How old to be left alone overnight?

[winterrabbit]

DS1 has just turned 15 and wants to stay alone in the house on Saturday night as the rest of the family is going away overnight. DSI does not want to come but I am not comfortable leaving him alone overnight mainly as I suspect he'll invite his friends over for a party plus there is a risk something else could happen (fire, burglary etc). He's confident but not responsible at all. DS1 is insisting that his same age friends all stay over night alone when their parents go away. Feels wrong to me but wanted to check that the general consesus is.

Unless he has unnatural abilities to control his feral mates, it’s a hard no. You’ll be finding empty vodka bottles in astonishing places for months afterwards. Even with a sensible one it will be impossible for him to control the carnage when it unfolds.

We ’allowed’ a house party for my dd15 last year. Another may be allowed when she’s 33.

Nope, if you don't trust him not to have a party. A friend of my brother's parent left him overnight at that age. He invited his friends over and one of his friend's mentioned it to one of their older cousins cousins. Load of unknown people turned up, house ans garden trashed.

It's not always about your teenager being responsible.

If word gets out somehow that you're away, he can find himself in a situation that is out of his control and that he can't handle!

I ( single parent)had to leave 15 and 17 year old when staying in hospital with little one for 2 nights...plenty old enough of course... they had had a friend to stay, cooked themselves proper dinners( not washed up tho) and had not been to school!
Not happy but you pick your battles!
I'd worry about those children, I expect dad is in need of some help , really, I hate to think of them on their own.