Quote:
Originally Posted by Xaccers
Things happen whether parents are there or not as demonstrated by the bath abduction while the house was full of people.
When I was 2 all my mates and I used to play out on our own in the cul-de-sac we lived in. No parents were around.
Things happen, it's part of life. I got my head stuck in a gate trying to get into a friends garden, loads of bumps and grazes, mate broke his arm falling from a swing. It's called life.
In Saudi at the age of 5 I was able to walk around large shopping centres on my own while my mum and sister did their own thing. I the Red Sea I spent hours alone swimming up and down the shore and reef.
I've seen the detremental effect on children that wrapping them up in cotton wool can do, it's not a pretty sight!
Messed up kids that can't think for themselves, poor imaginations, difficulty socialising, bed wetting until early teens.
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I donot think you can compare the above with leaving 3 under 4s 'home' alone whilst the parents are out wining and dining. I donot think any of us are advocating wrapping up our kids in cotton wool, and on a further note i do think times have changed from 20 years ago to now. I remember when I was 7/8, we'd be out till 9 oclock playing in summer. There's no way I'd let my 8 year old (i i had one) do that now though. It's most likely nothing would happen to him, but I am not willing to take the risk.
I donot think that by not leaving your kids alone at home, you'd be messing with their minds. Remember these are 4 year old and under we are talking about. I fail to see how leaving them home alone is reasonable or good for their well being at that age.