Leaving 13yo at home

[mangoes1]

Just that really, I bought tickets to a show , including driving time 2 hours total . I was relying on my 13yo to stay home on his own but now I'm worried. We do have 3 huge dogs so I'm not too worried about intruders. Just thinking of things I I should tell him in case he panics. I will text every half hour and we will be back by 8.45. I can't work out if I'm over or under reacting! He knows to run to the neighours if any problem he cant solve.
It should be right?
He's not even a pfb just the only one to be left alone as he is the youngest.
He has his own phone and our neighbours are close . He knows emergency services number.
Have I forgotten something? ( Again this is just because he is the only one to be regularly alone because of an age gap)

Can't get poll to work but basically asking if you would be alright with this.

I thought the same

Mine would be thrilled with two hours to chat to her friends and play her game without being reminded to do whatever chore she's forgotten/keep it down 😂

I wouldn't stress about the texting either. I'd prob send one when I got there and one when heading home, and that's mostly because she's autistic and likes to know when people are travelling vs at a place.

Mine wouldn't even notice.

Thanks everyone. It's a sold out comedy show bought tickets for DH's birthday the other day. Hope it's good as we rarely go out. Won't txt every half hour . Promise. x

Dd1 who is 13 loves being at home alone. She was home on Saturday morning for around two hours while we took dd1 to an activity and picked up some shopping.

My ds began looking after his younger sister for a short time at that age, while we enjoyed a meal locally - a 5 min walk away. Once she was in bed, he'd enjoy playing on his xbox without us constantly moaning at him! We checked on him once, but ensured our phones were turned up so we'd hear him call if there were any problems.

Has he never been alone before? He's 13 not 3

I guess because if it goes off, you'll either be checking it or rushing out to answer it.

He's thirteen - he'll be absolutely fine if he can't contact you for a couple of hours. Promise!

The dogs would be my worry. All the rest of it, absolutely fine. Has he never been alone for that length of time before, or is your worry because it's the evening? Edit: I see it's because it's the evening. It's not going to be a late one (if you wouldn't be back until 11 that might give me pause, but early evening, absolutely fine at 13 and tbh about time you and he tried it out). But the dogs would worry me.

So one of my granddaughter stayed on her own from 11 whilst parents did the 'boring Stuff" ie supermarket run and visiting family she didn't want to.
They'd call regular and was always fine and still is a couple of years later for much longer periods. But supermarkets can be 2 hours.
He will be fine. Just do the usual, in an emergency ring me or 999 and if your worried here is the neighbours numbers or a local friends.

Enjoy some you time.

Am I reading this right, your panicking over leaving a 13yo for a couple of hours in an evening?

You do realise many 13yos will have a couple of hours home alone afterschool and probably spent days alone during school holidays?

Stop panicking, tell him to text if he needs you. But actually maybe have a trial run before the night out. Go to the shops and leave him for 30mins

No . You aren't reading it right. He has been regularly left alone, just not at night as I've already said. As a "latchkey kid" from 10 myself I'm well aware of the concept. I guess I just wanted reassurance that 13yo is not too young to be alone at night. As I have already said the 3 older siblings are close together in age. They all live independently now, so just wanted a bit of advice that this was in the normal range. Thanks for replies

What is particularly worrying you about it being "at night"? (My own are regularly at home alone until 9pm for example... the only additional worry is she has a shower when I'm out)

It's fine. I'm righ now. Just having a sook about my youngest. We also live regionally so it's very dark at night. I'm sure he will be fine Thanks again.

That makes more sense.
So he well used to being home alone, just not in the evening?
He'll be fine, it's not like you are leaving him until midnight, would you be more comfortable if he had a friend round?

Just the usual rules about keeping the door locked.

He is 13 and expected to travel to from school in his own. No need to text during show. . Just text when you on way home. Tell him to text if urgent only eg house fire .

All went fine and both older siblings forgot to ring him( grrrrr) so obviously fine.All good

Good stuff. Hope you enjoyed your night out.

This would be my only concern

labradors and labx shepherds. I was in no way worried about the dogs. The big Dutch Shepherd would do anything to protect his family. Labradors are labs, snoring away happily or eating .thats it

I would be more worried about the labrador than a very sensible 13 year old who will just be watching tv or doing homework anyway. Mine gets up to all sorts (labrador, not child)