Toddler moms

Curious - do you watch your DD/DS at all times? Meaning, when they play, do you stay in the same room at all times and watch them, or will you go to another room periodically and let them play by themselves, and if so, for how long?

DH and I tend to hover over Alex at all times - mainly because she's such a little devil and can get herself into trouble in a millisecond. There are times when I need to get something and will go to the other room without her, but I get so nervous when I do that...

Re: Toddler moms

No, I can leave her in the den, which is totally child proof if I need to. I leave her in there so I can cook dinner, clean the rest of the house, take a shower. I've left her for up to 30 mins (looking in every so often but not going in) and she was fine.

Re: Toddler moms

i wil let my kids play in their room alone. the room is a toddler proofed as a room can get. and my dd is 4 so she keeps an eye on my 2 year old. but even with my 2 year old. i will let him play for 15-20 minutes here and there, and peak in on him.

Re: Toddler moms

I will leave Noah in the living room for 5 minutes if I have to get him milk or go to the bathroom. I feel this room is pretty well baby proofed. He will keep himself busy for a few minutes...

Usually he will keep himself busy by shredding up a tissue, emptying a bottle on the floor...

As long as he isnt' bleeding, thats fine by me!!!

Re: Toddler moms

I have done a whole lot of babyproofing, and removed a lot of clutter so that I would feel safe leaving the room. I would go out of my mind all day long if I couldn't walk away while she is happily playing on her own!!

Re: Toddler moms

Julia does what she wants to around the house, but shes never really alone.

My bedroom is upstairs and her play area is downstars, so if I'm getting ready she will go downstairs alone and play, but never for long, she always has to check on me or yell MAMA to make sure I'm still in the house--lol

Re: Toddler moms

Michael has complete reign of the house... I tend to stay in the room with him because I feel like I never see him. But I (and DH too) will leave him playing in his playroom or upstairs in his bedroom so we can do stuff - cook, clean, laundry, etc... Michael had freedom pretty much as soon as he could walk. We had the big play yard gates in his playroom and we took them down once he was walking.

Every child is different. If you don't feel comfortable leaving her alone then don't. If Michael was more nosey or into things then I probably wouldn't.

Just editing to add: Michael usually comes looking for us after 10-15 mins, if not we peek in and check on him. I just wanted to add that so no one thinks I'm leaving him for too long...

Message edited 2/15/2007 2:45:12 PM.

Re: Toddler moms

I'm on the computer now and I can see right into his bedroom so I always have a watchful eye on him. I can leave him downstairs for 30 minutes while Curious George is on and he won't move a muscle.

Re: Toddler moms

I have a one bedroom apt so I am never far, but I do leave her in the living room while I do stuff.

She doesnt like to leave the living room, there is a certain point that we used to block off and she won't cross it for some reason.

Re: Toddler moms

yes, I leave him alone to play. We live in a split, so for instance, right now I am in the computer romm upstairs and he is down in the playroom/den sitting on his pottery barn chair watching noggin.. The den has been baby proofed so I have no problem leaving him by himself..

He needs to have alone time when separation time comes he will be ready...

Re: Toddler moms

Nate will rarely stay in a room by himself for long. He's always moving and wants to see what you are doing. He'll play with lego blocks for 10-15 mins by himself, but will come and check on you and then go back to playing. If I need time to get something done, I'll strap him in his high chair and turn on Jack's Big Music Show.

Re: Toddler moms

No I don't stay in the same room at all times. I let him play alone but only for a few minutes at a time without running in to peek in on him.

For example, in the mornings when I'm getting dressed he has free run of the house. He's usually in the bedroom with us, but he'll wander off to the LR or the kitchen and I won't go after him. And he usually comes back on his own before I feel it's time to check on him.

Re: Toddler moms

I leave her alone but we have a fairly open floor plan so I can always hear or kind of peak on her. Generally she just follows me around anyway. I do have to lock her out of the laundry room when I go in to do laundry because she gets into the cat stuff but she typically just stands and bangs on the door.
Once in a while I will run upstairs while she is downstairs but it's usually just to get a basket of laundry and I can peek over the rail when I get up and before I head down.
She doesn't get into much trouble.....YET but I know our time is coming.

Re: Toddler moms

Now that she is 2 I find she doesnt mind being left alone and it happy to play or watch her show by herself while I am doing something. If she doesnt find me after 15-20 minutes I will check on her!