OK to leave 4 yo unattended while showering?

Mag&Ivan

Would you leave your 4 year old unattended while showering?  Before #2 was born 6 wks ago, I used to bring #1 into the bathroom and have her read a book if I needed to shower while alone with her.  Now I need to bring #2 into the bathroom and don't like the idea of having both of them in close quarters without watching them closely.  

I leave #1 alone while doing dishes, laundry, etc. but am always within earshot so being so far away makes me a little wary.  She is generally responsible though, so my head is telling me it's fine.  Just need to get general feelings on it I guess. 

KristinKD

Questions about showering always make me feel like a bad parent. lol.

I let both my girls play in our bedroom while I shower. I leave the bathroom door open to keep an ear out for them, and DD2 usually comes in to peek at me, but since our bedroom is childproofed I don't have any problem leaving them unattended in there.

ArcticFox

I have to leave my 4 year old alone for various things.  Mostly a chunk of time when I'm putting our 22mo down for a nap.  My DH is almost never around, so there are just times I have to leave DD alone while I do other things.  I mean if she were to cry or scream etc, I would hear her.  Is it mostly you feel like you can't hear her while you're showering?

sju

I run into this when DH is on travel. I shower at night to save time getting everyone ready and out the door in the morning.

I leave DS watching TV on our bed.  DD is usually asleep.  He has always been very good about being safe so I am not concerned. He does not need constant supervision like DD.  Anyway, our bathroom is not big and when I leave the door open I can see him.  I also have to leave him alone when I am putting DD to bed. I just check on him regularly.

mbritto4

I'd not get a shower during the week otherwise, MH is gone m-f. I have her favorite shows on the DVR, I let her pick who she wants to watch and take LO (or her monitor if she's napping) in the bathroom with me. DD is almost always good and sits on my bed or the couch of my room. She understands if she's not it means time out or a favorite toy taken away. I also take a quick shower and she often comes in while I'm brushing my teeth or something after. It probably depends on your child and parenting style but it can work. We have a rule she doesn't go downstairs w/o me (especially if the doorbell rings) and have a chain lock up high on the front door as an added measure to keep her from answering the door. I also have an alarm that beeps when a door is opened and a panel in my room so I'd hear it.

mabma80

My 4 year old does just fine with his brother, 3.  He'll play on his Leapster or I'll put on a movie/show for them.  My showers are about 5 min. so i don't take that long.  Then I open the bathroom door and they come and go as they please while I'm drying my hair and applying makeup.

June2007

KristinKD:

Questions about showering always make me feel like a bad parent. lol.

I let both my girls play in our bedroom while I shower. I leave the bathroom door open to keep an ear out for them, and DD2 usually comes in to peek at me, but since our bedroom is childproofed I don't have any problem leaving them unattended in there.

I basically do this too. I turn in the TV in my room and lock the door that leads to hallway. I also have a gate at the top of the stairs. I leave the bathroom door open and just shower fast.

DeputiesWife

I leave her alone in my room with the bathroom door open and she is about 6 feet away. She is almost 4, she usually colors or she will sit on the floor and read.

If we had a 6 week old i would be ok with leaving the 2 of them alone together with in ear shot. 

jerol

Yes- I do.  My 5.5 year old is usually watching TV in the living room during that time.  And my almost 4 year old hates to be away from me so she is either in the bathroom with me or sitting with her older sister.  I now have a 2 month old also.    I try to wait until at least the baby is asleep!

KL777

My 3.5 year old will sit on the couch and watch tv while I take a shower while the bathroom door is open.  I also specifically tell him to stay on the couch and watch tv while I take a shower.  So far, he's been doing just that.

