Would you leave a baby alone in the house?

The whole Madeline thing stirred up the whole 'leaving your kids alone' thing.





This is my scenareo - I live directly diagonal to the corner store (my house is the fifth one down on the other side of the road - terraces) I have left my baby alone if I need to get some milk or some bread or whatever. I will slip my shoes on, put her in the playpen and will be gone for less than 2 minutes.





The alternative is to get her dressed and etc and a two minute job becomes a 20 minute thing.





I know the down side is if I got hit by a car or whatever crossing the road, no one would know there was a baby alone in the house. To be honest anything else that could happen in that 2 minute window could easily happen when I am upstairs sitting on the toilet and she is in her playpen.





What is your opinion?

Would you leave a baby alone in the house?
These people are hypocrites and don't know what its like being a parent. technically you shouldn't but. come on its 2 mins. what happens when u sleep in the night? thats 8 hours your leaving kid alone. people have to stop expecting perfection from parents. I rarely do it but if i have to. its only 2 mins. To be safe you can call someone saying you're leaving kid alone and if you don't call them back in few minutes because something happened to u, then they should come and check up on baby.


addendum-


for all those fear monger who say what if there's a fire. what if there are kidnappers. what if your kid accidentally shoots himself in the head. etc. i just gotta say those are the risks of living. what if u decide to take your kid to the store and there are robbers there and your kid got shot. wouldn't u be a bad parent then? what if it gets run over by a car. what if it falls down the steps and breaks his spine. what if it got struck by lightning. what if there is MRSA in the store. etc


why not surgically attach your kid to your back til its 18
Reply:No, I wouldn't leave a baby alone for any length of time - you never know what could happen to the baby (i.e., suffocation, etc.) Not a good idea.
Reply:Sorry for being judgmental, but you sound like the laziest parent in the world. So what if it takes 20 minutes to run to the corner store? That is an extra 20 minutes you could be spending with and bonding with your child. It is NEVER ok to leave a baby alone. Please learn to cherish every moment you have to spend with your baby.
Reply:I never would--what if you got locked out? What if your house started on fire? It only take 4 minutes for a 2000 sq ft home to burn completely to the ground.
Reply:NO





Its simply not worth it,





I would just organize my day better,





I know it might be inconvienient to have to drag your baby along with you,





BUT thats the deal you make when you decide to become a mother,or parent,





My son is a little over a year old, and knows how to jump out of his play pen, and open doors,





WHAT IF, your toddled out into the road,


and got hit , or worse yet taken,





YOU don't think that people around you don't know you have a child, they could easily report you,


you may have even have attracted the attention, of a pediphile


maybe next time you leave, she won't be there when you get back.......





I mean its very easy to find out your information, and who you are and where you live,





Be more careful,





M
Reply:Heck no. I think it is negligeance.
Reply:When you have a child, you have to take their safety in consideration before your own simplicity. Take the child with you, no matter if a 2 minute trip becomes 20. That child's safety should come first.
Reply:Absolutley NOT
Reply:no.never
Reply:No matter the situation it is never ok to leave your baby alone in a house for even a second. It don't take long for something major to happen. If the playpen should collapse or what if someone watched you leave and went in to take your baby, or if a fire broke out .....there are a million things that could happen to a baby left alone in a house even for a short period of time. When you make a choice to have a baby you have to know that it will make certain tasks more difficult such as just a quick run to the store. What use to maybe take 5 minutes may now take 30 minutes but that is ok, the world isn't going to come to an end just because you have to take more time to do something. Childrens services looks at the whole picture and I know locally they have made tv statements that it is illegal and never a good idea to leave a baby alone in the house and they can file child endangerment charges on a person doing it.
Reply:i think you should have some one to help you with your baby or make sure that your baby palypen don't have nothing that can hurt your baby with that what i think
Reply:No, absolutely not...


think about it this way...


would you let your babysitter leave your child alone to go to the store? Probably not.
Reply:it doesnt take two minutes for something bad to happen to you or the baby.leaving behind a child so you can save time is completely selfish
Reply:oh poor you..you actually have to take the time to make sure your child is ready to go to the store with you...that's what being a parent is all about...its not what is convenient for you..but what is best for your child's safety..THEY COME FIRST..not YOU..so what if its inconvenient for you..
Reply:Social Services could take your child away (at least temporarily) if someone reported you. It's best to NEVER leave kids alone. Would you forgive yourself if a fire broke out and killed your child -- and you were so inconvenienced by a few extra minutes.





Always treasure what you have because it could be snapped away from you in a blink of an eye.
Reply:I would never leave my baby alone ever. A lot can happen in two minutes. You would never forgive yourself if something happend to the baby while you were gone.
Reply:NO, never.
Reply:No, I wouldn't if it's 5 houses down, wouldn't even if it was next door. Odds are nothing will happen, but you never know. And to go 5 doors down, make a purchase and then get back is more than 2 minutes, by the way.
Reply:NO ..... Don't do that!
Reply:NEVER. anything can happen in 2 minutes. I dont even leave my kids in the car when i forget something at home and just need to run in to get it. why risk something if you dont have to?
Reply:No.
Reply:I would never leave a child alone in the house. Is 18 additional minutes really worth something horrible happening. No way. I'd say, suck it up and take the kid with you. That is what responsible parents do.
Reply:I am a mother of 4 kids and 3 step kids and 4 grand kids and as i have had long hours through each one of them i have never left them alone for two seconds.If i had to go to the bathroom they went with me and i just covered up or something.I had playpens,strollers and other things set up through the house just for each room.I took them all to the store regardless of how long it took to get them ready or not.If no one could watch them that i trusted then they was right there with me.No parent should leave there child alone for 2 Min's. or 2 seconds that's all it takes for anything to bad to happen.
Reply:I have never left my baby home alone!
Reply:No because you never know what can happen the time that you leave
Reply:No way in Hell. Even if your gone 2 seconds someone can come in your house and snatch that baby or kid.
Reply:I would not.





2 minutes is enough time for a carry-off. It's enough time to hear a kid choking and save her. It's enough time to get killed by a car and leave your kid unattended until someone wonders what that raunchy smell is, and finds your fly-covered infant's body in her crib.





That 20 minutes of prep time is insurance. If you don't think your kid's safety is worth it, vive la difference.
Reply:heck no !!!!!!! r u crazy anything could happen!!!!!!!!
Reply:keep the front doors locked.don't lock the bathroom door if you are home alone,You answered your own question---never leave the house withiut the baby.
Reply:Something I never ever did. It only takes two minutes to slip her coat and wellies on and take her with you. Even less to be better organised in the first place. It's not a question of someone getting in while you're out, it's a question of the 101 other things that can happen, when you really need to be in the house with her.





Whatever happened in that holiday apartment that night, a 3yo shouldn't have been left to babysit 2yo twins with access to the kitchen, hot water, etc. Simple as.
Reply:R U KIDDING ME!!?!!!!?!! A baby is a precious thing. A great gift in the World, and you want to leave it alone?!?!? Anything could happen in 2 minutes. Besides, all you have to do is pick up the baby, and maybe put a coat or jacket on him/her. Seriously as long as he/she has clothes on, just take him/her. If something ever happened to your baby, would you ever forgive yourself just for those 20 minutes? If you absolutely have to leave without him/her, call a sitter from close by. Anyone with brains could see that. (not to be harsh, just when i read this i went crazy.)



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