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!)

[BlueMerchant]

Turn it off no question. Take 10yr old with me.

[Asta19]

Turn off definitely.

Years ago I came home from work to find an ex had left the (gas) hob on cooking something when he went out. When he came back I went absolutely mental at him!

The risk might be low but insurance wouldn't pay out if a fire started because of it and definitely if you're leaving DS there I just wouldn't risk it.

[Babdoc]

Crikey, I was cooking my own mince and tatties on a gas hob while home alone all day for six weeks in the school holidays when I was 10!
Surely your DC can manage to keep an eye on a pan for you and turn it off when required, OP? They’re 10, not 3 - they’ll be at secondary school next year doing cookery lessons for goodness’ sake!

[CheshireChat]

Babdoc I'm kinda with you on this, surely they can keep an eye, call/ alarm to make sure they've turned them off and the worst case the potatoes will be underdone.

[AssassinatedBeauty]

They won't have gas hobs at school and they generally don't leave the children unattended when they do cooking lessons.

[PlayingForKittens]

My 10 year old can happily cook stews etc for the family without supervision so I'd leave the hob on, ask the 10 year old to keep an eye and turn off and drain when cooked and go out.

[G5000]

People would seriously not leave a 10 year old home for 10-15 min? With potatoes or otherwise.

[Coulddowithanap]

Always always always turn off the hob. You should never leave cooking unattended.

[Coulddowithanap]

(quite happy to leave a 10 year old for 10-15 minutes though)

[motortroll]

As a pp said I'd ask my 10 year old to take over cooking the potatoes. And yes I'd leave her alone for 10-15 mins. I wouldn't ask her to drain them though she's a bit clumsy!

If it were my 12 year old I'd leave instructions for all the dinner and tell her to crack on til I get back.

I know my kids and their limitations so depends on that!

[ChandelierSail]

Option 1. Turn off the hob. Leave 10yo at home.

[Chouetted]

Straining the potatoes is best done under supervision because the risk from boiling water is very serious, but making sure a pan that is already on the hob doesn't self combust is much easier - by 10 he should know basic safety, otherwise it's dangerous.

I'm probably biased because I had to deal with a small fire when much younger - we were alone, we knew exactly what to do, and we did it. Anyone who doesn't drill kids in fire safety is dicing with death. It's even more important than stranger danger.

[BrokenWing]

I'd Take ds with me to get him a break from computer

[Zooop]

Hob in lowest setting, tell 10yo to turn it off after x minutes (with alarm on phone as reminder). My 10yo’s not strong enough to drain a full pan safely, so i just ask her to switch it off and leave it.

She cooks herself scrambled eggs in the gas hib, makes cups of tea etc. So she know how to work it.

[42isthemeaning]

Depending on your dc's experience. Personally I'd turn the hob off and take my ds (10) with me; however is does have asd. I'd leave my 12 yo dd, but I'd turn the hob off as she's a wee bit dozy!

[BluebadgenPIP]

Turn hob down low. Tell DD to keep an eye.

She was a v capable cook by 10. But it depends on the child.

[PengAly]

Wow would people really not leave their 10 year old alone at home for 15 mins? Regardless of the hob situation a 10 year old should be fine for that length of time(excluding any SN). I was fine using the the stove at that age too!

[LarryGreysonsDoor]

Turn the hob off. You could get caught up for longer than expected.

[Limensoda]

My daughter at ten yrs old could cook potatoes herself and be trusted to focus on that if I wasn't there.
But in answer to your question, turn hob off if you can't trust your ds to watch it and if that's the case you better take him with you too.

[category12]

Hob off, given that length of time and it being gas.

I'd expect a 10 yr old to know not to touch the hob tho, so wouldn't drag them away from what they were doing, unless there's SN or something with the child.

[adaline]

Turn it off but leave DS where he is. No need to take a 10yo with you for twenty minutes.

But I absolutely wouldn't leave the hob on and unattended - far too dangerous.

[Penndragon]

Either turn hob off. Potatoes will finish cooking in hot water. Tell DS Im popping out and remind him he has my telephone number if he needs me and not to answer the door to anyone but me.
Alternatively leave pan as it is and tell DS to turn off gas in X minutes and watch him put alarm on his phone. Then remind re above re contact numbers etc.
But there again my kids were expected to take lone flights by 10.
Children are as capable as you encourage and train them to be. They are usually far, far more capable than any parent imagines.
In the long run its much safer to give them the life skills and confidence to cope, rather than try and protect them from adult life. If they need to be doing all this life shit at 18, they cant wait until they are 17 to be able to learn it.
Far better to start gradually now....

[theonetowalkinthesun]

Hob off, but leave the 10 year old!

[BlueJava]

Turn hob off and leave or take DS.

[londonrach]

Off. i remember my mum picking me up late at primary school (she was trying to find a fire thingie) as our neighbour house burnt down in similar situation. She died. Always off!!!!