Leaving 13 year old at home for 5 hours tomorrow with a cold

[marl]

Am I OK to leave DS age 13 at home with a stinking cold legally etc tomorrow? I've got a booked appointment for work about an hour away tomorrow and will be back after about 4-5 hours. He is very sensible, will probably just overdose on computer and TV in delight, but I'm also worried about unpleasant Ex-H who tries to get me on anything I might be doing 'wrong'. Any thoughts very welcome. I can maybe get a friend to pop in to check on him; alternatively
he will have to take a long trip to DP's mother, which would mean leaving at the crack of dawn with DP tomorrow and I'm kind of not organised for him to do that at this point!

[BrokenCircleBreakdown]

Yes
It's fine

[EhricLovesTheBhrothers]

13? Of course!

[usualsuspect333]

Yes I would.

I'd text or ring him a few times though.

[marl]

Thanks all of you. Great. (My other two (well ones!) DCs are much younger so I haven't had this situation before and just wasn't sure. Great.

[marl]

Thanks all of you. Great. (My other two (well ones!) DCs are much younger so I haven't had this situation before and just wasn't sure.

[Stealthpolarbear]

Yes. Are there any neighbours he could call on if needed?
That said I'm sure my incredibly overprotective parents were doing this when I was 13 so it must be fine!

[Waitingonasunnyday]

Our babysitter is 13. I know they all grow up at different ages but I reckon it's fine!

[DarkHeart]

I would and my ds is 13

[bigTillyMint]

I would. I would also text/ring to check on what he was up to though

[wobblyweebles]

I've done the same with my 13 year old.

[EllenJanesthickerknickers]

Just did the same with my 12 yo. I did ring him to remind him to eat!

[PurpleSwift]

It's fine.

[however]

I've done similar with my children (who are all younger). FaceTime is great for touching base, if you have iDevices.

[SoonToBeSix]

He will be perfectly fine but why isn't he going to school? Do people really keep their teenagers off with a cold?

[skylark2]

Would you leave him alone for 5 hours without a cold? If so, it's a non-issue provided there's someone close(ish) who he can go to in an emergency (gas leak, burst water pipe...) - an hour away is too far for you to be his closest safetynet.

[Mehitabel6]

Absolutely fine.
If he had a cold like my recent one you would know why he couldn't go to school, SoonToBeSix.

[SilentCharisma]

God yes. I was left alone for that time from 9.

[WitchesGlove]

13 is fine

But why does he need to be off school with a cold??

[SophiaPetrillo]

I've done this as well. I wouldn't have left him with a high temperature or vomiting, but a cold, no problem.

Witches some colds are very debilitating, if your sinuses are infected you feel like shit and can't concentrate, also coughing and sneezing in class is disruptive and annoying for everyone else and it spreads the virus.

[tilliebob]

My eldest DS at 13, no worries. My DD, currently 13, wouldn't be happy for that length of time. You know your child. If they're choked with the cold they'll probably sleep/watch TV in bed anyway. I was left in charge of my 11 brother for entire working days at that age.

[Mehitabel6]

But why does he need to be off school with a cold??

It depends on the cold! I am hardy, but last week I had 2 days where I ached all over and couldn't do anything. I cancelled things and stayed in bed.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

Some colds can knock you for six,I imagine you've never had a proper streaming head cold or you wouldn't be asking.

OP,I would but I'd ring a couple of times to check in

[wobblyweebles]

Mehitabel6 But you missed a great oppportunity to be both a martyr and incredibly superior :-)

(I would have done the same thing.)

[Mehitabel6]

I think they were all pleased not to have me spreading it. My first cold all year and still coughing!
The word 'cold' covers a lot of things.

[Rantymop]

I've left my 12 year old for up to 4 hours. He sat in front of his computer.

I text him lots though. He got pissed off at me, but at least I knew he was ok.