To leave an 11 year old

[flexiblebenefit]

DS is 11 (12 in Sept). Year 6
He is a very very sensible boy.
DH and I are going out to an "end of GCSE" drinks thing with our daughter (who would usually watch him.) We would be a 10 min drive away and gone from 8-11pm

I've booked a babysitter for him and he's MORTIFIED. I'll obv feed him before we leave - he fancied a quiet hour on minecraft with his mates before taking himself off to bed at 9.00. He's entirely unfussed about staying home alone, we have good neighbours opposite and he just doesn't want a babysitter. He's surprisingly grumpy about it.

I'm not being unreasonable am I? He's too young to be left isn't he? Or am I being overprotective again?

Personally I wouldn't leave an 11 year old alone - day or night.

They are still very much a child and don't necessarily have the level of maturity needed to deal with certain things - if something were to happen.

I don't know anyone who would leave a Primary aged child in the evening. Having a 14/15yo as a companion (not babysitter!) More normal.

During the day amongst my daughters friends (also Yr6) it varies from never allowed out of an adults sight to a few hours after school with own house key. I'm mid range (for example... she can walk to Scouts alone at 6pm, but I pick up at 8pm).

I do now with DS13 and have been doing so since the summer he was starting secondary.

He often chooses to stay home if I take his much younger sibling for a trip out, go food shopping etc. He has a door key, is sensible and has an always charged mobile phone.

I have left him at night twice until approx 11pm whilst it's been lighter nights. Only gets remotely dark an hour before I'm home and he absolutely could not care any less. We communicate so I know he is OK and he wouldn't answer door to unknown visitors, use oven etc.

Depends on your DS really.

Gosh aren't some people miserable.

We had a fire safety check last year by the fire brigade. The fire officer was really helpful, fitted an alarm in the room our grandchildren sleep in on sleepovers. Our house is fairly large, he was concerned about the distance of the smoke alarm at the top of the stairs to the bedroom, to get to the bedroom at the top of the landing it’s a left turn then a right turn to the end of the landing. He said children don’t always hear the alarm but do if it is in their room.

I have an 11yo and I wouldn't leave them for 3 hours at night. I think it is too young. She's a sensible girl, but I can imagine too many unexpected scenarios where I am not sure if she would know what to do.

Why on earth not?

This sounds perfectly fine OP, I've done it in the past. Maybe ring and check in. He's 11, perfectly normal to be getting a bit more independent. I'd cancel that sitter.

As long as he is happy with the arrangement and has a phone to contact you I don't think its a problem.

My ds is just turned 12 and would be fine with it...however there's no way he would get himself to bed at 9, he would be on minecraft until he heard the car pull up then jump into bed and pretend he's been there since 9 😂😂