Leave 14 year old home alone?

[Lollip189]

I'll be 30 minute drive away. Prob couple of hours away in total.

She's left alone when I'm closer to home. She's v sensible and we live in a safe area.

It's more my comfort zone... what if something happens and I'm a 30min drive away?? I know unlikely but wanted other's opinions.

There's nothing unreasonable in leaving a 14 year old alone at home for a few hours. This is a child who will be an adult in 4 short years and may be living independently shortly thereafter.

Absolutely fine unless she is very immature for her age.

14 is totally fine, a 14 year old should be able to manage alone, prepare food and know what to do in an emergency

Is there a trusted neighbor she can call for help? It's unlikely that anything will happen, but it'll probably make you feel better.

But honestly, she'll be fine.

Do you trust her? If so, I don't see any issues at all.

Of course a 14yo can be left alone for a couple of hours. What do you think is likely to happen?

I started leaving my eldest alone for up to 2 hours at a time from the age of 11. By 14 I was leaving her in the evenings on occasion up until 10pm latest. By 16 I would be home by midnight if I went out. I think it's fine. According to the NSPCC (when I read it) children under 11 years old can't cope in an emergency whereas after that they start to be able to be home alone in the daytime. There's no official guidelines (or there wasn't 10 years ago) but it felt safe. What does your gut tell you because all kids are different!

surely by 14 they would be getting themselves back and fore to school independently and able to sort themselves some food and just generally be a smidge feral?
How bizarre to need to even ask

A few hours, the day or over night?

Does she know what to do if the electricity goes off, or she smells gas or whatever there is a tiny risk of happening?

A 14 year old should have been left at home alone occasionally for at least two, more likely four years.

Are people really not leaving teenagers alone? How will they ever become independent people?

Yes, totally trust her she's a great kid. She can make her own food. I do leave her alone when I'm more local. It's not the amount of time - I'd leave her alone all day and know she'll be sensible. It's more the distance in case something happens. We're new to the street so not really a neighbour that I can ask just yet.

14 is fine. 14 could be getting too and from school alone, baby sitting for other children etc. My oldest was and we worked a lot further than 30 min away.

Fab cheers all. I shall give me head a wee wobble!

Yes of course, unless she is of low IQ and may struggle in an emergency etc.

Most 14 year old and very used to and able to be home alone, get themselves to and from school etc

I thought you were going to say you were going away overnight!

Yes, that's absolutely fine.

what could happen that only you can sort? If there's an emergency, she knows how to use the phone.

What do you expect to happen?
There are few genuine emergencies where being 30 minutes away leads to catastrophic outcomes. If she has a heart attack or if gas explodes, even if you are 5 minutes away, there is nothing you can do to make it alright. If she cuts her finger or gets a bit scared, she can wait 30 minutes.

Fine. Just make sure she knows what to do if someone comes to house, delivery etc or wanting her to open door.

Yes,I agree. If they go to uni how will they manage if they've never had to be alone? What do you think will happen? At 14 the average kid should be able to deal with even an emergency.

We hardly leave teen home alone. At 17 we definitely could leave her but dh and I mostly work from home and we have other dc so we’re usually here. If we do go out, all three teens are home so she’s still not left alone.

That said, of course a 14 year old can be left. We did have a couple of friends who dd could call if we were further away in the city.

What's going to happen? Are you never more than 30 minutes away from her?!