Watching over your 2 year old at all times?

[jjbump]

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to ask you all what you do when you need to visit the bathroom or cook or wash up etc. when looking after your 2 year old. They always say you should never leave a 2 year old out of your sight, but my 2 year old won't stay in a high chair or anything like that while I do the chores.

How do you get around this?

Thanks!

 

[MumToEva]

Mine's 1 1/2 ish instead of 2, but i generally let her potter about as she wants to - I think it is good for her to have some freedom and not always rely on me for entertainment, and I think it will make it easier when the new baby arrives. But then I have my house well baby proofed, so I know she is safe pottering about in her playroom if I am doing something in the kitchen or the living room. Obviously I listen to what she is up to and keep looking in and out to make sure she is ok, and she comes in and out to show me stuff too. And some days she wants to be with me more which is fine too - i just let her decide. But both her and I would find it really stifling if I was shadowing her all the time.

 

[jjbump]

Mine's 1 1/2 ish instead of 2, but i generally let her potter about as she wants to - I think it is good for her to have some freedom and not always rely on me for entertainment, and I think it will make it easier when the new baby arrives. But then I have my house well baby proofed, so I know she is safe pottering about in her playroom if I am doing something in the kitchen or the living room. Obviously I listen to what she is up to and keep looking in and out to make sure she is ok, and she comes in and out to show me stuff too. And some days she wants to be with me more which is fine too - i just let her decide. But both her and I would find it really stifling if I was shadowing her all the time.

This is what I do. I tend to let my 2 year old do her own thing in the living room, while I get on with chores (I check on her every 5 mins or so), but my Mum and neighbour looked at me aghast when I told them this. They told me you should never leave them alone for even a minute in case they get into difficulties or do something that may hurt them. I guess if I could view my toddler from the kitchen, things would be different, but she's out of sight when I cook and wash up, not to mention the toilet...

 

[cat lover]

it wouldnt even occur to me to watch over her all the time, how on earth would you get anything done?

 

[smokey]

Its one of the things (only things) I like about living in a flat, with the lay out this place has you can pretty much see into any room from near enough anywhere.
The kitchen has a door that leads to the livingroom and another door that leads to the hallway which you can see the bedrooms.
I often say im going into the kitchen then sneak round to the other livingroom door in the hallway and spy on him, as bad as it sounds its fun to make him jump when he gets up to misschief and thinks im off in the kitchen and watching that door but im actually at the hallway door, mummy sees everything
Even from the bathroom with the door open I can get a good idea what hes up to.
I always let him get on with his own thing but im normaly always watching weither he knows it or not.

 

[suzib76]

I have never left any of mine alone at 2 years old.

 

[jjbump]

I have never left any of mine alone at 2 years old.

Thanks for the replies everyone. Suzib76, just wondering what you do with your 2 year old when you need to go to the toilet, for example? Thanks.

 

[suzib76]

I have never left any of mine alone at 2 years old.

Thanks for the replies everyone. Suzib76, just wondering what you do with your 2 year old when you need to go to the toilet, for example? Thanks.

My bathroom is downstairs so they would just come with me, either into the bathroom or just the hallway outside but I never closed the door on them

 

[Itsychik]

I've left my (almost) 2 year old alone on several occasions. Our downstairs is completely open so I can see him from anywhere (except the bathroom/toilet) but if I need to go then I just go in but leave the door open, and if he notices I'm not there he'll either walk over or he doesn't notice and keeps playing.

Sometimes I need to run upstairs to grab something (i.e. we're getting ready to leave and I remember his shoes are in his room) so I leave him downstairs for the 30 seconds it takes me to run up/down.

In a worst case scenario, if I absolutely need to leave him alone for more than a minute (i.e. grabbing groceries out of the car right in front of the house) I put him in his chair at the table, and pull up "Micky Mouse clubhouse" on YouTube and my DS is guaranteed to sit still for at least 20 minutes

 

[Bex84]

My los not quite 2 but she usually comes to toilet with me then she will often follow me around while doing housework and i get alot done in nap time. She will usually follow anyhow lol though if i go to pick up phone shes happy to stay by living room door playing. I wouldent leave her as she climbs though recently she seems to be over this stage

 

[beanzz]

My LO is only 14 months but I jut let him run round the flat whilst I do chores. He would go ape shit if I tried to keep him in a chair or something :/ he won't even sit and watch tele so on days where he just wants my attention I don't really get much done.

Don't know what it's like for a 2 year old but with my LO I know to stop and find him when it goes quiet

 

[Natsku]

I leave her on her own plenty! My apartment is pretty safe so long as she stays out of the kitchen (its a hard door for her to open so I can hear her trying so have time to go stop her. Will get a gate for it though I think). She loves to go in her room and shut the door and play by herself.

 

[RachA]

When mine were two they would generally follow me around so u always had company in the bathroom lol. I don't really see what the problem is in going to the loo with a toddler there.
However I wouldn't be with my child every minute of the day. If I needed to cook or wash up I'd do this. I'd keep the kitchen door open and they would potter about between the kitchen, hall and lounge. If they were in the lounge and very quiet I'd pop in just to make sure they weren't wrecking the place lol!

 

[Natsku]

Oh yeah and I don't have to worry about what Maria is up to when I'm washing up as she always pulls up a chair to stand next to me to help!

 

[jjbump]

Thanks ladies. Definitely food for thought. I think a lot of depends on the layout of your home. Mine isn't anywhere near open plan, but I have a gate on the living room door so she runs around in the living room only. My toilet is separate to the bathroom and is very small, so wouldn't fit both of us in comfortably.

 

[jjbump]

Don't know what it's like for a 2 year old but with my LO I know to stop and find him when it goes quiet

Yep, this is true for me lol.

 

[clever_blond]

I let my dd wander round after me if she wants and I have gates on both my living room doors and she is quite happy to play in there or watch tele while I do other things. I often leave her on her own for short period either in the lounge or her bedroom. Both rooms are safe for her and I check on her regularly. Xx

 

[Rachel_C]

Both of my kids have always had freedom to play where they want and I get on with what I have to do. The only places they aren't allowed alone are the bathroom and the kitchen, but we have gates on the stairs so they can't get upstairs without me and I would know if they were in the kitchen. Even if they did go in there, they really can't get into anything dangerous. The only ways I can think of that they might hurt themselves are the same whether I'm there or not - falling off a bike or a sofa etc. I don't hover over them as they're stable enough at walking and climbing. It doesn't make any difference to falling over whether I'm across the room or in the next room and the doors are all left open and we have thin walls so I can hear exactly what they're up to!

It helps that both of mine (now 3.5 years and 21 months) are pretty careful and the house is pretty well child-proofed, with the exception of things like them being able to jump off the sofa!

 

[mummylove]

My kids just stay in living room our kitchen is right next to it and we have a downstairs loo so its not like its far.

 

[obsessed]

I leave my 27 month old all the time whilst I clean up. The house isn't baby proofed in the conventional sense, but I'm a very tidy person and it helps that we moved house when she was little so we was careful about what we put where. I will never leave her with food though. I always leave the doors open and put the tele on to nickjr so she usually just stands and watches tele. She's safe on the stairs tho and often goes up and down on her own and she has free run of every room but I do keep a ear out and will check on her every 5 mins but If i have to Hoover or do something noisy then I try to get her to come upstairs so I can see her