AIBU to stop two 12-year-olds sneaking out to the supermarket?

[LovingBlueDog]

My sons got his friend over for a sleep over. He came to my room and saw I was awake and cursed. They are both 12 and were going to sneak out at 11PM.
I told them both they weren’t going out to the supermarket this time if night. I explained that his friend is in my care and if something were to happen it would be on me.
they wanted to go to the super market over 20 mins walk away and down a dark lane. I have mobility issues so if they were to do it I wouldn’t be able to get up quickly enough to stop them so am currently sitting in a dining room chair at the front door.
I will be telling his parents tomorrow
am I being unreasonable

You are not being unreasonable. If it had been daytime it would have been fine but it's late. Hard no.

No you're not but what are you going to do - you can't sit there all night?! Can't you just take his door keys off him?

One of DS’s mates was a bit like that. MY son just goes along with it. So when his mum suggested Jakey come over for a sleepover I said if she’d speak to him about sneaking out at night beforehand- she hit the roof!

I know it’s not my son as he’s barely bothered about leaving the house… and this is the only pal he asks with.

they try it on these kids

Youre being a good parent xx

Who instigated the sneaking out? Your son or his friend?

Absolutely not unreasonable to stop them but the sanctions for my son and what I said to the other boy’s parents would depend on whose idea it was to do this.

You are right OP.

Did you get any sleep?

I would mention it to them but wouldn't put blame on one or the other. I would just say that you managed to stop them both from sneaking out to the shop that's 20mins away at 11pm last night. You made them aware of the dangers doing that (I hope so anyway) but just wanted them to be aware of what happened in case they want a sleepover at their house or another at your house.

20 mins away down a dark lane, no not unreasonable to stop them.

5 min away down a brightly lit road I might pretend I didn't hear them sneaking out and let them have the adventure.

I do not understand sleepovers or why they are necessary. Horrible on all levels

You are totally right and being more than reasonable.

Aged 11, kids are not always aware of dangers and are not as streetwise as kids used to be from previous generations plus the fact they can be targeted by undesireables.

I agree
my eldest is 15 and he’s never been to nor have we ever hosted any sleepovers!!!

dd10 same

ds7 too young anyway

I cannot think of anything worse to be honest plus my kids all like their sleep they wouldn’t like to not be able to go to sleep and people keeping them awake!

YANBU to say no

YABU for snitching. They’re 12 year olds who wanna get some Doritos and chocolate, not sneaking out for crack.

She's not snitching.She is making a public service announcement to the parents who have totally failed to educate their son as to how a courteous guest behaves when he is not in his own home.

@Jllllllll@Besidemyselfwithworry they weren’t a think when I was a kid thankfully, they are my idea of Hell.

Exactly
it just wouldn’t be happening but thankfully none of my kids are remotely interested either

How were they not a thing when you were a kid? Sleeping at your friends house has always been a thing, we just didn’t call them sleepovers.

Oh come on. They’re 12, the son was in on it as much as the other kid. Sitting outside the front door as well is OTT

I’d confiscate my DC’s phone or similar if they attempted to do something like this, and certainly no more sleepovers for a while. At 12 they should know full well it’s a stupid thing to try.

Were they really going to the supermarket

Well they clearly aren't "horrible on all levels" if the kids enjoy them, are they?

My friends and I had sleepovers all the time, we loved it and (I realise now) our parents got to have the odd night off without forking out for a babysitter.
We'd eat too much ice cream and watch a film. Nothing horrible about that.

I honestly do not remember hearing people talk about this.

Sleepovers have been going on forever they're great

Could you hide the key to stop them leaving and go to bed?

I would have rang the parents to pick the friend up and banned sleepovers for the time being. If the carnt be trusted they carnt have them.