rafiki Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caitilin Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I would have done what you did, mama. I hope your little one is doing better now. I think in a situation like that, what you did is a better option. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I leave my kids (7 and 11) in waiting rooms all the time. They are well behaved and although the receptionists have given me a raised eye brow when I've first left them, they tell me how quiet they were, when I come back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammy Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I take the one who needs to be seen....and leave the others HOME with their father, LOL! My kids are very well behaved also.....but I don't think it is the receptionist's job to watch kids in the waiting room...... I realize everyone doesn't have a dh who can take off ....and in your case it was an emergency. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I think you did just fine. I take the one who needs to be seen....and leave the others HOME with their father, LOL! That is what I thought too. If dad is so concerned then he could take 2 hours of sick leave and either come with or come home to see about the other kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 It depends on the situation. Usually I take them all in the room with me. My oldest would be completely fine but I don't like leaving a single child. My second oldest is prone to bouncing and getting silly (aka LOUD) so I don't like leaving him long. If my second were better behaved, I'd leave them both more. Usually I get grief from nurses for taking them all with me. I've had several point out that "we DO have a play area for the children to wait in" but I know my kids and I don't want the receptionists to have to watch them. However, during all the pregnancy checks during the last month, I do send the boys out to the waiting room once the doctor comes in. I don't want them seeing the exams and my hubby can't take off every single week to watch the kids. In the situation you described, I would have no problem leaving kids of those ages in the waiting room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I have and do leave my kids in the waiting room at our dentist. In fact one day I was going to cancel my appointment b/c of dd being sick, they said to bring her and they would watch her for me. :0) I wouldn't have left them under the age of 5-6 or so, but at 7+, sure. The first time we did this I did ask the receptionist first, and she was fine with it. She knows my kids from years of going to this same office, I think it would be different if they were unknown to her. In this office the furthest I would be away from them is 30 feet. This office used to have a family couch in one room for this scenario but then said they had to take it out because it violated safety laws. In our office they wouldn't have allowed the kids back with you anyways :0/. Only the parent, and only in a limited/necessary capacity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I wouldn't leave mine in the family Dr office. people come and go often and the front staff is never paying attention as it is. I have at our Chiropractor's office. the gal up front insists they are fine, she will watch them. If they need me while I am on the massage table they walk back to talk to me. It's SMALL and I feel comfortable with them being able to sit up front and play a game for 10 minutes since I know another adult is seeing them/watching them for me. I wouldn't at large offices though. The kids' dentist is small and I am sure I could leave them there but the bathroom is outside the office by the exit door, so I would really have to think about that one. so my response is sometimes I would leave them in a waiting room....depends on the situation. I agree that if your dh doesn't want them alone then he should offer to watch them while you deal with the emergency. my kids are 7 and 5.5 by the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danestress Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 In a small, secure environment. My boys would just sit and read. But I can understand that not all parents are going to feel this way. I think it's fair enough for your husband to voice objection. Reasonable minds could surely differ on this, and I don't think it's unreasonable to want them under your direct supervision in public. It's not like you are in this situation all the time. I see the dilemma and it's a reasonable one. And while it would be nice if he could take the time off work to watch the other children, I don't necessarily think that should be your response to his parental input. If he *can* take time off, that's great. But sometimes that just causes a lot of anxiety and stress. My DH has clients who wait for months to get court dates. It would be unfair of me to expect them to have to delay for another few months because I couldn't deal with my children. It would have to be a real emergency for me to do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in CA Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I probably wouldn't have done it. My thinking about this is that if they are well-behaved enough to stay by themselves in the waiting room, then they are probably well-behaved enough to follow along with you without any problems. As for them being scared about future appointments, they are probably old enough to understand emergency vs. routine dental, if you explain. The bottom line, for me, would be that my dh was uncomfortable with them left in the waiting room, so I wouldn't do it. Please understand that I completely know where you're coming from, having had 5 kids age 7 and under at one time, and I'm not trying to be critical of your choice, just answering what you presented. :001_smile: I wouldn't leave them in the waiting room until ages more like 10 & 12. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafiki Posted February 18, 2009 Author Share Posted February 18, 2009 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeanestMomInMidwest Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I recently had to leave my dc (dd4, ds7, ds9) in a waiting room when I had a very quick "personal" apt. When I say "quick" it was 15 minutes. That was probably 10 minutes too long for my crew. I was not at any moment concerned about their safety, but when I got back to the waiting room, one boy had his feet on the chairs, and the other one had his sister in a headlock. I was MORTIFIED! Now, they can be monstrous at times, but this was very unacceptable behavior and they all knew it. The ride home was very quiet. Dh has taken ds9 to apts before and left him in a waiting room with a book. I find this perfectly acceptable. Ds9 is (usually, when removed from his siblings) quiet and responsible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I would have done the same. In fact, the boys have waited in waiting rooms when they were younger too. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in CA Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 "husband bashing". He was in an all day meeting out of the office, so I didn't even call him prior to going. I'm normally on my own for all appointments and bring them back with me. This situation along with my kids being a bit more mature, just felt different to me though. After he said that I wondered if I really did make a "bad" or unusual parenting call. I think you can rest assured that it wasn't a "bad" or "unusual" parenting call! You did fine. They were fine. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 (edited) You did fine. I would absolutely leave my kids, who like yours would have just read or colored and most likely came back anyways, at my pediatricians or dentist office waiting room where I live now but no way when would I do that when we lived in West Palm Beach,Fl. You were comfortable with it or you would not have done it. Your dh probably has not gone to as many appointments as you have and thus not familiar with the comfort level you have. Edited February 18, 2009 by lynn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kat19 Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I think you did fine. My kids are 12 and 13 and they stay in the waiting room when the baby has an appointment. They usually take a book or something to keep them busy. When I was expecting, if dh was with me, the kids would still stay in the waiting room by themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I never leave any of my children in the waiting areas at the doctor's or the dentist's offices. Too much traffic in and out, and the receptionists are behind tall counters so they can't really see that well. We all crowd into the exam rooms. The staff there is used to it now, and I get comments on how well behaved they are. At the chiropractor's quiet office I don't hesitate to leave anyone who wants to play in the toy area, even just the 5yo, but it's right outside the exam room and my dc are so comfortable there they tend to get a little loud. Normally, I would shush them quickly, but the chiropractor tells me they are fine, so I don't worry about it anymore - I like that I can hear them the whole time, even if I'm a little mortified sometimes. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teamturner Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 The situation you describe sounds like a perfectly reasonable parenting decision to me. I've left older sibs in the waiting area, as I just did yesterday. To me it depends on the office, type of traffic, how the office staff feels about it. My peds office is tiny and I can actually hear what is going on in the waiting room. My twin 9 year olds stayed and read and the 7 and 2 yo were w/me. At the allergy dr. I'm there w/one of the 9 yo and the other 9 yo and 7 yo stay in the waiting room and watch the TV. I take the 2 yo w/me. At the same doctor's other office, I would not do that since the layout is different and it has more traffic. However, if after further discussion your dh still feels uncomfortable about it, you may have to make a different choice next time. Hopefully, urgent dental/doctor appointments are rare. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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