Safety.... AIBU?

[pinkpixie83]

Ok prepared to be told I am, but I'm not happy...

Ex husband has taken the kids camping.... DD has just text to tell me they are on their own in the tent. He's gone for a shower and left 4 kids on their own... ages, 10, 8, 6 and 3. This bothers me to leave them on their own like that on a campsite in a tent while he's completely out of site and out of ear shot as well.

So AIBU?

He should have taken the 3 year old. But the others would be okay I think.

I don't think you ABU. I wouldn't be happy to expect my 10yr old to be responsible for 3 younger siblings. He should have thought about this before going. I took my 2 camping once when they were about 7 & 9, and i didn't even leave them when i needed a wee in the night. (I improved with a bucket). At the very least, he should have taken the younger 2 with him.

He should have taken the 3 yr old, others fine.

I think it does depend on the kids - but in most cases, I would probably take the 3 year old with me - he does have to shower, after all.

In my case, the 3 year old was actually the sensible one... but now they're 8 and 5 I'd be fine about leaving them for 10 mins so I could shower, with strict instructions (although the 8 year old might prefer to come too, the 5 year old is very sure of himself)

At 10 I was travelling an hour to get to school, I'd been left with my siblings before, and within a couple of years was trekking them across london for trips to my nan alone on the train - I think that if the 10 year old is comfortable, and the others are as reasonable as can be expected, it's fine.