parenting & exercising question

bynsky
bynsky Posts: 15,837 Member
in Chit-Chat
After a disagreement with my eternally pessimistic husband this AM, I have a question for any parents out there who leave the house to exercise...

Do you ever leave your children at home alone just to go exercise? If so, are they sleeping at the time and how old are they?

I know single parents out there may have the best answers for me, and I'm just curious what people's replies are.
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Replies

  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
    How old are the kids?
  • vtmoon
    vtmoon Posts: 3,436 Member
    Depends on age, how many, and where you live.
  • soullightprisms
    soullightprisms Posts: 42
    My kids are 9 and 11. My 11 year old has special needs. No way that I would leave either one of them alone.
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
    We live in the city across the street from the retired chief of police and my kids are 3 months, 5 and 7. No way am I leaving them home alone (even if it wasn't for the baby).
  • PolkaDot_Princess
    PolkaDot_Princess Posts: 314 Member
    well i have a two year old so no. With my 11 year old stepson i might, but never have. My gym has a play place for the kiddies so i have no excuse, except that they seem to get sick every time i bring them there, but that's another story....
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    I leave my kids home alone all the time. But I'm a single mom and my kids are older than yours (10 & 14).

    But, for exercise, I generally walk around the neighborhood for exercise, or I walk on my breaks at work, and I keep weights at home. So I don't know if I really have a good answer to your question. But there are ways to work around any situation, I know that much.
  • pawnstarNate
    pawnstarNate Posts: 1,728 Member
    15 yr old step son.....yes
    11 yr old step daughter.....yes (she's actually more mature than the 15 yr old)
    7 yr old daughter....no (she goes with me to the gym if mom isn't home and actually enjoys it...walks the indoor track while I workout)
  • miss_jessiejane
    miss_jessiejane Posts: 2,819 Member
    If they were old enough to drive, yes. Otherwise, no.
  • _crafty_
    _crafty_ Posts: 1,682 Member
    My daughter is 8. If I want to run (in our neighborhood) I will leave her alone in the home. Doors locked. Big dog on watch. She knows not to answer the door or go outside until I come back.

    I have on occasion gone for a run early in the morning before she wakes up. Same scenario as above but I leave her a note so she knows where I am.

    Other than that, I exercise when she's with her dad or she goes to the gym with me.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    It would largely depend on the age of the kids. I'm obviously not leavng a 1 y.o. and a 3 y.o. home alone, even for 30 minutes to go exercise. Currently, my wife and I take turns...for example, she'll run on Mon AM while I get the kids breakfast and ready for day-care...Tuesday evenings she takes the kids for dinner, etc while I go to my Cyclocross training...then she get's Wednesday either morning or evening to jog while I again watch the kids...I get Thursday morning if I wish to go for a run, but often opt for a lunch time job. We lift on Thursday evenings and the gym has a drop off child care facility so we take advantage of that. Friday is usually a rest day and we lift again on Saturday morning, again taking advantage of the drop in child care. Sunday is generally just family recreation...family bike ride, go to the pool, etc.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    Depends on the age and your state laws (as well as the maturity of the kids). Some states don't have laws and some do.

    Mine are 4 and 5. I may step outside on the back patio to jump rope, but if I'm leaving the immediate surrounding of the house I hire a sitter (single parent). When I do go outside my kids are usually in bed and I leave the door open or if they are awake they join me. We often do things as a family.
  • KeriW626
    KeriW626 Posts: 430
    Having worked for CPS. If the children are old enough to fend for themselves. Know what to do in case of an emergency. There isnt a reason you cant leave them home alone to go work out. Although many places offer child care.
  • MzManiak
    MzManiak Posts: 1,361 Member
    Ok... I will confess. I have left my 9 and 7 year old sleeping while I went for a run around the neighborhood. Please don't call CPS on me, I promise they are perfectly capable of opening their window and escaping to the neighbors should there be a fire/ break in/ etc...

    My 2 year old, however, I always take with me.

    I wouldn't leave them to go to the gym. That's too far/ long. However, I'm a single mom of 3... and it's possible to schedule your workouts around them. I promise. I've only done it twice. And we have a very busy schedule! Work it in!
  • LePetitCochon
    LePetitCochon Posts: 284
    My daughter is going on 4, no. I won't even go to the store a few blocks away when she's asleep if I need something for a cake or whatever I may be doing. If my husband is home, well duh, of course. But not if it's just her and me....not that I haven't thought about it! lol
  • sheenarama
    sheenarama Posts: 733 Member
    Wow... I would never. I take my kids running with me. If they're young, in a stroller. Or they can ride their scooters as I run. There's lots of dangers in the house. And curious/undeveloped minds.
  • georgina1970
    georgina1970 Posts: 333 Member
    No.
    I have a 10 and 11 year old.
    I collected various pieces of basic gym equipment and workout at home. No reason why the kids can't go walking with you either. If they can't keep up, put them n the pushchair and you'll be doing your weight/resistance training at the same time :-)
  • swissbrit
    swissbrit Posts: 201
    My daughters are now 17 and 23 But not once did I ever leave them on their own in the house until they were 14 there was always someone there if I couldn't be. I am not a mother that smothers her kids they spent lots of time outsde and at friends houses had to bike miles to schools in all weather, but I could never have forgiven myself if someone had broken in while I was out or there had been a fire or just a stupid accident etc.
  • GaJavaGirl
    GaJavaGirl Posts: 25
    It would depend on the age and maturity of the children. For me, I am able to leave my children at home when I go to the gym and when I go for a run in the neighborhood. I use the Road ID app when I'm running in the neighborhood and my younger child can watch my progress on the computer. Good luck. I know it's a difficult decision to make.

