parenting & exercising question

BusyRaeNOTBusty

I wouldn't until it's legal (and responsible to do so). Legal is 11 here I think. Depends on the kid if they are responsible enough at 11.

walterm852

A few thoughts:
1) I saw a mom run around a high school track with a baby in a portable play pen that had a shade protector, set up and breakdown in no time. She had a little boy who threw a ball against the wall by the pen.
2) Even if its not ideal, HIIT exercises, with body weight and even inexpensive (yard sale) weights can be done in virtual no space. You can do them at home and have no worries if time or gym membership babysitting is an issue. I have a little area I work out at home and can destroy myself (for rebuilding;-))

Some_Watery_Tart

Can you crate them when you go out?

I tried that once - they tend to escape:

You need better locks.

Pixi_Rex

Can you crate them when you go out?

I tried that once - they tend to escape:

You need a bigger crate he wouldn't escape so much if he was comfortable!

BlueBombers

My gym is in my basement so they are always home with me when I workout.

ldrosophila

I say if they are old enough and cognizant enough to take care of themselves in an emergency, why not?

I was babysitting and house sitting alone at 11.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Can you crate them when you go out?

I tried that once - they tend to escape:

You need a bigger crate he wouldn't escape so much if he was comfortable!

But not too big or they'll pee in the corner.

ostrichagain

I say if they are old enough and cognizant enough to take care of themselves in an emergency, why not?

I was babysitting and house sitting alone at 11.

Me too. My girls are 9 and 7. I'm just getting to the point where I'll let them ride bikes without supervision. My youngest has Epilepsy and can never be unattended. Our gym has childcare and that is worth it's weight in solid gold.

pamelak5

13mo old and 11yr old. I know, huge gap.

My older kid is very mature and I can count on her (she learned infant cpr. I still feel until my older kid is older, she shouldn't be left home alone for long periods of time. Our neighborhood is okay and we have good neighbors, but still. Too much cray in this world right now. Not the same type of childhood for these kids as we had. When she's 12/13, I'll feel a little better maybe.

Crime rates have actually fallen significantly since we were kids.

That being said - generally states have laws about kids that can be left alone, ages a sibling can watch another kid, etc.

If I need to work out while my daughter is asleep, I do a plyometrics workout or something downstairs and keep the baby monitor with me. Or I take her for a run with me, or drop her off at the gym day care (she's 3).

Cre8veLifeR

Depends on age and maturity of your child. My DD is 11 and my son is 7. I trust her to stay home by herself, but not to be responsible for her brother. I have left her here while i went to the gym when he was at his cousin's house. My DD face timed me during my workout to tell me she needed me to stop on the way home and get more milk lol.

ladylaume

I remember baby sitting at 7 now that was like 20 years ago but we have more ways to stay connected with our children then our parents did then also on another note I believe that the legal age to start babysitting is like 11 or 12 kids should be mature enough by then....just my opinion now the baby sitting age could be different but I remember reading the babysitting handbook and it was 11 then

JUDDDing

That being said - generally states have laws about kids that can be left alone, ages a sibling can watch another kid, etc.

My understanding is that only Maryland (8) and Illinois (14!!) actually have laws. The rest have CPS/HHS guidelines.

We waited until the oldest was 12 (legal age to babysit in our area).

ETA: 14 is not really the age limit in Illinois. That is apparently when you can leave them home alone for an "unreasonable" period of time.

(d) any minor under the age of 14 years whose
parent or other person responsible for the minor's
welfare leaves the minor without supervision for an
unreasonable period of time without regard for the mental
or physical health, safety, or welfare of that minor.

BelievingInMe82

No I never leave my child to exercise no matter wake or asleep to paranoid of what might happen while I'll gone single or not single unless its inside the home. Its just not safe, I take my daughter all the way to my moms house. But if your child is like 13 or older I think that it should be ok maybe for 1 hr.

jetlag

I was a latch key kid from the age of 6, so was home alone every day for 2 hours until my mum came home. Also had to get myself ready for school, walk there and back and do my homework, all without supervision. I utterly fail to see the problem, unless you feel your kids can't be trusted. I have friends with kids who I wouldn't trust on their own, but other kids who could run for mayor and would get my vote. Sometimes these kids are siblings to each other lol

If you take your children out in your car, you're exposing them to dangers you can't control, yet wig out at the thought of leaving them alone for an hour?

Children are no more safe than they were 30 years ago, we're just more neurotic.

jetlag

are you kidding me? I thought it was illegal to leave kids alone, if under the age of 14? I certainly wouldn't dream of leaving my 5 year old home alone just to go for a friggin run. God can't you take them with you , go to the park or something??? newsflash: your kids come first. I am horrified!

I don't know where you live but there is no legal age in the UK and I used to babysit in the US at 12.

estliza

No I wouldn't leave my 17 month old alone if I'm in the backyard yes and if she having nap and as long my partner is around
Feel free to add me

michellekicks

are you kidding me? I thought it was illegal to leave kids alone, if under the age of 14? I certainly wouldn't dream of leaving my 5 year old home alone just to go for a friggin run. God can't you take them with you , go to the park or something??? newsflash: your kids come first. I am horrified!

lol 14?!?! You're horrified? We do have to teach our children how to be responsible by giving them the opportunity to actually BE responsible. At 14 you can legally work a full time job here in Canada... the community centres offer babysitting courses for kids 11 years and up. My 7 year old son walks himself to school and back (or bikes or scooters) - it's about 4 blocks away.

I'm horrified that some people would not allow their children to walk alone to school in the 8th grade in a perfectly lovely middle class neighborhood (relatives of mine) and that their 14 year old daughter doesn't know how to make her own lunch. That's more horrifying to me than teaching children to be responsible.

FWIW, I've had my then 5 year old watch his 18 month old brother while I took a shower. There is sometimes no other option.

PetulantOne

It depends how mature they are. I think I was 8 when I started watching my then 5 year old sister. But I was a really responsible kid, and it was the late 80's. The world seems to be a little crazier now.

I have a 5 year old, who I obviously wouldn't leave home alone, so I work around it. I run after work, before I pick him up from daycare, and on the weekends when my husbands home. I lift at home in the gym I put together. It's not exactly ideal. I live in FL, so in the summer my afternoon runs get canceled due to lightning...a lot. Also it's bloody hot at 4:30. I also don't have anyone to spot me while I lift. But I get it done.

BeachIron

I've dropped my 3 y.o. and 7 y.o. into the woods at night a few times with only a flashlight and a hunting knife, to see if they can hunt and forage for food for a few days. So far so good, though the 3 y.o. keeps wanting to cuddle with the bears.

Morninglory81

My kids are under the age of 3 so no. But I was babysitting other people's kids at the age of 8. Shrug*