to leave the hob on?

[howmanybiscuits]

If you were in the middle of cooking dinner and got called away unexpectedly, so you would be out of the house for about 10-15 minutes what would you do in this situation?

10 yr old DS is absorbed with the computer in the front room.
Potatoes are cooking on the hob.

Which of the following are OK (if either)?

1. Turn hob off, leave DS on computer.

1. Leave hob on low, leave DS on computer, tell him don't go near hob

(Difference of opinion here!)

[BackforGood]

I would turn the hob off. There is no way any of mine, at 10 - or any of the years since, if I'm honest - would remember to go and turn the hob off if they were emerged in something else.
In truth, the potatoes would keep on cooking in the hot water anyway. No issue.

[thesnapandfartisinfallible]

Ask DS to make sure the potatoes don't boil over and to turn them off when they're done. Surely a 10 year old can mind the hob for 15 minutes?

[howmanybiscuits]

the amount of cups of tea that get left in the kitchen half-made and forgotten and pans left boiling until I remember in a panic!

Yes, that's me!

My mum has ASD and isn't like this at all though, my scattiness drives her round the bend!

[howmanybiscuits]

Dramatical thanks

[EngagedAgain]

I made the mistake a couple of times forgetting about baked beans on the hob, on full power. Once they were practically welded to the pan. I just think I'll do something while I wait then clean forget. I don't go off now unless it's on lowest setting. It's the smell that alerts me first. Also forgetting tea brewing.

[FriarTuck]

but is this kind of thing typical of ASD also?
Well I've only been diagnosed with autism but I do wonder if I've also got ADHD so could be either.... But it's definitely a thing I do - the amount of cups of tea that get left in the kitchen half-made and forgotten and pans left boiling until I remember in a panic!

[Ihatehashtags]

Option 2. He’s 10 not 2.

[EngagedAgain]

Good tip Wooly!

[Dramatical]

I'd be a total failure as a parent if my 10 year old couldn't be left to watch potatoes for 15 minutes

And how are you doing on being a decent human being to other people?

Oooo comment of the thread well done OP

[howmanybiscuits]

Sounds like me (autistic as well). I frequently forget I've left things cooking and I'm the one who put them there in the first place. I'd have turned it off.

Oh, that's interesting. See, I'm like that too (I have ADHD) and it's things like this that made me wonder if DS has ADHD as well as ASD - but is this kind of thing typical of ASD also?

[howmanybiscuits]

I'd be a total failure as a parent if my 10 year old couldn't be left to watch potatoes for 15 minutes

And how are you doing on being a decent human being to other people?

[AndItStillSaidFourOfTwo]

With my now 11yo, I would turn it down low and ask him to check on them. I think I would have done this a year ago, too. But he's reliable that way and interested in cooking, so would have been fine.

In this scenario: turned down low, moved to one of the back rings if it wasn't on one already, left to simmer, ds warned not to go near.

[TriciaH87]

Turn it off. Ideally take kids with but always turn it off. What if you think they heard you bit were too engrossed in the game, go in the kitchen and scould themself.

[MonstranceClock]

I'd be a total failure as a parent if my 10 year old couldn't be left to watch potatoes for 15 minutes.

[FriarTuck]

He's also very easy distracted / absorbed in other things.
Sounds like me (autistic as well). I frequently forget I've left things cooking and I'm the one who put them there in the first place. I'd have turned it off.

[adaline]

Wow can't believe how many people would leave their 10 year old home alone

What I don't understand @trebless is why you wouldn't?

At 11 most children are walking and catching public transport to secondary school on their own, and letting themselves in to empty houses afterwards.

Ten year olds need to be independent and to learn to be on their own. I was often left alone for a few hours at that age. It's not healthy to never leave your NT child alone.

[nokidshere]

Hob off.

There's not a chance that a 10yr old completely engrossed in a video game will remember that there are potatoes on the hob! And i say that as an adult who has had many burnt pans over the years. I can't even remember how many times I've put eggs on to hard boil and only the popping/exploding of them when they have boiled dry has reminded me they were there because I've just gone to do something else "for a minute"

[woollyheart]

I was in a similar situation, and turned the job off and left the potatoes in hot water. Later when I tried to complete cooking them, they took ages but stayed hard and inedible.

I was very confused. But then I heard a cook on television explaining that the starch in potatoes can react this way, and the potatoes remain hard.

I've been more careful about cooking potatoes entirely in one go after that.

[Ninkaninus]

I cooked full breakfasts, lunches and the odd dinner starting when I was nine, and I also would have been just fine to be left alone for even a few hours at a time when I was ten. It really does depend on the child, though.

[clary]

I wonder if m view is different from some because my 3 all went to Cubs and Scouts so did cooking there and at camp? I recall ds2coming home and making by himself a cheesecake he had done the night before in Scout ready steady cook - he couldn't have been older than 11.

[Ninkaninus]

10 years old is absolutely fine to be left for a little while at home, as long as the child is sensible.

My daughter went to secondary school on her own (walk to station - train journey - walk on the other side) every day from the age of eleven, she was perfectly capable of doing so and perfectly capable of being left at home for a reasonable amount of time at the age of ten.

[EngagedAgain]

Disclaimer- it's been a long time since I had a ten year old, so maybe I'm a bit out of touch! I definitely wouldn't leave a hob on, even if I left them alone for just ten minutes. Probably would leave them there but tell them I'm popping out.

[sirfredfredgeorge]

I'm more concerned about the poor potatoes, just how long were they being cooked for? They'd already been on, then the 15 minutes journey, and then presumably some long time, the poor tasteless things.

(but I can't see a 10 year old kid who could be left alone that could not also supervise them in my mind, so it is odd)

[EngagedAgain]

Depends on the child, as in what they've previously done or been taught. If nothing I wouldn't go out without them, and turn hob off as well. If they are fairly savvy, I'd leave them there and still turn hob off, and at least put pan to the back of hob and tell them about it. Even if I was popping out alone I'd turn it off, because if you got delayed there could be problems. More so if gas. Suppose the flame went out?

[AllPizzasGreatAndSmall]

Wow can't believe how many people would leave their 10 year old home alone

A child who is 10 year old could be going to secondary school in September - getting themselves there, coming home to an empty house for a couple of hours after school, going out with friends with no parent present etc. Obviously it depends on the child but an average 10 year old is fine to be left for 15 minutes.