Hi people, don’t think I deserve flaming here, but feel free to flame me if you wish after I explain the following. But I would also like any advice from people who know how this works.
I live in an sro(independent single room) and do not get internet in my room. We can get it in the laundrey or the reception area downstairs. I have two kids 1 and 4, and needless to say, can only go downstairs when baby is asleep.
Last week, baby was sleep, and I needed to submit an online application for 4yo’s school by the deadline. chance to do so downstairs. 4yo did not want to leave room, because he was watching a movie which had about an hour left. (usually he would be in preschool, so this situation wouldnt come up)After some thought, and some argument about his coming with me, I asked if he was ok with me leaving the room for 10mins while i went downstairs (In the same building)I explained exactly where I was and he was happy to do that. He absolutely refused to leave with me when I insisted earlier.
I went downstairs quickly (with sleeping baby) and then returned. Sure enough, 4yo was gone! (door was locked) movie was turned off, no sign.
I panicked and called the office/doorman downstairs to make sure he hadnt left the building. It looked like a kidnapping, because the door was locked and child didn’t have key. On the other hand, had I forgotten to lock door and he wandered out looking for me?
I asked my neighbours to help me look up and down the stairs of the building, I checked room again and couldn’t see him.
I was worried about telling anyone about this, because I do not trust anyone in this building, but in this case, it was necessary.
Finally, I looked in the room again, and there was 4yo, sound asleep, behind a little tower of pillows that he likes to build nowadays. He had obviously turned off tv, and made himself comfortable, and went to sleep.
Relief!! ( and frankly, nothing else much matters after that, I am very thankful that he was fine)
6 days later, I get a knock on the door, it’s the police. They tell me they were called because there was an unattended child in the room. I told them what happened 6 days earlier (should I have done that, or was i an idiot?) In any case, they said, it wasn’t a problem, because obviously the parent was there, and there was nothing to worry about. They left.
In the meantime, I am wondering, did my so called helpful neighbours call the police on me because I trusted them in a moment of distress?? Was it the office downstairs who are legally obligated to do so, or who perhaps wish to intimidate me (im behind in rent) Why 6 days later?
If 4 yo child refuses to leave room with you, and you are still in the same building, if you know he’s ok on his own for short periods, then what would you do? I don’t have anyone to help me.
Ok, so don’t leave kid in room, but it was for a very short period, and its not something I usually do.
People with big houses leave their kids unattended in another room, all the time, (cio come to mind quite frankly) similarities there….
In any case, im not justifying my actions here, but just don’t think its worth calling the police over. Maybe neighbours, or whoever it was, could have just told me they thought I shouldn’t have done that. But call thepolice?
And here’s the thing I don’t get, why did they come 6 days later? Did someone just randomly call?
On the other hand, they have my sympathy because they were concerned for my child, so I am willing to forgive.
I don’t know. But the moral of the story to me is, don’t trust your neighbours.
Can anyone figure out why it was 6 days later? And does anyone think they did the right thing calling the police?
Like I said, flame me if you wish….
I live in an sro(independent single room) and do not get internet in my room. We can get it in the laundrey or the reception area downstairs. I have two kids 1 and 4, and needless to say, can only go downstairs when baby is asleep.
Last week, baby was sleep, and I needed to submit an online application for 4yo’s school by the deadline. chance to do so downstairs. 4yo did not want to leave room, because he was watching a movie which had about an hour left. (usually he would be in preschool, so this situation wouldnt come up)After some thought, and some argument about his coming with me, I asked if he was ok with me leaving the room for 10mins while i went downstairs (In the same building)I explained exactly where I was and he was happy to do that. He absolutely refused to leave with me when I insisted earlier.
I went downstairs quickly (with sleeping baby) and then returned. Sure enough, 4yo was gone! (door was locked) movie was turned off, no sign.
I panicked and called the office/doorman downstairs to make sure he hadnt left the building. It looked like a kidnapping, because the door was locked and child didn’t have key. On the other hand, had I forgotten to lock door and he wandered out looking for me?
I asked my neighbours to help me look up and down the stairs of the building, I checked room again and couldn’t see him.
I was worried about telling anyone about this, because I do not trust anyone in this building, but in this case, it was necessary.
Finally, I looked in the room again, and there was 4yo, sound asleep, behind a little tower of pillows that he likes to build nowadays. He had obviously turned off tv, and made himself comfortable, and went to sleep.
Relief!! ( and frankly, nothing else much matters after that, I am very thankful that he was fine)
6 days later, I get a knock on the door, it’s the police. They tell me they were called because there was an unattended child in the room. I told them what happened 6 days earlier (should I have done that, or was i an idiot?) In any case, they said, it wasn’t a problem, because obviously the parent was there, and there was nothing to worry about. They left.
In the meantime, I am wondering, did my so called helpful neighbours call the police on me because I trusted them in a moment of distress?? Was it the office downstairs who are legally obligated to do so, or who perhaps wish to intimidate me (im behind in rent) Why 6 days later?
If 4 yo child refuses to leave room with you, and you are still in the same building, if you know he’s ok on his own for short periods, then what would you do? I don’t have anyone to help me.
Ok, so don’t leave kid in room, but it was for a very short period, and its not something I usually do.
People with big houses leave their kids unattended in another room, all the time, (cio come to mind quite frankly) similarities there….
In any case, im not justifying my actions here, but just don’t think its worth calling the police over. Maybe neighbours, or whoever it was, could have just told me they thought I shouldn’t have done that. But call thepolice?
And here’s the thing I don’t get, why did they come 6 days later? Did someone just randomly call?
On the other hand, they have my sympathy because they were concerned for my child, so I am willing to forgive.
I don’t know. But the moral of the story to me is, don’t trust your neighbours.
Can anyone figure out why it was 6 days later? And does anyone think they did the right thing calling the police?
Like I said, flame me if you wish….
It's the same as me leaving my kids (well.....not the same exactly, my kids are older, but I still to this day have not left them for even 5 minutes. And they are 7 and 9) in my house while I went to a different part of my neighborhood. Whatever you need to do is not important enough to leave the little one's alone. There are places you can bring your kids to that have internet access, or, just take them with you when they are not napping or watching a movie. Bring a little snack/toy and get your stuff done knowing that if they need you, you are right there.
