Would you ever...?

Today I did something I haven't done before and I want to know what you think. I closed the gate at the top of the stairs, closed all the bedroom and bathroom doors, and went and had a shower while the children played in the hallway. I haven't left the children unattended like that before and I started to wonder if I am the only one who would do this or if others have done similar things.
Also, how do you negotiate stairs with your little ones? Lately I haven't been as careful as I used to be while letting them go up and down them and I am wondering at what stage did you start trusting yours on the stairs. My children have been going up and down stairs since they were ten months old and some days I feel as though I live on the staircase as they navigate them up and down.

 

We have a playroom and it's right next door to the bathroom and I've hopped in the shower a time or two. So I do it They are alone in there often and I think it's great for them to learn how to play on their own and if they are in a safe place then leaving them isn't a bad thing. I have learned that silence is NEVER a good thing though LOL

Stairs are a hassle here. I live in a tri-level so we have a half set of stairs up to the living room and another half set that go down into the laundry room and my oldest's room. They leanred how to crawl stairs pretty early on but I was like you and was always standing there. Just at about 20 months they have been really good on the stairs and I no longer have to stand behind them or help them. I say that as one of mine fell down them yesterday but that was because he was trying to bring his toy vacuum with him. :rotflmbo:

 

I've never taken a shower when I was alone with the boys, but I have used the bathroom. Usually I just leave the bathroom door open so I can hear them, and they can come find me if they need something. If the area is completely baby-proofed, and it was only for a few minutes, I guess I'd probably do the same thing. ardon:

My guys always go up the stairs on their own. We have a gate up when they're playing, but when it's time for naps or bedtime, they insist on climbing up on their own. I make them go up side-by-side so I can keep a hand under their butts just in case (they used to topple over backwards for no reason, but this doesn't happen much any more). They don't know how to go *down* the stairs yet (but we've been practicing). They're really good at clinging to me, so I just carry them both down the stairs at the same time.

I think it will be a LOOOOONG time before I trust my guys on the stairs alone, particularly Nate. He can trip while walking through an empty room.

 

I have taken many showers with my boys playing in their play room. It is totally child proof and I have a very small house so I jsut leave the bathroom door open so I can hear if anything is wrong. I can't shower when they are sleeping because their bedroom is right next to our bathroom and it wakes them up everytime so if I didn't shower when they were awake I would never get to!!
So personally I think it is totally fine as long as you have them baracaded and babyproofed the rooms.
I don't have stairs now but at our first house my son was really good at doing the stairs by the time he was one. He had no problem going up but I usually had to pay more attention when he was coming down because thats when he seemed to wipe out more.

 

I have toys in my bathroom and they play in there when I need to shower. I don't trust them anywhere for long. Plus, I don't have many other rooms that I can gate them in.

 

I do it on a regular basis. I think I started when they were around 20 months old. I have to make sure to babygate them out of the kitchen and shut all bedroom doors except for their room. That only gives them the living room or my room to play in. The most trouble they have gotten into is getting into my makeup bags in my bathroom and getting the makeup brushes out. I don't shut the door to the bathroom all the way so they can still get to me. The biggest problem I have is they like to come in, pull the shower curtain back, ask me what I'm doing, and then demand a drink or something to eat.

 

I've done it once, we have a small house and no stairs.I left the door open and our shower stall is glass so I can see them. The sad thing was they just stood there and pretty much laughed at me the whole time. I know it was funny to them but it never feels good when you're naked and someone is pointing and laughing at you :rotflmbo:

 

When they were around a year, I would put them in their cribs with a bunch of toys and take a shower. At that age I knew they would be safe and could not get into anything. As they got older I would let them play in the hallway (there was a gate at the top of the stairs), their bedroom and playroom.

I took the gate down about a month ago so if I need to shower, I make them come in the bathroom with me. But even that is a hassle because I have to take everything out of two drawers, otherwise they will play with it. That have gotten very good at taking lids off of things and the last thing I need is two boys covered in lotion.

