Leaving 15 year old at home

[yetanotherdaytoday]

Is a sensible 15 year old too young to be at home alone for a night, as a one off?

DH has to take MIL to hospital 300 miles away and I need to be at work in the next town, to run an event, on a day with train strikes. My youngest can go to her friends but I don't have anywhere to send my DS.

DS is suggesting I leave him at home. I'm tempted. I was up to all sorts at his age, he's a good kid and very very sensible in comparison!

I don't drive and therefore wouldn't make it back till breakfast.

If it was a normal day at work I'd just take the day off, but the event can't run without me.

Is it madness to consider this? I'm not sure what else to do. My couple of friends who I could usually call on for favours just can't help that day.

WWYD?

Why will you be away overnight if its just next town?
Does mil live 300 miles away and it's her local hospital?

Taxi home after the event would surely make most sense?

Can you not get a taxi?

Last time I got a taxi from that town it was £90. God knows how much it'll be on a train strike day.

I guess it might be the only way. I'm not sure I'll have £100 cash by then though (near end of month, it's been a tight month).

MIL lives 300 miles away. She's been waiting a while for the date for the op, she just got it now.

Can't you claim the expense from your employer since you'll be working on an evening with no alternative option of getting home? It's comparable to the cost of a hotel for the night, I would have thought?

Were you planning on staying in a hotel after the event? Surely your employer will fund your travel or accommodation expenses?

I'll be overnight because when I learnt about the train strike, but before I learnt about MIL's op, the plan was I go over the night before while the trains are still running, stay at my friend's house near the venue the night before and after.

DH is leaving the same day the event is on.

I'd leave him if he is happy to be left. I didn't leave mine until 16 but that was three days/two nights the first time. Has he been home alone late before but not overnight?

Agreed

If he wasn't sure about it, could he just arrange for himself to stay with a friend for the night?

Yes, he's been home alone in the evening before. I don't think he moves an inch while we're out of the house tbh, just stares at his computer! Other than venturing to the kitchen for the odd snack.

He doesn't have a friend he can stay overnight with, no.

He's totally happy with it! It's me who's not sure.

I would (and did) leave a 15 year over night but does he have anyone he can call on it anything did go wrong with you saying their is no one around to help (is that just to stay at or not around at all).

Good point, even if they were say half an hour to an hour away just in case.

Could he not go with DH?

I think it's fine to leave him at home as long as he has someone nearby to call on in an emergency.

Alternatively, if it's a weekend could he go with you/DH?

Feel horrible saying, but is he just transporting mil or is he staying to care post op? Is he an only child?

Yes, we have nice neighbours both sides, he could go to them in an emergency.

He's going to do care post op, and it's him who needs to be there.

DH is going for 3 weeks! I think DS's school might have something to say about it 😁

It's midweek :(

It sounds fine. I would tell DS he isnt allowed any friends over at all because once one friend comes and people find out there are no parents it can quickly escalate. And I would face time rather than call a few times over the course of the evening just to make sure everything seemed fine.

I'm going against the grain here, but I didn't and wouldn't.

My 15 yr old was extremely sensible. She would have been happy to be left alone overnight when feckless ex decided he could no longer have her stay the night I'd booked a stay away in a luxury hotel 200 miles from home.

I cancelled. No refund. But she was 15. She's not an adult. I didn't feel it was responsible to leave her alone overnight. 99% of me knew she'd be fine. It was the 1% I couldn't tolerate.

I'm not a protective parent in most other scenarios, but I couldn't square this one.

There must be a solution that doesn't mean leaving them alone. The fact that you're asking the question says that you have some reservations about doing so.