I left my 16 year old at home for 24 hours and he ate...

[mrsm43s]

A ready meal (mac & cheese)
A pot noodle
A family sized pizza
A full tub of 40 cocktail sausages
At least 2 big buckets full of buttered popcorn (maybe more, but only evidence of two pots where he melted the butter).
4 and half bags of crisps
Several bowls of cereal (I'd guess about 3 or 4 from the number of bowls left)
Multiple rounds of toast/sandwiches- about half a loaf worth, with a mix of fillings - choc spread, jam, cheese, soft cheese
A block of feta
A 2 person packet of fresh tortellini
and something chocolately that came in a plastic tub that I can't remember what would have been in there, but there was definitely cocoa powder residue in the bottom of the container.

He did not eat the cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks, hummus, apples, grapes, bananas or yoghurts.

He's as skinny as a rake!

I'm not complaining as we were away on a Uni visit with eldest, and he was alone overnight for the first time and the house was still standing, the cats and dogs were fed and let out appropriately (the dog wasn't actually walked, but we went early evening to early evening, so we've walked her early Friday then late Saturday and she's only a Chi cross that doesn't need hours of walking), but no poo, so he def did garden runs with her. The house was pretty tidy apart from the stack of dirty crockery and empty food packaging.

How would your 16 year old son have fared?

Got to find something to be glad about when you’re saddled with a child with an eating disorder!

I remember being a little bit glad when I had a long term house guest who pretty much only studied and prayed. Also had the appetite of an ant. Such an easy guest!!

I once went away overnight, literally 24hours. Left 500g of mince and a pack of four chicken breasts saying to help himself.

He took me at my word and ate the lot, no pasta/rice or veg as he couldn't be bothered. He was surprised I couldn't believe he eaten it all

I had to explain he'd eaten X portions of food that should of been meals for a few day

Erm… I was that geek 😅 The only times I ever had a party it was a small gathering with parental permission. The one time my younger (and infinitely cooler) sister had a sneaky party, I panicked and begged her to get them out before I was “morally obligated” to tell our mum 😂😂

I'd thank all the gods in heaven if my eldest turns into this type of teen, he has a fairly limited diet, and really doesn't eat much at 7. My two year olds twins on the other hand, will def eat me put of house and home 😂

@motogirl

So pleased I had two girls. One eats barely enough to keep a fly alive (eating issues) the other is super health conscious and eats accordingly you'd rather have a daughter with an eating disorder than a son? Wow.

Sounds pretty normal for an overnighter to eat the ready meals and other snacks. So long as he knows how to cook a few meals by now and generally does help with clean up I’d say that’s pretty good. The pet sitting takes some thought too. Good on him.

Ha makes me laugh how much he ate! I can relate though having a 26 Yr old here. Omg I can't believe people commented on being left alone at 16!!!!! Why on earth not????

The poor lad was hungry...DH would eat a full pack of fish fingers as a snack at that age apparently

You just need to teach him to wash up or load your dishwasher and set it to GO and you're done - he'll survive!
🥇

That’s a light snack for my 15 year old son

Yesterday my husband ate:

Large fry up
sandwiches for lunch with 2 packets of crisps
an Easter egg
2 muffins
Big Mac meal
share box of mozzarella dippers
triple cheese burger
half a cheese board with me
4 pork pies

hes 6ft and weighs 10 stone.

Decent haul. It amazes me how much 6ft2in and still growing ds eats and still stay a string bean. We are currently roasting 2-3 whole chickens a week just to keep up with the supply chain of snacks to his stomach!

Would never leave my children at home alone at 16.
They are still children at 16 even if they don’t agree. Sorry but this was just wrong.

I was renting by myself and working full time at 16 ffs.

I remember my DB coming home from basic training with the army as a teenager. It was like a thin Mr Creosote (without the exploding). He's nearly 50 and still thin.

Going to leave the eating stuff aside.

We haven't left our eldest (recently turned 17) alone overnight as the occasion hasn't arisen, but I'm pretty certain we could and would.

Do the people implying it's neglectful to do this have younger children?

I find this strange for a NT teen. Surely most 16 year olds may be safely left alone! In Scotland in my day it wasn’t uncommon for 16 year olds to be at university, albeit many lived at home. One of my own left home at newly 17 for university hundreds of miles away. I saw it as part of my job to raise them to be able to be safely independent and ‘adult ‘ successfully by giving them increasing responsibility and trust from the start of secondary school. We’re always here to offer support and (unsolicited) advice though and if abroad I guess I might have asked a neighbour/ relative to keep an eye out. All kids are different though and I’m not a fan of forcing kids to grow up more quickly than they’re ready for. I suppose some kids might be nervy being left alone.

Children who may have left home to join the Armer Forces.
Children who may legally have their own child and their own home.
Children who although now need to be in education, may do this through working full time.
Not all 16 year olds are dependent on their parents

This doesn't surprise me to be honest.
Teenage boys have hollow legs, l tend to excuse it by blaming it on a growing spurt.

This made me laugh so much … boys eat you out of house and home. I think we don’t realise how much each one eats!!!
I left my 17 year old on his own twice. Once was fine … his girlfriend stayed … he didn’t admit to it I discovered an extra pizza box.. but maybe he ate 2 large pizza and a garlic bread after reading this post.

Second time a few weeks later (I was feeling a tad over confident) all ended in mates staying and my laundry basket being pee’d in! my son was mortified by his mates behaviour txt me at 7am he’d been up since 4am cleaning the carpet and washing the clothes.

I guess they all have to learn! 😂😂

My friends always ask me why I have 3 large refrigerators, then they see what my four sons and DH eat.
Thank God for Pasta and Potatoes or my food bills would be colossal!

That's made me laugh! I don't think my kids would have done much different, except for my son most likely would have tried to stay up all night gaming. 😄
I've a LOT of work to do with him over the holiday.
Hope you all enjoyed your day away as much as he did!

Lol...boys that age do eat a lot of food but...he soooo had a friend or friends over doh...what 16 year old left alone for 24hours wouldn't?!!... completely normal. I would have been suspicious if mine had not asked for 'a friend to stay for company'...or I would have suggested it TBH

And what if those young people leave you - which they can legally do - get married, go off to college or university, join the army etc?

I am guessing your children are much younger than 16 currently.

Thanks for the heads up, I shall be leaving my 16yo in the capable hand of his 18 year old brother for 2 weeks soon to bugger off to Disney - I was panicking about how much it would cost US to eat in the states, now I need to refocus on making sure there is enough food for them :/. They will totally be up all night gaming, waking at 17:00 in the evening and doing very little for 13 days, but the house will be glorious clean when I get back :D the eldest likes to be tidy (he even hoovers his room and does his own washing).

Your boy sounds just fine :)

Haven't read the FT but your son was absolutely not alone 😂🤣