Time To Give Up On Eavesdropping?

To understand my dilemma, I think you must first understand its scope: I have baby monitors in each of the kids' bedrooms. That is three monitors, then six receivers. (three downstairs, three upstairs) I have them on all the time in case I forget to turn them on and not realize someone is crying, traipsing, or whathaveyou.

I've asked myself this question many times: Is it time to give up the baby monitors?

Theoretically, it sounds like a good idea; The twins are almost five for heaven's sake. However, I'm fairly certain the baby monitors are a crutch... for me. In my head I've convinced myself that the minute I turn off the monitors, I've essentially turned my back on my helpless little ones leaving them to their own devices, to suffer alone when a nightmare attacks, or to be stolen from their window in the middle of the night by a lunatic. My mind is terribly imaginative... and graphic.

Granted, my children are excellent sleepers. Never once have they gotten out of bed on their own accord. (you can get up from the fall you most certainly just took) We've never been woken in the middle of the night by the kids at all! (well, mostly- for sure) In fact if they wet the bed, I usually don't find out until morning.

I just can't bring myself to unplug the monitors. I want to hear my kids sleeping. I like that consistent reminder that my angelic children are sleeping blissfully- I may just have an unnecessary attachment to it! I simply need to be reassured that they are perfectly fine... at all times. I don't think this is asking too much.

I am telling you: This is the easiest way to helicopter-parent! It's like having the kids sleeping beside me- without all the elbows to my face. (Hey, at least I was never a co-sleeper!) And if I need a shower in the morning before preschool? I corral them into the playroom (Little Man's bedroom) and I can listen for any bickering or biting. (Little Man is a biter now- sigh) I can keep tabs on the three while also leaving the house with clean hair!

It's like being OMNIPRESENT! (That must be why I like it so much)

My rational side wonders when the "unplug" age is. Will they still be monitored when they're 10? 16? Would that be weird? Wait- Don't answer that. If you ever step into my house ten years from now and see the monitors lined up on the kitchen counter- don't judge me.