Mine got very good with stairs around 22 months and I no longer worry about them falling. Even when we visit other peoples homes with stairs I no longer have to be on guard.

 

:rotflmbo:
My girls are 3 and love to say to me "You have a big belly"... yes a real confidence booster!! they seem to notice all my bad parts! I try to shower when they are asleep!

to the OP- yes I would TOTALLY do the same thing and have with all 5 of my kids. The main reason I shower while they are asleep now is because if I don't they want in the tub with me and I don't like to share my shower!

 

Mine are pretty good with stairs and I let them go up and down by themselves. I would have totally done the same as you and have brought them into the bathroom with me when I've needed to take a quick shower. I say, as long as you know they are safe, then go for it.

 

yup, i've done it a few times - our whole upstairs is baby-proofed so i usually pop them in front of the tv with their sippies & have a quick shower when needed. i also leave the bathroom door open but they're terrified of the shower so they usually don't come in - or worst case, they stand at the door screaming the whole time because they think the shower's hurting me. :unknw: it's not my absolute favorite thing to do because i always worry that it will be the time they learn something new (like how to open the baby-gate at the top of the stairs) but i'm a little neurotic that way. ardon:

ETA: my girls are pretty good with stairs, but not good enough to let them go completely on their own. i usually stand half way & supervise just in case. but then, they only use the stairs when we're going out somewhere. there are no stairs in the actual living area of the house so it's not a big deal for us.

 

No, I don't think I would ever leave my kids alone at this age and go take a shower. I am worried they would find a piece of food on the floor and choke on it or fall, or who knows what they could get into. I do sometimes put DS in the jumperoo and take a quick shower, but his is contained so I don't worry too much. I normally shower when they are napping.

As for stairs, they are pretty good going up, but still learning how to go down them. I do watch them, but not quite as closely as I used to.

 

I do it all the time, I leave them contained in the living room (completely babygated) and take a quick shower! It's the only time I can take one during the day, especially if I have to go somewhere! My older dd is 3.5 and while she doesn't exactly "watch" them, she will tell me if one of them falls down or something!

I know it won't be much longer they'll be much better at getting into things, so my time is limited doing this, but maybe by then my older dd will be old enough to watch them better! :lol: And if not, they may get locked in the bathroom with me sometimes!

 

I have done it since mine were little. I use the guest bathroom shower that is right off of the living room and leave the door open. Nothing wrong with it at all!

 

That is so true!! :rotflmbo: :rotflmbo:

 

yep, used to do it all the time... only this week, my ds has learned to scale the metal superyard... there's always a first time. I'm debating on rearranging my higher gates in the hallway so that I can get free time when I need it.

I think its fine as long as you know they are safe in their surroundings. good luck.

we only have steps going down in the backyard... I let them walk down it now by themselves, but not sure how they'd do on a full flight of stairs.

 

I know!! I do it all the time too and I have a glass door, and they either get into things, like last time was an open package of maxis (had my eyes shut while I was shampooing), or sit there and laugh (but I do make faces at them and smoosh my boobies up on the glass. . .)

 

We have a double Superyard in the loft area right outside our upstairs bathroom. So I've showered with the door open, with the boys in the Superyard, from time to time. Usually I do it during their morning nap though.

 

I've never left them alone to play while i showered, i always wait till I put them down for nap time or if my hubby is home to watch them. As for the stairs, they will crawl up the stairs (when I let them) but have not mastered going down the stairs, we still have to work on that...

 

I either have a shower when mine go down for a nap, or the night before when they are in bed, or if MIL/DH is around to watch them. I just cant leave them alone (they fight for the same toy, they hurt themselves & each other...) plus I dont have a gate for upstairs. I can just about manage to go to the toilet! I do leave them playing in the lounge if Im close by, e.g. in the kitchen, but I do check on them often as silence is never a good thing! LOL!

As for the stairs, they are allowed to climb them with one of us. With me, this only happens at bed or naptime. If DH is around then he will take one up and down the stairs for practice, but I dont want to go there! I have enough on my plate without that on top! LOL!