Would you ever leave a 15 yo home overnight?

[GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing]

I’m going away with my 10yo in the summer for a weekend.

15 yo doesn’t want to come (was offered, and originally booked to come).

She can stay with her dad who lives around the corner or is more than capable of getting to grandparents for the weekend.

Shes suggested she’d like to stay home alone. Will be 16 a couple of months later, when I suspect I’d be unreasonable not to leave her. Extremely sensible and no chance shed trash the place.

Why does she want to stay alone? Sometimes finds Dad annoying, plus he has a baby and toddler, and just staying at home is easier than any other options. She likes alone time. I guess she might invite over a couple of equally sensible friends which would be fine.

Any thoughts?

No she is gay

By the time you've called your mum and asked what to do, the ceiling would have come in.

Not sure I'd use this as a reason not to leave the 15yo home. Yes there might be a delay while they figure out what to do. But if you take them with you instead and there is a water leak in the house so there's nobody there, ceiling will definitely come down.

There could just as easily be a fire if oh left a 16 /17 ear old one alone
And its NSPCC,guidance not law.

NSPCC is guidance only and has nothing to do with the law.

15 and her Dad lives around the corner? Why wouldn't you? Did somebody here say they didn't leave their kid until 17?! Jesus.

Mine are a bit younger than 15 but just thinking back to when I was 15 and I definitely had the odd night alone.

I went on my first girls holiday abroad at 17!

I know, it's a good job they become fireproof when they turn 16 isn't it.

No definitely not.

Surely at that age you would have years of family training for how to react to a fire. If a 15 yr old doesn't know, serious family training meetings are in order.

I probably wouldn't overnight. I'm a bit of a worrier though. Only you know your kid.

Not that I have, but ds2 would be fine, would even like it. Ds1 was even more responsible. All this: would invite 100 friends round for party, doesn't know how to use kitchen appliances, can't lock up. Why on earth have parents allowed 15 year olds to get to 15 and not know how. All 15 year olds here locally do cooking at school, can make spag Bol, all the 15 year old girls I know bake regularly, often weekly. So most of you have different children to the 15 year olds I know.

No

Of course they don't become fireproof when 16, but to me a consideration is how would this play out in the press if something happened.
A 16 year old being left overnight alone, just feels a lot more appropriate than a 15 year old.

We had actually planned a weeks holiday when DS was 16.5 to Madeira ( he is an only and would have been bored rigid). But we ended up cancelling it when he and his 25 year old cousin managed to set fire to the oven cooking a steak that summer when we were on a big family holiday.

We did a week away once he turned 17 and the only issue that time was he seemed not to have heated up any of the many meals we left for him and seemed a bit hungry when we arrived back - probably worried about setting fire to the cooker, even though it was all microwaveable.

Seriously? You would make this decision based on how it would play out in the press rather than on an assessment of your childs individual capabilities?

I would leave her at 15, she will be fine and if she needs anything her Dad lives around the corner.

I had a great time lol but still terrible parenting ..
Many bad choices were made that weekend

Id leave her, her dad is around corner, presumably she can talk to you on phone any time too . You say she's responsible etc. Seems like a reasonably easy decision tbh.

This with bells on !🤣🤣🤣

I'm sure if she's sensible and there are family members close by in case of emergency she'd be fine. Word of warning ; my parents left me alone for a week when I was 16 because they too thought I was reasonably sensible... they had to redecorate the living room because I had a party and someone actually threw up on the walls! 🙈

It really depends on the 15 year old, how mature they are and if they've been raised to be independent and responsible. I assume her dad could be there pretty quickly, if she got scared or anything. So, I'd say it's fine.

Totally depends on individual children but I have left my younger teen alone for a night as I know she is responsible and we have great neighbours.

The NSPCC does not get to decide when it is legal for a child to be left alone. I'm also quite sure they have not even said this.

With dad around the corner it sounds ok to me - I would want him to have a key so he can get in in an emergency situation though

It's not illegal. It depends on the kid though.

When I was that age I would've loved the peace and quiet time so I could just read to my heart's content. Depends on the kid.

I would, but then I had moved out of home when I was 17!