Can I leave 14.5 year old for a few hours without a babysitter?

WTF? Unless there are mitigating factors you've omitted, this is a ridiculous question!

My parents were strict, I wasn't one of those kids allowed to roam the streets all night or over the park drinking White Lightning, but even they used to go over to friends' house and leave me home alone at 14. They'd usually allow me to invite one or two sensible friends for a sleepover and get nice food and snacks in for us.

Unless there's an issue a 14.5 year old should be fine for the timeframe mentioned and I'd even chance an overnight.

My grandparents generation were working at 14!!

Another who was babysitting toddlers until 1am at that age.

The fact she’s looking forward to it tells you she needs the independence and is craving the opportunity for grown up experiences.

Yes they’ll be fine, go and enjoy yourself!

If it makes you feel better - cook her dinner before you leave and make sure ovens and straighteners etc are off, close downstairs windows etc and lock the doors but have the key nearby so she can get out quickly in case of a fire.

This is the age when you start getting more of your own life back and it feels amazing!!
She’ll also benefit from being responsible and learning how to become more independent.

I hope you have a great evening!!

YABU OP. Time to cut the apron strings a bit.

I did this with my DS the odd time from 11, with a neighbour next door keeping an ear out. 🙄

And we wonder why kids these days have no resilience….

It's absolutely fine. Even more so if it's something they are used to, and they are looking forward to the quiet time.

Yes but then Pontius Pilatus shows up and spoils it for everyone

I leave my 15 year old alone, hes always got the option of going to his aunts/nans/friends houses but he doesn't care and I don't need to remind him.

He is also left alone with my 6 & 7 year old if it's needed.

At least these days there is always a phone call away!

I babysat at that age and at age 15 i had my first job in the summer holidays, myself and my friend who was also 15 would bike to the local bulb factory (flower bulbs) by ourselves for the early shift and sort bulbs all day and then bike home. People can say it was "different times" and in many ways it was as there were no phones but there have always been dodgy people since time immermorial and the best way for teenagers to learn to handle this world is to gradually let them have independence

It's important to leave your child and to be pretty no nonsense about it too.
Don't put any fears into their head by fussing about leaving them & catastrophising about what might happen.

So many teens are "over-parented" these days and are becoming less independent and less resilient because of it.

Your child will be fine & leaving them at this age is fine & normal.
Once you have done it you will both be relaxed about it & you will have moved into a new era of independence for both of you.

They’ll be absolutely fine. Enjoy your evening.

My mum at 11 was between her dad and mum’s house and when she returned home from school (one bus) she made herself German potato salad which her dad had taught her to make. With boiling water on hob! When she lived with her mum at 12 her mum had her own business so my mum went to the cafe for her evening dinner then home.

Good babysitting for me was the kids were almost always in bed or sometimes hanging around chatting and I’d supervise their tooth brushing. Once I swiped some Pimms from one parents cupboard! Otherwise was an angel.

I shared babysitting with an older friend (about 17) and was asked to buy her chocolate and cigarettes (her parents didn’t like her smoking) by the people going out. Respectable middle class people. Was in 80s though.

Seriously? At 9 I was getting off the school bus, letting myself in and staying alone for a couple of hours until my parents got in. And there were no mobiles then. If the kid has the wit to leave a burning building and knows how to use a phone, you're fine.

To help you and your dd op, I would make sure I kept track of what is normal amongst her peers in that case op. For all the other things to make sure she’s on track independence wise. I’d say you are at least a year out with this question.
as people have said many 14 year old ARE the babysitter.

This. Even if she’s ND she should be fine. Independence needs to start somewhere.

Goodness me it’s totally fine.

Especially as the teen is used to being left and has said they want the evening to themselves. Enjoy your night out.

@Cherrytree86 I assume yours is a joke post?

Please do not get a babysitter for her, she'd be absolutely mortified!

so was I, from 14. Local streets only though. Had tons of work. I didn’t want and there wasn’t much work for Saturday girl in a shop/hairdresser.

Look at it this way OP. Why do you think you need an older person to come and sit with her? What is the actual reason? You know your child is sensible, she's happy to be left alone, you have a neighbour who can be called on in case of emergency, you are only 30 minutes away and would come back straight away.

What do you think might happen if she's left on her own? Is this a reasonable concern?

I misread this as a teen babysitting a 14.5 month old baby! Still fine! 🤣

At 14 I was babysitting for pocket money, as were my own kids in their turn.

My friends now have done the odd Bubble babysitting app jobs for extra cash and can’t believe how much competition there is around. Maybe parents just don’t go out much now?

Not taught babysat us.