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| There has been a case in USA recently, when visiting tourists from Switzerland actually left their sleeping small baby in bed and got out of the hotel to get some dinner in a restaurant. I don't remember the story well, the hotel service found the baby alone in the hotel room, called the director and police and charges were made against the Swiss couple. They argued that there is a cultural difference, haha...I think the charges were later on dismissed. I heard it a few months ago on WRS, maybe it is in their archive, still. Cultural difference ma as*..  | |
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Don't get me wrong, I really like the freedom here to leave your kids briefly at home alone without someone calling social services. I'm happy to leave my 10 yr old for 1-2 hours (he's sensible, knows how to use the phone, knows he's not allowed to attempt to chop any food, there are always neighbours around) and even my 6 yr old is good for 5-10 mins whilst I pop out for bread (she's a spookily well-behaved child and my trip is carefully timed to coincide with her favourite TV show).
There are, however, a significant number of mums at my school who pretty much always leave their younger child napping whilst they nip out to pick up the older one from school in the afternoon.
Note that 'nipping' would involve being out of the house for at least 20 mins, and that the children concerned are 2-3 years old. We're not talking cot-bound 6 monthers here.
Although I think the crazy school hours have driven this particular cultural difference - if you have to be out of the house from 1.45-2.15pm, then again 3.15-3.45pm, then when CAN your toddler nap? Mine would have been demented without a daily 2-3 hour sleep. Rock... hard place...
kodokan