It’s no big news that our ability to detect threats is a vital component of our survival – however, when you’re a kid, you’re expected to lack in that department, and that’s why the job falls entirely into our parents’ hands.
The star of today’s article, a mom of a 2-year-old, is facing a bit of a dilemma. The thing is, the woman is scheduled to leave on a vacation with her extended family, and her in-laws have suggested that the kids sleep in a connected apartment, unsupervised.
More info: Mumsnet | Carine Robin
Mom disagrees with in-laws who suggested her toddler sleep in a separate building on their forthcoming vacation
Image credits: Pixabay (not the actual image)
The woman says she’s scared to leave her 2-year-old alone with potential hazards, meaning that she or her husband will have to go to bed with her each night
Image credits: Karolina Grabowska (not the actual image)
Image credits: eric_in_or (not the actual image)
Image source: PotsAndDishes
“Before I roll out my picnic blanket to sit on the proverbial hill I’m choosing to metaphorically die on, AIBU?” – this netizen took to a London-based internet forum created for discussions between parents of children and teens to learn whether she’s indeed being unreasonable by not wanting to leave her toddler sleeping alone in a connected apartment while on vacation.
Every person with a kid out there will probably agree that parenthood is a beautiful yet incredibly tough gig.
Upon welcoming your little one, your life gets put aside, and all the worries you might’ve had before become incomparable to what you are bound to feel. Your priorities shift, and the number one goal is now to keep your offspring safe and content – however, unfortunately, we sometimes fail to realize how hazardous our usual surroundings actually are.
To give you a more illustrative example, a piece from CDC, a leading science-based and data-driven service organization that protects the public’s health, stated that more than 7,000 children and teens aged 0-19 died because of unintentional injuries in 2019.
Heartbreaking, isn’t it?
What doesn’t help the cause is that all parents feel judged almost all the time. You get chastised for being too protective and too involved, and others seem to have a ton of opinions, but one thing we all ought to understand is that it’s your child and nobody else’s, so if you feel the need to impose all kinds of safety precautions for peace of mind – go for it, as at the end of the day, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
The original poster of today’s story faced some criticism from her in-laws too. The family is soon going on a vacation where they have rented a big villa with connected apartments, and when it was time to discuss who would take what room, her husband’s parents proposed that everyone with kids settle in those aforementioned apartments.
Naturally, the woman agreed as she didn’t want to rob others of their “holiday lie in,” but her only concern was that she or her husband would essentially have to go to bed with their 2-year-old as she doesn’t want to risk the potential danger of leaving a child unsupervised.
But the in-laws instead called her out on being unreasonable as, according to them, it’s “no different to her being asleep upstairs.”
The in-laws then call her unreasonable, claiming that it’s “no different to her being asleep upstairs”
Image credits: ajay_suresh (not the actual image)
Now, to get a more professional outlook on the matter, Bored Panda decided to reach out to Carine Robin, a Montessori teacher and child psychologist.
First things first, we pondered how to keep your child safe while on vacation: “Research your location beforehand to be aware of potential safety concerns. Research child-friendly accommodation. While checking your hotel room or location, put out of reach any breakable or valuable objects. Check windows to make sure they are locked or out of reach. You may have to move furniture around."
"If it’s not done yet, teach your child to hold your hand while in the street or public space. I used to give two choices to my child: hold my hand or be in my arms. My toddler was so desperate to walk that after a few attempts, she accepted to hold my hand as she didn’t want to be carried. A stroller or baby carrier might be best in busy touristic areas. You might not be able to give as much freedom to your child as you would do at home.”
We then asked Carine if leaving your toddler sleeping alone is ever a good idea, and since it’s not too clear what the OP means by ‘connected apartments,’ the woman replied as follows: “I’m not too sure about the layout of the connected apartment. Is it like an extra room? Or is it like two adjacent apartments? At night, you should be close enough to your child that you hear them calling for you. A baby monitor might be very useful. Make sure you have a travel plug adapter."
"If the room in the connected apartment is too far from where you would sleep, consider asking for a travel cot that you would fit in the main apartment. Even if your child sleeps well at home, they might wake up more often as it’s a new, unfamiliar situation. Therefore, you will need to respond quickly if they are scared during the night. That might prove a bit tricky if they are in a separate bedroom.”
BP also wondered what our expert would suggest the author do: “I don’t think the author is unreasonable. She has to feel comfortable with the arrangements to enjoy their holiday. If it means having the child closer or her being near the child in the adjacent apartment, then so be it. Her extended family might have a different view, but what matters is that her child and their parents feel safe and comfortable with their decision.”
And last but certainly not least, the woman added: “Holidays should be an enjoyable time for everyone. When different members of a family gather together for the holidays, they should respect each other’s opinions about how to make that time safe and fun. When it comes to raising their children, I believe parents know best. I teach about Montessori, so giving freedom to a child to explore is one of the main Montessori concepts. However, it’s always within safety limits.”
What is your take on the story, though? Do you believe that the netizen is being unreasonable?
Fellow members of the internet forum shared their thoughts and opinions on the situation
