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?

If he’s sensible he should be absolutely fine!

I know it was many years ago but I actually lived alone in a bedsit at 15.

He will be an adult in three years. Of course he can spend a night on his own.

If he's fine, then it's fine OP.

My 15 year old sounds like yours. We haven't left him overnight but if there was no other option he would be okay with it. He'd stay on the Playstation and then take himself off to bed once his friends had stopped playing. We'd keep in touch via WhatsApp and we've got great neighbours he could go to if something went wrong.

Stress to him that it's a one off and that you or Dad will be on the other end of a phone.

A night on his own will probably be a useful experience, especially as you have neighbours he can call on in a crisis.

I think it's fine if you're absolutely sure he won't have friends round.

I wouldn’t leave him alone.

Either get a taxi back or bring him with you.

As for school the next day, he can start late.

It isn’t your son you have to worry about but other people…

For instance, we had a nephew who was left alone at the same age and invited a friend round. The friend mentioned to one other teen and they then advertised a party on Facebook. Police had to be called as about 100kids around the house, they were lucky there wasn’t damage..

You said he is sensible, he will be fine. Just tell him not to tell anyone he will be alone in the house. And phone him in the evening to check if he is okay.

There are 15 year olds you would never leave alone overnight, and some that will be fine.

I would be fine with it

I would, you can join the Army at 16!

I would, he will probably see it as an opportunity to be up late on his computer

Some of these responses honestly, he’ll be fine at 15. Tell him not to burn the house down, leave him a pizza and warn him Bob and Sue next door will be keeping an eye out for any hint of a party taking place.

15 is year 11 so I think he'll be fine. He's on the phone. I can't imagine what problem there is with leaving plugs amd chargers on, everyone does it. Surely the tv turns itself off anyway after 4 hours if he forgot.

If you decide to leave him, at this tone of year I'd make sure he knew what to do in a power cut or with frozen pipes.

Could be y10.

I’d mention it to a friend as a back up and ensure dc had their number. I’d also say no friends allowed over (that’s when it goes wrong). Dd is 15 and would be fine.

The main risk for me would be a party. But if he genuinely doesn't have any friends then you've dodged that bullet. If he's up for it, I say it's fine.

I would do it because we have plenty of neighbours who would look out for mine. But if you live remotely I wouldn't.

A nanny for a 15yr old?!? FFS! Kids his age have their own kids let alone being babysat! If you trust him to be sensible and not invite a load of mates round for pissup (it doesn't like he's that sort of kid) then I would leave him with money to order a takeaway pizza in and make sure he knows how to lock up before going to bed. If you've got nice neighbours too it'll be fine. If you can, I would ring / text him around the time he'd get home from school, before he goes to bed, and in the morning (more for your own peace of mind that anything else!)

This.

I despair for our teens these days, treated like they’re at junior school, no wonder they struggle once they hit 18 at Uni.

If your son is ok with it and has the neighbours numbers in case of emergencies I think it’s fine

Never in a million years. A boy of 15 tends to have the common sense of a girl many years younger. Many mums believe a son of adult size is grown-up but mentally your great big son is a child. Get home somehow.

I would try these solutions, in order:

1. Get your company to pay the taxi fare
2. bring your son with you. If he has to miss 2 half days of school, so be it. He could stay with your friend while you were at the event, if necessary.
3. Only if those to options fail and there's really no one who could have him, leave him alone with the neighbours to check in.

I think he will be fine. Leave him a frozen pizza and plenty of snacks. As you said he will be on his computer anyway.

I was baby sitting from age 13, I know that 20 years ago. At 15 I used to baby sit for a DJ who often didn't arrive back until 7am the next day.

I would ask about the company paying for a taxi though. It might be more comfortable than sleeping at your friends.

He would miss a day and a half of school - op would need to take him the night before the event and she has already stated she could not be back for breakfast the day after the event because of the trains.

to @Fink

assuming the friend works, the son would then be on his own all day in an unfamiliar house and missing school.

How is that better than option 3??