chances of that in the 3 hours you are 20 feet away? There's no fire any other time, why would this night be any different.

Give 'em a break. They were probably happy to get some time with grown ups.

I'm sure the mom who left her child in the car used the same logic. After all, what were the chances of something bad happening while she ran into the store for 30 minutes?

True, she left her child in a public place and the child in this incident was at home, but if you've read through all the responses you'll know that several of us have reported that our homes have been broken into. I guess that tends to change your opinion as to how safe it is for a baby to be left alone for 3+ hours, even if it is in their own home.

I actually stated that while I personally would not be comfortable doing the party with the monitor thing, I felt that was perhaps a gray area, but I also think turning the monitor off and staying another hour (or close to it) absolutely escalated this into a case of inadequate supervision = neglect.

But everyone has the right to their own opinion.

 

[ZPT1022]

INCONCEIVABLE

I doubt the event ever took place since that kind of behavior would simply be outrageous.

Just because you personally cannot imagine it doesn't mean it didn't happen. There's plenty of things I can't believe that people would do but they still happen.