Moms - what do you think?

I agree with not ever asking your friend to babysit for you! My children are 9 and 12 and they are just starting to use the stove and microwave, but the rule is I need to be in the vicinity of the kitchen for them to use it.
When I was 5 I nearly burnt our house down while my parents were sleeping. It was 5 a.m. and I had a hankering for some Jiffy Pop Popcorn. I guess I didn't remove the card board top before placing it on the stove, and next thing I know there was flames shooting out the top. I ran into my parent room and screamed the house was on fire and then I promptly put my mothers tall zipper boots (this would have been 1971, you know the style I'm talking about) and hid in the garage. I have a very VIVID memory of this. Maybe this is why I hate to cook, I'm scarred for life with this image of me with boot up to my crotch, shivering underneath my dad's workbench thinking I was going to jail.:eek:
 
I haven't read the other replies, but 6 is a little young, IMO. I usually wait until my kids are tall enough to safely operate the stove and in my experience so far, that's around 9 or 10 years old.
 
It doesn't appear to me that the OP intended to either (a) fall asleep or (b) sleep that long. Perfectly good parents nod off every once in a while. It happens.
 
If I had a child I couldn't trust unattended, I wouldn't fall asleep. But mine never gets into anything she shouldn't and I don't have anything around that's dangerous. It wasn't a "I'm going to lay down and take a nap...don't wake me for two hours" decision. It was a "were hanging out on the couch and I've already seen this episode of Spongebob and my eyes won't stay open" situation.

If you can't leave a 6 year old unattended for a few minutes, how do you take a shower without hiring a babysitter? Make her sit in the bathroom with you?
 
Donna,

No insult intended here, just something I didn't do when my daughter was young. I was too afraid based on an experience I had with a family member. I also had a neighbor whose daughter would walk out of the house when the Mom fell asleep. When she was about two years old we had to get her out of the road where she was riding on her Big Wheel. I didn't take showers, I took baths and I was within eyesight of my daughter or my ex-husband was in the vicinity.

I guess I fall into the over-protective category.

So, you can see my answer is no way on letting a six year old cook her own food.
 
Yeah, 6 is too young. I think that I was 13 when I started to cook using the stove. Even then I was supervised. Other than that I would make PB&J if I was hungry, sometimes for lunch. This is all from what I can remember, it's been a long time since i was that age! :)
My son will make PB&J supervised right now. He just turned 7. The only reason supervised, is because I am paranoyed. Plus he can't reach the PB and the plates.

Kathy
 
Six is way too young to be using a stove! Your 30 year old friend probably knows all about child-raising, but if and when he becomes a dad he'll find that his logical ideas just won't work. Even if they did look good on paper!

Now, you say you felt bad. I would have too, but please remember that a healthy dose of GUILT is part of the Job Description for being a Mom! You obviously love your little one. A loving home will more than cover for a pop tart meal here or there!

Keep some healthy snacks around, tell your friend you appreciate his advice and hold your ground, Mom! This was an isolated occurence and just one more adventure in the great journey called Parenthood.
 
Yeah - I suppose if my daughter ever did anything that made me nervous, I would stay more aware. But we learn what we can trust them to do and what we can't. I'm lucky I've got the one I do!
 
>>>>>It wasn't a "I'm going to lay down and take a nap...don't wake me for two hours" decision. It was a "were hanging out on the couch and I've already seen this episode of Spongebob and my eyes won't stay open" situation.


LOL! That is hilarious and I know exactly what you mean.

I was SITTING UP on the couch after a run while my 2 1/2-year old DS was watching "Teletubbies" and I was mortified to find that I'd fallen asleep! I must have knocked out for a good 20 minutes!
 
Diane Sue keeps me away from the stove, but that's because she want us to live longer. (Ok, I'm not a good cook....)x(

Six, is way too young to cook by herself, however a good age to learn while being supervised.
 
I think I'm in agreement with most everyone else here regarding the stove and microwave--6 is a bit young to use those things alone.

Just a word of warning about using a toaster--if the toast were to get stuck and a child were to use a metal object to pry the toast out, he/she could be electrocuted, but of course that could happen with you in the kitchen as well, if you had your back turned--just a safety issue to keep in mind.

Sounds like your daughter handled the situation very well.

Maggie:)
 
Maggie,

This reminds me of when I was ten and did an experiment with buttering my bread first and then putting it in the toaster. Let's just say after the flame that erupted, my Mom had to get a new toaster:eek: Luckily I wasn't hurt :)
 
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