I have been sitting here a nervous wreck and need someones opinion or insight. We live in a small county and out in the country. We have 2+ acres completely fenced in. However, I am terrified to let me ds (almost 3 yrs old) play outside alone. I can SEE him through the windows, but still don't feel safe if I am not sitting on the porch where I can see him. Weget very very little traffic on our little gravel road, and usually it's ONLY people that live on this road or people who shop at the little mom and pop horse shop that is run by the people who have the horse ranch we live on. I can't sit and watch him all day because I have to tend to ds #2 and clean the house and do laundry, but it's a beautiful day and it really seems unfair to keep him cooped up inside when he can be outside running around being a boy. Should I just let him go out and play and check on him every 10-15 minutes or am I right to be concerned enough to either keep him inside or abandon the house work and go sit outside and watch him?

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I would not let him go out unattended not because he could get kidnapped, but you never know what a 3 yr old could get into.

I don't think you are being paranoid at all. My DD just turned three last month and there is no way I would leave her outside by herself, even for a couple of minutes. We live on a cul-de-sac in a very safe neighborhood and our property backs up to a farm, so it is pretty much an ideal yard for kids to play in. But if its nice enough for her to go outside and play, then I go outside with her. Housework can always wait. Your child's safety and well being is worth more than a clean house.

I get paranoid all of the time as well. But it sounds like you have a really nice set up for him to run around and play. We live in an apartment complex and I never let the girls play outside unless I am with them. With the exception of Ashlynn and then I am looking out the window every 2 minutes! When we move in April to a house we will have a back yard it will be much easier.
So to answer your question...yes you are being paranoid but that is what moms do best!! I would let him play and check on him as often as you can. Maybe go out there with him and set a few rules about what he can and cannot do. Hope that helps!!

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~~Sonja~~

My 3lynns~ Ashlynn-8, Brooklyn-4 and Kaylin-3

Abondone the housework! I am slowly comeing to realize we as parents put to much emphasis on how clean our house is or if laundry is done and things like that, instead of putting our time into our kids. My feelings are this no matter if I clean today or tomorrow the mess will still be there, but today the kids might have a milestone acomplishment or just do something that is so damned cute that I missed it cause I was worried about keeping up with the house work and laundry and such. Why as a SAHM do we feel the need to have to clean our houses from top to bottom everyday when once a week is plenty. I have kids and everyone knows it so when they come to my house if its a mess they understand that I would rather play with my kids that scrub the floors or walls or whatever. So in my honest opinion go outside and enjoy the day and take DS#2 with you in his bouncy seat or carseat and let him breathe the fresh air to cause its good for him also! Good luck sorry i went on a tangent lol and that it was so long Go HAve Fun with your SON!!!!:love:

I am paranoid about this too, I would be with him, take a book with you and sit on theporch and let him play. maybe set a time limit, for one hour and then go inside and do soem housework and then bring him out again. But I would not let him out of our sight, kids can do anything and get into anything and there are so many perverts out there, you dont want to give naybody a chance.

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We buy things we dont need,
with money we dont have,
in order to impress people
we dont like?
(Ramsey, D)

I wouldn't let him outside alone, either. But every kid is different! However, even my MIL's daycare rules say that unless a child is 4, they cannot go outside alone. (she has the same set up as you)

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“For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.”

Nope, your not being paranoid and I wouldn't leave him out unless your eyes were on him. Anything could happen. My boys are 5 & 7 and I let them go outside by themselves, but I never go more than 5 minutes without actually looking at them. I leave my dog outside with them too he watches them like a hawk and barks even if a car pulls into the nieghbors driveway. You can never really be too safe and your little one is still very young.

Do you have a fenced in backyard? Can you leave a door and/or windows OPEN to HEAR him while you SEE him play?? If so, I would be okay with it. I have a four and two year old. They play outside in the backyard a lot. I have a privacy fenced that is locked, and I have huge windows looking out. I still check on them constantly, but I just can't sit out there all the time!

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I wouldnt!! my kids are 5 and 6 and This past summer was the first time I let them out alone we have a Fenced in backyard and I can see them from almost every angle in the kitchen!!
Tho This summer I still wont let them out unelss I am paying attention as we have a pool now!! but still I dotn thinkyou are paranoid just a mom who loves there kids!! (my thought is its better to be over protective than under!!)