Would you leave your 14 year old at home for this length?

[Sweatingcobbles]

I have a work press event from 7-9.30pm next week. The bus journey is half an hour.
Dc has asked to stay home alone.

I would be out 6.15 to 10.15pm is.

We have no neighbours who can keep an eye out.
We have a relative who cannot come up but could get here in ten minutes if needed in an emergency.

Would you? If it was day I wouldn't question I think it is because it is night.

My Mum was out at work at this age, I was regularly babysitting. If a 14 year old isn't ready for an evening alone its a good opportunity to practice.

I don't have teenagers but obviously it depends on the teen. However, I'd hope an average teen could be left for that long. I remember at (just) 14 I was babysitting 4 kids! That was fairly standard at the time.

Might be worth bearing in mind that young people can legally leave home and live independently from sixteen. You might think it's unlikely to happen but so did we - and then DS2 actually did it!
So, just in case, a bit of practise in advance (for a few hours at a time, progressing to overnight later) could be useful experience.

I think most 14 year olds should be fine left overnight. 4 hours is nothing.

Depends on the 14 year old

I was babysat by a 14 year old when I was younger. At 14 I was camping, in self made shelters in the middle of woods in the middle of nowhere with only the Scout leaders aware of the rough direction of travel and which wood I was likely to be in each night.

I often wonder why young people seem to have less self reliance and high care expectations these days. Perhaps its because 14 is being treated as being so much younger than when I was 14 (some 25 years ago). Previously, 14 was about looking forward to adulthood and increasing responsibilities. Now its more about viewing them as maybe-responsible-children.

I would leave my current 14yo ds for that period.

As long as your DC is happy to be left then I don't see the problem. I leave my DD who's a year younger for a few hours at a time when I work in the holidays or generally because she doesn't want to be dragged out with me to the shops and things. I was babysitting younger siblings overnight at 12

i used to go hitchhiking 250miles at that age now what was my mother thinking to let me do it that's another matter

Yes, this is fine. I don't really understand why people need to ask questions like this. It used to be completely normal to pay 14 year olds (possibly younger) to baby sit younger children, often later than this.

yup.... my DD been babysitting since almost 14.... think it varies from person to person.... so long as DC is happy, I'd go for it... if not, I wouldn't... and agree at 14 need to be teaching independence wherever possible.....

Yes, I have.

I would, and probably with a 12yr old sibling as well

I'd leave DS who's 13 for that length of time. I'm pretty sure I have at some point or at least nearly that log and at a similar time.

I thought that it was going to be 7pm - 3am or something, and was expecting mixed replies.

However, what you're suggesting is definitely fine and only the most nervous of parents would say differently I think.

When did things like this stop being routine? My mum was a bit about me leaving my teenaged children in the house for a few hours, even though I was left at home alone all day when I was off sick and was letting myself in to an empty house from juniors onwards

14 is certainly old enough to be left unattended for an evening. It's a good thing, to learn how to take responsibility for meeting your own needs and keeping yourself safe.

At 14 they can legally babysit can't they? I don't see a problem unless you have concerns about their behaviour! I would have left my 14 yr old on his own if his big brother hadn't been so protective and would stay in to babysit him, which went down like a lead balloon!

Yes I would