To ask what age you leave a 15 year old?

[OnlyYellowRoses]

Posting here for the traffic.

Can I ask what age you would be comfortable leaving a 15 (16 in June) home alone overnight, if you would?

DS is doing his best to convince me that IABU for not wanting him to stay in our home for 2 nights, alone whilst I am away visiting partners family.

We would be a 6 hour drive away. His father (not same person as my partner) usually lives a 30 min drive away but this particular weekend would be visiting his own parents 4 hours away.

I'm not comfortable leaving him. He's sensible and not the type to throw wild house parties but I can't help feeling it's irresponsible if both parents are a substantial drive away if an emergency happened.

There is a local set of grandparents who could be here in 10 minutes if there was an issue though.

Thoughts please? Teen obviously thinks I'm very unfair, partner and actual DS father are leaning more towards the 'let him stay' camp.

I would leave my 16 year old ,he's leaving school.in a few months and nature for his age.

The NSPCC are welcome to their views

One test: would he be able to deal with a fire, or a flood?

If a 15 year old can't manage with available adults 10 mins away then it is time for some intense work on his independence as you can't really go from being babysat to university freedoms and responsibilities for rebt, food and bills in two/ 3 years. Hth.

I left mine at 17&15, put the dog in charge. 2 nights away, bliss. They were invited but didn't want to come. Younger dd is the more sensible

Totally depends on the teen tbh.

DS I could have easily left at that age.

DD1 I could probably have left at 10 (I didn’t!)

DD2 - still get nervous when she’s at her and DD1’s flat alone in her early 20s.

If he’s sensible, has grandparents nearby and you and his father agree I don’t think 15 is ridiculously young for 2 nights.

Crikey how things have changed I was working at age 15 two years later at age 17 I was married and running my own household

If you make a plan with grandparents being 10 minutes away/phone call after cooking to check cooker is off or buy him ready meals/what to do in an emergency and who to call then it's a judgement call on how much you trust your ds at that age imo.

It's not illegal, it's a judgement call. If you've covered your bases it will be fine.

We recently left almost 15 year old overnight when we stayed an hour away. Grandparents also live 10-15 minutes down the road and came and brought chip shop tea and spent a couple of hours with him in the evening. Could you do similar?

I left my then nearly 16yo for a night. He is very sensible and was completely fine. I think he enjoyed it. I'm not sure I would have left him for 2 nights though. I'm not really sure why as I'm absolutely certain he would have been ok. He is very self-sufficient..

Had my first bedsit at 16. Have little time for whatever NSPCC thinks these days after the revelations of the whole rubber man debacle.

I’d definitely leave him for one night. Two nights in a row? No way. Far too much time to organise a party that can get out of hand quickly with no adult supervision. I’m sure your son is lovely, but it’s the uninvited friends you need to be wary of.

Really ? In a few short months your Son will be old enough to join the army if he wants, Up until a few weeks ago he could have married at 17. You can't baby them forever.

I've left DD at that age with her brother (17). Have never left her on her own but she'd be fine- would worry about her being lonely or bored but not about her getting up to mischief.

My parents left me for 4 nights whilst I was in the middle of my gcses because I had an exam and couldn’t come on holiday with them. Yes I may have snuck a boy over (oops) but truly I was fine. If you know he’s sensible we have to stop babying this generation as long as he knows how to microwave a meal and call the grandparents he would be fine.

I was spending weekends alone at and away from home (no adults) by 14 My kids were solo camping by that age. No problems at all (except the abandoned horse incident, and tbh DS 15 handled that pretty well).

He's got GP's 10 mins away, he'll be fine.

My parents left me around that age, it was brilliant I invited a couple of school friends over. I think 15/16 is fine to be left alone.

I'm quite surprised by how many wouldn't leave them. From 13/14 I was left alone for up to a week at a time by my Mum. I was fine so wouldn't of questioned a couple of nights at 15. I'm glad I've read this! It's good to get perspective from other(probably more stable and loving) families.

It depends on maturity of the teen. I would be reluctant to leave my 15 year old boy at home alone. This is because he has his head in the clouds and would leave the lights on, or not lock the front door. I would be worried.

I'm 67 and I never lock my back door when I'm in.

Do I need a babysitter?

Can grandparents stay over one night?

If you don't leave him alone what is the plan for him? It is certainly old enough to consider that coming with you to see your partners family is not his idea of fun and a lot to ask.

I would. I think that age is fine. If they are sensible and reliable.

no, because the advice is not to leave them overnight until 16.

We leave our 15 year old daughter, she’s sensible, we live in a lovely area with friendly neighbours, family near by and dogs that don’t even let delivery drivers get too close to the front door. We make sure she has simple meals available and she loves it.