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?

Hire a car for 24 hours?

I would leave them overnight for an emergency at weekend but not a school day.

Why not a school day? In case he is on video games all night?

If that’s the reason - he’s 15. One sleepless night won’t trash his GCSEs

I think it’s ok as long as he has someone close to call on in an emergency and also that you can be contactable if he’s worried about anything. My son is 15, the main thing I would be worried about is that he wouldn’t get up for school!

Sounds absolutely fine to me.

I normally would say no until they are 16, but in these circumstances I think it's ok. Do you know the neighbours well enough to ask them to keep an eye out ? That's what we did when we first went away overnight when DS was 16.

Yes it's fine. Mine has been left occasionally since 14. As long as they are happy to be left they should be perfectly capable of not setting the house on fire or whatever. I was overnight babysitting other people's kids at 15!

This is NSPCC guidance, not law. One is welcome to ignore guidance around parenting that one doesn't agree with.

I agree you need to ask work to fund your taxi, rather than a hotel? I can't see why that would be an issue.

I would also call a few taxi firms and get an actual quote for pre booking a taxi.

I think it would be fine if he is happy with it. Having good neighbours woukd make the diffeence for me.

Recently left my 15 year old overnight, she loved it. Very sensible and realisable next door neighbours who said they were there if she needed then - even if it was middle of the night x

I think a competent DC will be absolutely fine at 15 (especially one who will, from the sounds of it, have a computer binge)

You have neighbours he can turn to

And it's a one-off, not neglect.

I worried my DC would be lonely, rather than that they would be unsafe. Or that the house would sound different overnight if they were alone in it. They told me not to be so silly!

So if your DS is well up for it, and can reassure you that he will actually turn the computer off at some point and get some sleep, and that he will get up in time for school the next day (and remember to lock the door, and leave nothing on in the kitchen or on charge anywhere) then he'll be fine

Youngsters can live alone, completely independent, from 16. I think it's fine. You could ring him in the evening and again in the morning to make sure he's up in time for school.

Don't take parenting advice from a parent who had a nanny for a 16 year old. Most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.

Your work won’t provide expenses for a means to get home? After a late night event? Ive worked in events and that’s ridiculous, unheard of with every employer I’ve worked for, even if it was £90 it’s still in the ballpark of a hotel.

I've done similar for a neighbour... kept an eye on her 15yo as a one off overnight when she had to go away with work. She's a teacher, so more familiar with child protection than most. I made sure he left for school in the morning.

At 16 they can join the Army, move out, and do all sorts. If they can't be trusted one night at 15, how could they cope with that at 16?

And 16 is hardly a hard and fast cut off. I wouldn't leave my daughter, who is 17 as she's daft. Her younger sibling is much more srnsible and I would have no hesitation.

Because OP is staying with a friend, not in a hotel

Leave him if he's happy enough.
He is old enough to babysit.
Trial leaving him for a few hours. If he feels confident, trust that he will be fine.

Leave a meal that is easy to heat and instructions.
Phone him a couple of times for company.
Leave him with emergency phone numbers - like your friend who has daughter, Ambulance, Fire etc and a trusted next door neighbour's number.

I do agree this would be worth doing

The issue is the train strike. I don’t think the event necessarily finishes super late - might have missed it - but that there are either no trains between the towns in question on the day, or limited trains that finish around 6pm.

I imagine it is broadly expected attendees will drive on a train strike day. But it may well be worth OP asking about expensing a taxi given the circumstances, if she would prefer to get home.

Go with the plan of leaving your son at home but ask at the event whether anyone is travelling home to your town.
You might luck out.

Op it will be fine. Worse case scenario he plays computer games all night. And eats tons of sweets.

It's not something I'd do on a regular basis but as a one of it will be fine. Just basic rules no friends over. And video call.

Kids can live independently from 16, and they don't suddenly mature overnight.

Yes, if he is fine with this, I would of course leave him alone overnight under these circumstances.

That NSPCC guidance is quite bonkers really isn’t it - at 16 the child can join the army, but at 15 shouldn’t be allowed to spend a night at home alone.