AITAH: Roommates leaving their 2 year old home by himself?

A young woman living with her boyfriend and another couple began noticing something that made her increasingly uneasy. The couple, who share the home with her and her partner, have a two-year-old son. When they want to go out for dinner in the evening, they wait until the child is asleep and then quietly leave the house while he remains in his bedroom.

They insist the situation is safe because they keep an eye on the baby monitor from their phones while they are out. Still, the arrangement leaves the woman feeling uncomfortable and conflicted. She worries about the child’s safety, yet she also fears that raising the issue could create serious tension in the household. Her boyfriend already dislikes being caught in the middle of disagreements, which leaves her wondering whether she should speak up or stay silent.

‘AITAH: Roommates leaving their 2 year old home by himself?’

The situation began when a woman noticed something troubling about her roommates’ parenting routine.

So I live with my boyfriend and our two roommates. One of them being his best friend from his childhood and his wife. I’ve lived with the couple now since...

Any time they want to go out to eat for dinner they wait until his bed time (7pm) to go eat. The kicker is that they leave him by himself...

They try to justify it by saying that they are watching him on the baby cam while out. Idk if I should say anything since it’s not my kid and...

Her concerns grew stronger as conversations with her boyfriend failed to ease her worries.

Anytime I bring up a grievance to my boyfriend he gets upset that I put him in the middle. I’ve told him how it makes me feel when they do...

As a child my parents weren’t there for me and left me at home more times than I can count so it really makes me upset that they can just...

One late-night incident made the situation even more unsettling for her.

They had left him last night, thankfully I was upstairs asleep, but my bf’s friend had called me at 11:30pm asking to go check on him since he was wrapped...

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I found out in the morning that they had taken edibles and gone to wait in line to buy the new Nintendo switch. So am I the ass hole for...

I just feel like I can’t say how I feel without putting myself in a situation where I can’t get myself out of. My boyfriend taking his best friend’s side...

Leaving a very young child alone in a home, even if the child is sleeping, raises serious questions about supervision and risk. Toddlers are unpredictable, and emergencies can occur quickly. Experts in child development often stress that physical presence matters because a caregiver needs to respond immediately if a child wakes up, becomes ill, or gets into a dangerous situation. Remote monitoring tools like baby cameras are useful for checking in from another room, yet they are not meant to replace an adult being present in the home.

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At the same time, the poster’s dilemma is understandable. She is not the child’s parent, and she lives in a shared environment where speaking up could threaten her housing situation or strain relationships. Many people hesitate to intervene in parenting decisions because they worry about conflict or retaliation. When family dynamics and friendships overlap with living arrangements, disagreements can quickly become personal.

From a broader perspective, this situation highlights the challenge of being a bystander when something feels wrong. Social expectations often encourage people to respect others’ parenting choices, yet community responsibility also plays a role in protecting children’s well-being. The conflict between maintaining peace and addressing potential risks is exactly what makes this story resonate with many readers online.

Here’s how people reacted to the post:

Many readers strongly supported the poster, arguing that the situation raised serious safety concerns.

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6poundpuppy − They absolute AHs to leave a toddler alone. Suppose you weren’t there and the kid got strangled in his blankets, or figured out how to climb out as...

I would tell them to their faces that they are indeed neglectful and irresponsible parents and you just might report them to CPS if they do it again. They are...

KindlyCelebration223 − Do you want to build a future with an adult who thinks this is an acceptable way to care for a toddler?

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Even if you don’t want kids in the future, think of the kind of mind that thinks this is ok? Like you couldn’t even trust him to watch your niece...

None of the people will stop this behavior because they see nothing wrong with criminal levels of child n__lect & endangerment.

And one day when that kid dies while he’s alone in their room and you are the only one in the house, they will all point fingers at you. I’d...

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brittdre16 − NTA. Call CPS.

bino0526 − Girl, move before you get caught up in their stupidity. As someone else commented, what if he's there and you don't know and you leave,

and something happens or if you're sleeping and don't know he's there and something happens. They could say that you were babysitting him, then you're the one in trouble.

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NOPE‼️🙅‍♂️ It's not your responsibility to make sure that their child is taken care of and safe. Ask yourself if you have a child with your bf. Will he do...

Sharp_Magician_6628 − Personally? I’d dump him and move out. They’re playing a dangerous game. What if you go out not knowing their kid was home alone and the house catches...

I would be noping out of there so far and calling child services on the way out the door ETA I enjoy playing “what if”. What if you don’t know...

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They will blame you for their child’s death even though you had zero idea the kid was there ETA 2 someone just asked “how are they guaranteeing the child stays...

Kids that little don’t sleep through the night. Are they drugging him?” You need to consider that these parents are medicating there so he sleeps through the night. And that...

Others offered mixed perspectives while still acknowledging the poster’s concerns.

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babaduke999 − NTA Why did your bf's friend call you? Your bf is the one who is basically allowing this. That makes him way more responsible for this entire situation.

Also, he's your bf's friend right? ? He should be calling your bf, his friend. The way they are handling childcare is fucked up, casually pawning off responsibility unto their...

The implication is there. "if anything happens, there are other adults that we trust in the same house as our child" So you're basically living in a house where 3...

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The only thing you can do is move out to remove yourself from these people who don't take the responsibility of parenting seriously. Something else you can and should do...

Don't allow them to leverage you as their emergency baby monitor when they're f__king off doing who knows what. Make your BF take it all on. That's the only boundary...

Historical_Fish_3372 − YTA This is the second post I’ve read on here today where a fully grown adult human stood by and watched a child be abused and neglected. This...

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This isn’t a tough situation. This isn’t “I don’t want to be in the middle. ” There’s no middle here. This is you watching a child in danger and doing...

This is you staying with a man who thinks it’s fine to put a child, a baby, in danger, a man who is best friends with someone who thinks it’s...

AgentRock44 − This is so dangerous and ILLEGAL.

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A few commenters tried to lighten the discussion while still acknowledging the tension.

ParisianFrawnchFry − This is illegal. I'm not a "OMG CALL CPS" person, but you need to call CPS. ETA: Call CPS and move out. And?

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Your boyfriend is a loser. That child IS being neglected. The longer you stay and stay silent on this, then you are TA.

Lippmansdl − leave your bf, report couple to CPS

The situation places the poster in a difficult position between personal values, household relationships, and concern for a child’s safety. Living with other adults often requires compromise, yet moments like this can reveal deep disagreements about responsibility and risk. While the parents appear confident in their routine, the poster’s discomfort shows how complicated shared living arrangements can become when childcare decisions affect everyone in the home.

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Stories like this often spark strong reactions because they raise larger questions about community responsibility. When someone witnesses a situation that feels unsafe, how far should they go to intervene? Is it better to speak up directly, step away from the environment, or involve outside help? Readers continue debating where the line should be drawn.

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