Leaving kids home alone for 5 days?

[PinkPinkPinkBlue]

Dh and I have never been away with out kids not even for a night. I want to suggest a 4 night city break to him but before I do just wondering if you would leave dc of these ages home alone? Grandparents live a couple of miles away and would pop in everyday and happily run my youngest to activities.
DD 19 (holidays so back from uni)
DS 16
DD 13

Instead of doing 5 nights straight away wouldn't it be more sensible to start with overnight away or least shorter time period as a trial run?

We left a 14 and 16 year old overnight as had to get 18 old to Uni and younger two had school and college starts so couldn't come- they were fine. This year we did night away for drop off then few months later 3 nights away with now 15 and 17 year old in house.

We don't have DGP nearby to pop in - though there are adults they could go to and we were still in UK - so perhaps we were more cautious. Though TBH I don't think it's a huge problem to leave them - persumably 13 can feed themselves so how much looking after will they actaully need and DGP are nearby as back up.

Mumsnet at it's finest...not leaving a 13 year old with a 19 year old, what sort of 19 year olds are you raising that can't look after their 13 year old sibling? 🤣

(Sorry did not mean to quote you, was just trying to leave a comment on the thread)

I wonder......do people realise you can actually get married at 16 (with parents permission)?
And at 18 without permission?
Drive a car at 17.
Vote at 18.

Far too much mollycoddling nowadays....

@Petitchat in England and Wales marraige is now 18 they stopped 16 with parental consent - though in Scotland and N.I it remains unchanged.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/legal-age-of-marriage-in-england-and-wales-rises-to-18

Though in Wales you can still leave full time education at 16 - unlike in England where it's supposed to be 18. They can also vote at 16 in most election in wales though not UK ones.

I do agree with the infantilizing - though it very much depends on the child's maturity but later teen years that really should be less an issue.

No you can't get married at 16 anymore.... thankfully.

Oh shut up

My old boss went to Paris for the weekend with her dh and left her girls age 11, 13 and 15. Her mil and her bil lived nearby and offered to have them, or drop in and keep an eye on them but she didn't want them 'interfering'. They were fine but I thought she was very foolish. To make it worse she ran a montessori school from her home, if anything had happened to one of her dc it could have ruined her business, who would leave their children with someone so irresponsible.