Baby monitor as "babysitter"

Tapthathank

So my cousin informed me that she and her husband are planning to go to a neighborhood Halloween party on Saturday night.  She was discussing the party with some neighbor mom's and they asked what she planned to do with her 7 month old son.  She said she was going to put him to bed, grab the monitor (I-baby app), lock up and head to the party.  The party is 5 houses down.  The other mom's said they were planning to do this too, but had been getting some looks from other mom's who do not leave their children home alone.  She asked me if I would leave Sam. 

I said no.  No question.  I was floored that she would think this was OK.  I said - anything could happen!  She replied with something like, I never even thought that other parents wouldn't do this.  "I guess it's different parenting styles."  WHAT?!  So I slept on it and sent her this yesterday: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/jacoba-urist/children-home-alone-_b_1122003.html  With some of my concerns and I offered to babysit.  She hasn't responded yet.....

What does Parenting think? 

jillyjill1026sr

Absolutely not. We have a video monitor, and I do go outside to wash my car or garden while DD is napping, but I never leave the vicinity of our property (which is quite small). What if there was a fire or a carbon monoxide leak or someone broke in or...You just never know. Your child's well-being is a million times more important than a Halloween party.

littlestjerry

The fact that @Hawkward just used the word village makes me think she and her family are wizards.

littlestjerry

Oh and no to this plan. Your child > fun at a party.

Tapthathank

threelittlewheels said:

What kind of monitor does she have? I can't even take mine more than 20 ft out of the house before it is out of range. Leaving your baby alone just to go to a party is ludicrous and, truthfully, bordering on child endangerment.

I'm not sure - it seemed to be an app.  She was over at my house last week (her husband was home with the baby) and she pulled up a live feed of her baby sleeping in his crib.

I completely agree with you guys.  I think it is illegal - I said that to her.  I think it's selfish and just so wrong. 

zeptattoo

No way.

RayRay007

We've gone over to the neighbours with the monitor before. Our backyards are adjacent and we sit on their deck. It is not much further away than me being in my garden. I wouldn't be comfortable being several houses away myself and I might side eye that but I don't clutch my pearls.

ASmallWonder

H to the ell no.  Being able to see your house and pop in and out like in your own yard or literally next door outside?  Yeah ok.  Otherwise absolutely no freaking way.

Bythebeach09

We used to live in a townhouse where all the homes are connected with connected yards. We have put the kids to bed, grabbed both monitors and went next door both inside and outside. But, the monitors work perfectly and it's literally no more than 20 feet away from both sleeping children. One time dd woke up crying, I went about 10 steps to my door and went to tend to her.

But in a freestanding home 5 houses down?? Not a chance I would do it.

aglenn

I'm in the "no way" camp, too, but more than one person has given me the eye-roll about not being willing to do this.  Apparently it's common in our neighborhood.  Nope, nope, nope.  Not a chance for me.

BluepointToasted

Nope. I'll go outside with the monitor, sure, and to my next door neighbors porch, but that's about it.  5 houses is way too far.

nunzchucks

We've gone next door to the neighbors to watch a football game while my toddler is sleeping and brought the monitor, but I've always stared at it basically the entire time we are there. 5 houses would not work for us. That's way too far.

SpaceGirlSpiff

Nope...that's too far.  I can understand going outside or even right next door to hang out on a neighbor's porch but.... hell to the no at this idea.

SpaceGirlSpiff

Sounds like maybe it's one of those apps where you can check in with a camera (via internet connection) ??  If so... does the audio work at that distance or does it have audio at all?

Lolapop29

threelittlewheels said:

Leaving a baby alone with a live streaming app that could easily be hacked and the baby stolen sounds like a Lifetime movie in the making.

My phone just went off for an Amber alert as I read this, no joke.

Tapthathank

ScoutNumbers05 said:

I'd be way more worried about fire than kidnapping. By the time you are hearing a fire alarm over a monitor, things could be pretty out of control. And you have five houses to run back from.

Nope.

Right?!  Her words "plus we got that new monitor that buzzes at me at every noise that happens around our house." 

So what?  What if your beloved technology fails?  It's just not worth the risk.

For the record, these homes are brand spanking new, new development.  4000 sq ft homes on large lots.  Not row houses, not townhouses that are close together.  I do not think the home would be visible from the party house....even if it was though....it's still wrong.

allrightmeow

No that's too much distance for me personally.  My DH would probably pack a bag and divorce me if I seriously even entertained that idea.  He's a firefighter and has seen some wild shit. 

TheBorg7of9

What if the kid started choking on something or fell while climbing out of the crib or got something around his neck?

theimpossibleastronaut

Yeah, this is a big no for me. I could not go to a party knowing my baby was alone in a house. Nope.

RondackHiker

TheBorg7of9 said:

What if the kid started choking on something or fell while climbing out of the crib or got something around his neck?

I'm not for their plan, but this shit could happen while you're in the house.

Bythebeach09

I was telling my girlfriend about this today and she proceeded to tell me that her SIL, after her divorce, used to put her daughter (then, 2ish) to bed and then GO OUT on dates. Like, leave the toddler asleep in her apartment alone for a few hours while she went to dinner, a bar, whatever. I wish I had known about this then (about 12 years ago), I def would have called the police.

NotSharknado

Why not bring the baby with?

[Deleted User]

I felt guilty going to the mailbox when DS was 7 months.

NotSharknado

When I lived in an apartment I would put Ds in the laundry basket to go down to the basement to do laundry. It was barely a flight of stairs.

wesleycrusher

but should I go get the turkey? Lmk.

klondikebar

It's been entirely too long since I've seen a turkey in the car reference.

Maebb

My neighbors do this (while at the other neighbor's house, maybe 20 feet away), and I didn't really judge it, but I do think 5 houses is too far.

We are going to a party tonight and not getting there until 9. We're too cheap to hire a babysitter and don't know how long we'll stay anyway, but they said "little ghosts and goblins welcome," so we just plan on taking DS and letting him play if he's happy or putting him in a pack n play to sleep (or coming home) if he gets too fussy.

Tapthathank

Well....I have not heard from my cousin.  She did not take me up on my offer to babysit.  I saw a picture on Facebook that she and her husband obviously went to the party, not sure what they did with their 7 month old though.