Ciarrai

Questions like this make me feel like a really bad mom.  Really bad.  I have my 5-year-old "babysit" my 18 month old while I shower.  I used to put the gate on the stairs so all three kids were locked upstairs.  The three kids would usually play in the playroom (on the opposite side of the house from my master) and I just told the girls to come get me if DS needed help or had trouble.  The gate's broken now and DS knows how to go up and down the stairs, so we don't use it anymore.  The kids usually stay in the playroom still, but sometimes they go downstairs.  I shower pretty quickly but I don't think twice about taking a shower when I'm home alone with the three kids.  I'd never get a shower in at all if I didn't do it while they were home.  I also do laundry, wash dishes and cook dinner downstairs while they play upstairs.  They'll come get me if there's a problem.

penguingrrl

I have been leaving my almost 4 year old unattended while I shower for a while now (not sure when I started, but I think she was around 2.5). We're in a small apartment so she's never far from me and I put on the TV and she's fine. I haven't left her sister unattended while I shower yet because she's a less reliable kid. She has always been more likely to get into things she shouldn't than her sister is. I either shower at night when they're both in bed or during DD2s nap. Now that she's starting to phase out the nap though I'm sure I'll have to start leaving her while I quickly shower occasionally.

franciscaz

My almost 4 yo is a mastermind evil genius.  I don't ever leave him anywhere unattended.  He is constantly looking for mischief.  I think it depends on your kid.  Mine wouldn't allow the option!

MrsBalletStar05

I guess it depends on the kid.  I've left DS#1 in the living room (it's pretty close to the shower) since he was maybe 2.5 or so and really never worried about it.  He's never gotten into anything.  He may be a royal pain in the rear sometimes, but he has always known to stay out of trouble while mom is in the shower.  Anyway, he is 4 now so we've been doing this for quite awhile.  I have DS#2 now as well (13 months and a much quieter/chilled personality than #1) and leave them both in the living room while I'm in the shower.  I do keep my shower time short. 

Amy720

I only have one child, but I do leave him unattended while I shower.  We only have a 1/2 bath downstairs so I have to shower upstairs.  He'll stay downstairs and play or watch tv.  I told him that if he needed me to come upstairs or yell for me.  He has never tried to go outside by himself and I trust him to come upstairs if he needs something. 

ToBeMrsT

DS is 3 1/2 and I've been leaving him unattended while I shower for about a year now.  He usually just watches tv or plays with his toys. Sometimes he'll come in and say hi and then leave again. DD (15 months) is in the pack n play while I shower.

Mama Jan

I leave my 2yo and 3?yo unattended while I shower.  We have a tiny house so our bathroom is literally steps from the living room.  I turn on a show for them and leave the bathroom door open.  They usually pop in once or twice to see what I'm up to and I can always see if they leave the living room because they have to pass by the bathroom door.  It's totally fine in our situation, I think it just depends on your child, how child-proof your house is, etc.  If they can't get into danger and you have a well-behaved child, I don't see a problem.

shopgirl78

I do but he is with my 6 yr old also.   They have strict orders not to answer the door or telephone.  My home is childproof and they usually just watch a movie while I am away.  DS2 is always napping when I shower.  I can't leave him out. 

rnin02

Mama Jan:

I leave my 2yo and 3?yo unattended while I shower.  We have a tiny house so our bathroom is literally steps from the living room.  I turn on a show for them and leave the bathroom door open.  They usually pop in once or twice to see what I'm up to and I can always see if they leave the living room because they have to pass by the bathroom door.  It's totally fine in our situation, I think it just depends on your child, how child-proof your house is, etc.  If they can't get into danger and you have a well-behaved child, I don't see a problem.

This is pretty much our situation too. We have a tiny apartment, I can usually put on an episode of Thomas, or something similar, and he will watch and play with his train set while I shower. He will come get me if he needs something, or if he gets bored. I probably wouldn't take a shower and leave him alone if the shower was upstairs and he was playing downstairs, but with everything on one level, its not such a big deal. 

Sxia

Every single day my kids eat breakfast together while I take a shower. (DD now will make breakfast for DS if I ask -- pour cereal, open yogurt, get a banana). I never had an issue with DD. If it was just DS, I used to just shower with him. (He loves water.) 

harlansmommy

I do.  I usually turn on a DVR'd show and go upstairs.  He can go up and down the stairs just fine and sometimes comes up and finds me.  We have those childproof knobs on the exterior doors and I make sure they are locked so I feel he is safe.  And last time he came in the bathroom with me he "decorated" the bathroom for "chrsitmas" with the toilet paper!