Leaving 16 yr old alone on holiday.

[TooManyCats2024]

Going to Florida in a week. Plan to meet up with a friend who is a drag performer and see his show. It’s over 21’s only, so 16 (nearly 17) year old son can’t come. He is happy to stay in the resort on his own and chill out, eat, watch a movie etc. We will be a couple of miles away and out for a couple of hours. For context he goes out with friends in the evening at home and is very sensible and reliable. Stupidly I mentioned this to my sister and she is making me feel like I’m the world’s most irresponsible parent! What would you do? Are we being selfish?

Your sister is being silly. Smile and ignore.

I think it's fine. We went to Croatia recently and left DS16 alone all day in the accommodation while we went to the beach so he could have a huge lie in and chill. He was more than happy.
If your DS is happy too then I wouldn't worry what anyone else thinks.

Is it one of the resorts on Disney? Or is it one of the independent resorts that are near to Disney? If the former, he will be fine. If the second I’d play it by ear as some of those places have violent crime issues. You don’t have to go far from Disney to be in bad neighbourhoods and many do prey on the tourists at the cheaper resorts that are just outside Disney property.

Sounds absolutely fine. Some people are ridiculous about teenagers and freedom. I was travelling abroad alone at 17 (with friends). 16 in a safe resort for a few hours is fine.

I'd be more concerned if you took him along to a drag show!

This is perfectly fine. We went to a European city last year and my DS 15 didn't want to come with us one afternoon so he took public transport back to the Airbnb and chilled and ate all the ice cream in the freezer why is this different to what you'd do at home?

I came back from holiday recently. While we were away left DS on his own at the hotel a couple of times while DH and I went out. He was absolutely fine. I really can't see an issue.

It’s a Disney resort - he knows to go to the Front desk if he has an emergency and I have said no to using the pool without us.

Why don't you trust him to use the pool without you? Surely you let him go swimming in the uk without parental supervision at age 16??

I’m not sure DH is overly keen but the performer is a very old friend and he’s been desperate for us to go!

Why can he not use the pool without you?! That is the only weird thing in this set up - he's 16 not 6!

The quiet pools don’t have lifeguards in the evening.

At 16 I'd be happily letting him roam the entirety of Disney World alone, let alone stay in the hotel for a few hours. Surely he'd be fine if he wanted to go to one of the parks by himself on Disney transport for a few hours.

Of course that's fine. he could be a parent himself.

He will be perfectly ok. Disney has good security.

At 16, in a Disney resort, no problems at all. I actually agree with you about the swimming as I stayed onsite last year for the first time in ages and there was no lifeguard on duty at the quiet pools at any time during the day. Also it is not necessary. Mine at 16 would probably gone to the arcade and foodcourt, then settled down to watch a movie/crap on their phone

Your son will be fine on his own for an evening, he is sixteen, not twelve.

I'd not only let him stay behind, I'd let him go to the parks by himself for the evening. And I say that as someone who just let my DD who just turned 17 do exactly that. There couldn't be a more controlled and safe environment for a kid to have some independence and he gets to go where and when he wants without it being a committeee decision, and has the advantage of being a single rider so would get to skip to the top of a lot of lines. She had the best time exactly because she was by herself

Is he 6 or 16

Does your sister have experience parenting a 16 year old or is she extrapolating from her experience of parenting younger children? I think I would be more concerned if I didn't think my 16 year old could be left alone for a couple of hours.

Can he not swim?

At 16 he could actually go on holiday on his own.

I’ve got a DS16 and I think no problem to leave him for the evening. Agree re pool.

I'd be more concerned about your sisters parenting skills to be honest. If a 16 yr old can't mind themselves for a few hours then God help us all.

Totally fine - enjoy the show!