Today after my son's evaluation, the doctor wanted to talk to me. She asked me to leave my son in the waiting room while we talked in her office. I told her no, I was uncomfortable with that and asked if there was an office he could go into or could one of the girls in the office watch him for a few minutes. She looked at me like I had two heads and said most people don't mind leaving their kids in the waiting room. I just replied that I was probably and overprotective mom and I wouldn't. She just gave him some toys and let him play in the hall outside the door (inside the office). I could tell she thought I was a weirdo, but this is a psychiatrist's office with lots of doctors and "patients" and right in the middle of the city. How do I know who is in there and for what kind of counceling for goodness sakes. Do you leave your kids in waiting rooms alone?

Um no. I agree with you on this one and wouldnt have left my kids along either.

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Umm. . .there is no way I would have left either of my kids alone in a waiting room. Even if a receptionist said she'd keep an eye on them. . . .no way, too much can happen. I think the dr is irresponsible for even suggesting that- if it is a common occurrence that parents need to speak with her separately, then she should make accommodations for kids so they aren't left alone.

Nope. You did the right thing. Given it was a psychiatric office in a city, even more reason not to leave him alone. You don't know what the patients are there to treat. JMO

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I wouldn't leave my kids alone in a waiting room of any kind of doctor. I've had the nurse watch my kids outside the room before during a pap and they didn't act like I was crazy. Good for you for standing up to the dr and letting them know you were not comfortable with that arrangement.

I think it would depend on the age of the child but im most cases I would have to say no. I wouldnt leave mine but they are only 5 and 18 months.

I not only think you did the right thing, I also think that this doctor is wrong for thinking that you should leave a child unattended. I would question my respect for this doctor after something like that happened. She should definitely know better. Shame on her!!

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No I would not leave my child alone in a wating room. She should of had a special room for those situations.

When I was a kid, I remember going to the doctor w/ my mom all the time & I always went in with her. We would sing that song "This old man". The exception was the dentist, as the dental area was very small w/ lots of kind of dangerous things, but they had a small kids room w/ some toys that was behind the receptionist area. So the waiting room was separate, and you had to enter thru a door to the receptionist area, and the kids playroom was behind that, so you weren't w/ the general public. But all others I went into the room with her. Now when I go to doctors I see kids in the waiting room all the time & I think it's so odd. Never mind all the "what if's" - the kids are usually bored, loud, unruly, and a disturbance to others. It's not the receptionist's job to watch them.