    (FYI -- I HIGHLY suggest that app for anyone who runs/bikes/hikes, etc. -- you can email/text someone your route info and give a time limit for your outing. It sends an alert if you are stationary for 5 mins and they can also watch your progress online.)
  • staceycanada
    staceycanada Posts: 54
    My older children (13, 20 and 23 yes). My 5 yr old no.
    I put her in the jogging trailer and walk/run with her or attach it to a bike and pull her.
    If she is sleeping and no one else is around to watch her I do a workout video.
  • Naomi0504
    Naomi0504 Posts: 964 Member
    If I go to the gym, I leave mine at home. They're 16, 6, 4, and 2. And if my 16 y/o isn't home, I wait til the younger ones are asleep and I leave them with my husband to "watch".
  • knittnponder
    knittnponder Posts: 1,953 Member
    I started allowing mine to baby sit at about age 12, depending on the kid. My 13 year old son just took a Safe Sitter course at the fire department so he's clear to babysit the youngest (age 9). The Safe Sitter program is for kids age 12-16 if I remember correctly and is a great program. They learn first aid, CPR, behavior management, how to be safe themselves, how to handle different situations, etc. They are tested on all of it and have to pass to get their card and the CPR/First Aid is all hands on. If you have a kid old enough to baby sit, I highly recommend the course.
  • andiechick
    andiechick Posts: 916 Member
    My kids are 4 and 6 and I won't even go in my garage to exercise when they're asleep (its set back from my house and my treadmill is right at the back) as I would hate to think they were shouting for me and I couldn't hear them.

    I also have this fear of there being a fire and I couldn't get back in the house to help them
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    I will leave my 13 year old step-daughter babysitting the others who are 3, 7, 9 and 10. We are just starting to leave the 10 year old home alone for 30 minutes or so at a time. But I don't leave the younger ones alone... I work out in my house, though, unless I'm running. I only run when they're all in school/daycare or my husband is home.

    EDIT: My 13 y/o SD took a babysitting course at 11yrs old with first aid and stuff. She babysits for guests of the hotel where her step dad works too and babysits her two sibs (9 & 10) all the time.
  • LePetitCochon
    LePetitCochon Posts: 284
    It would depend on the age and maturity of the children. For me, I am able to leave my children at home when I go to the gym and when I go for a run in the neighborhood. I use the Road ID app when I'm running in the neighborhood and my younger child can watch my progress on the computer. Good luck. I know it's a difficult decision to make.

    (FYI -- I HIGHLY suggest that app for anyone who runs/bikes/hikes, etc. -- you can email/text someone your route info and give a time limit for your outing. It sends an alert if you are stationary for 5 mins and they can also watch your progress online.)

    I've heard some GREAT things about the RoadID app but...it's only available for Apple so far........STUPID APPLE!
  • NeverCatchYourBreath
    NeverCatchYourBreath Posts: 197 Member
    I am in no way contributing to this conversation in a productive way. I'm just stopping by to say my dad used to leave us in the house alone when he would go run up and down the street. that was when me and my brother were 3 and 4, respectively. Doesn't seem like a smart move but I'm still alive lol. We used to just stare out the window and watch him. He got sprayed by a skunk one time doing that, maybe it was karma... lol
  • DashDeV
    DashDeV Posts: 545 Member
    I usually just have the 5 year old watch the 2 year old.
  • bonjour24
    bonjour24 Posts: 1,119 Member
    my kids are 7, 5 and 3. i think i could leave the 7yo home alone for 30 mins max (again, 2 big dogs, doors lock kind of scenario, movie on- i've done this twice when she's been sick and i've needed to nip to the shop, and the other 2 have been at school and kindy). the other 2 definitely not. I've got around this by buying a cheap cross trainer ($20) and i have this in the garage so i can get a cardio workout in at home. I've also got a few DVDs and some weights that i can do in a pinch. I will always prefer running outside, but it's not always possible.
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    My 13 years old no problem but I not with my 6 years old. I exercise at lunch time or bring the little one to the gym daycare.
  • aliencheesecake
    aliencheesecake Posts: 569 Member
    After a disagreement with my eternally pessimistic husband this AM, I have a question for any parents out there who leave the house to exercise...

    Do you ever leave your children at home alone just to go exercise? If so, are they sleeping at the time and how old are they?

    I know single parents out there may have the best answers for me, and I'm just curious what people's replies are.

    Usually don't have that option. I either have my 3 year old occupied while I exercise at home, or incorporate my exercise into play with her (chasing the ball, running, etc). EVery once in a while, I may leave her with her Dad on the weekend to run, but rarely.
  • JenAndSome
    JenAndSome Posts: 1,893 Member
    I remember being 5 and being left alone with my 6 year old cousin and 7 year old brother. I survived, though I'm not sure how. They were really mean to me. With that being said, I don't think my 3, 6 or 7 year old are mature enough to stay home alone. The 7 year old would be okay by himself, but not with the others. My 11 year old daughter is more than mature enough to survive an hour or so by herself. It really depends on the child and their maturity level.

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