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Original poster

Should I leave kids in bed?

38 replies

Dramaqueenbee · 07/04/2018 11:09

I'm due to drop my husband at the airport at 4.30 am ( 35 min drive) should I leave my daughter 9 sleeping or take her with me? Her brother is 14 and have left them before for an hour and half max in daytime but just feel a bit unsure as it is nighttime. What do others think?

OP posts:
flumpybear · 07/04/2018 11:19

I wouldn't even contemplate taking him! He should get a taxi

SciFiFan2015 · 07/04/2018 11:20

If you can afford a taxi that's what I'd do. And tell him not to disturb you either when he gets up!

Talith · 07/04/2018 11:22

Agree bung him in a cab if you can. Otherwise I'd make sure kids knew what was going on but would leave them asleep.

SleepFreeZone · 07/04/2018 11:22

I’d just take the 9 year old. Obviously tell the 14 year old the night before but i wouldn’t be worried about that age group being left alone for a couple of hours asleep.

NapQueen · 07/04/2018 11:23

Yes I would leave a 14yo and a 9yo together at 4.30am for an hour. However only if the 14yo was ok with it and knew.

Madeline18 · 07/04/2018 11:24

It's an hour and he's 14 and she's 9, not a baby. It's fine.

yikesanotherbooboo · 07/04/2018 13:42

If the children are happy to be left then I would leave them.

RepealMay25th · 07/04/2018 13:45

Why wouldn't you leave them? They are fast asleep and the 14 year old is old enough to look after the younger one even if they weren't.
I don't even know why this is a question.

WatchingFromTheWings · 07/04/2018 13:54

I'd leave them. Obviously let them know before they go to bed. They'll be fine.

19lottie82 · 07/04/2018 13:54

I wouldn’t hesitate leaving a 14 and 9 yo for an hour sleeping.

For everyone saying get a taxi, for a 35 min drive it could be £50! I’d rather drive my DH rather than let him pay that.

Original poster
Dramaqueenbee · 07/04/2018 13:55

Thanks for your answers. The reason it's a question is that if anything happened whilst I'm out e.g. burglars, fire hazards etc I wouldn't forgive myself. I was thinking its ok to leave them but wanted to see if there was anyone that thought it a risk and irresponsible.

OP posts:
WillowWept · 07/04/2018 13:56

Absolutely fine to leave them provided that both are aware that's what's happening.

I leave my 7 year old with my 13 year old for an hour at a time, wouldn't think twice.

On a personal level I'd be telling my DHbto get a cab though. Why in earth are you driving him?

RepealMay25th · 07/04/2018 13:58

On a personal level I'd be telling my DHbto get a cab though. Why in earth are you driving him?

Why wouldn't she, if it suits them? I wouldn't want to spend the stupid money on a taxi if I could easily drive it, we don't all have money to burn on cabs!

HagueBlue2018 · 07/04/2018 15:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PotteringAlong · 07/04/2018 15:34

we don't all have money to burn on cabs!

If you can afford to fly, you can afford a 30 minute cab journey...

AlpacaLypse · 07/04/2018 15:38

@PotteringAlong we don't know why OP's husband is flying. It could be an urgent family matter and the airfare is a big expense. All sorts of scenarios.

thirtyplusone · 07/04/2018 15:39

What a ridiculous comment Pottering. More likely to be a work trip than anything else if he’s going alone. And no, flying for work doesn’t automatically indicate good pay.

Hobnobsarenotfordunking · 07/04/2018 15:40

Pottering along that is ridiculous! A flight to Europe from Heathrow can be much cheaper than the taxi journey for 35 minutes!

BikeRunSki · 07/04/2018 15:40

Is it a business flight?

RepealMay25th · 07/04/2018 15:41

If you can afford to fly, you can afford a 30 minute cab journey

Could you be more wrong? I recently flew abroad for 14 euro each way. The cab ride to the airport would have cost 50. Hmm

Original poster
Dramaqueenbee · 07/04/2018 16:13

No it's not a business trip it's leisure but we are careful with money and if we can save on cab fare we will. I feel better most posters think it's ok to leave them as that was my plan. I was making sure people are on my wavelength. My son is 15 in a couple of months. I've just always been a bit over cautious.

OP posts:
Jon66 · 07/04/2018 16:22

It depends on the kids.

PotteringAlong · 07/04/2018 18:05

I didn’t say it cost the same as the flight. I said if you can afford to fly, and the OP said this is a leisure trip, then actually you have got the money to get a taxi so the choice isn’t get your children up at 3.30 am or leave them in bed by yourselves.

Yes, you might have got flights for €14 each way. But that’s not all you spent on your jolly, is it? It’s not free when you get there.

MysweetAudrina · 07/04/2018 18:08

Yeah of course it is ok. Completely fine. They won't even know you are gone. Just let them know and everything will be fine.

steppemum · 07/04/2018 18:21

You are basically asking if your 14 year old can babysit your 9 year old for about 1.5 hours at most, when they are actually asleep.

Fo me the answer is a resounding yes.
With 2 provisos

  1. that the 14 year old is happy (and able) to do it.
  2. that they both know before bedtime that that is the plan.

Mine are 15, 13 and 10, and I would have done this 2 years agao, never mind one.

I don't see the difference between leaving them in the day for an hour, or leaving them at night for an hour.