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?

Absolutely fine if you give the neighbours a heads up to keep an eye and ear out

Yes, I would in this situation (namely a sensible 15 yr old with good neighbours either side).

My DC are 19+ now.

I would leave him ( mine are dd26, ds19, dd17 and ds7) but, I would speak to the neighbours to let them know and would make sure I had enough ££ for a taxi incase of an emergency.

Can you not take him with you to stay at your friends

I would rather leave my sensible 15 year old home alone than my less sensible 18 yo.

I absolutely wouldn't. Not left my 17 year old overnight yet. I have left my 17 year old for 4 hours max and the 15 year old for 2 hours with the 17 year old and 30 minutes on his own.

I think it's fine in these circumstances.

People suggesting taxis have perhaps not tried using them on train strike days? Last time I tried, they wouldn't even take an out of area booking on those days (and it was 7 miles and definitely wouldn't have been £90!)

I’d don’t see a problem with one night home alone for a 15yr old who is well behaved, no mental health problems that might get going whilst alone. No friends to come over. No going out. Stay in contact with messages. Alert a local friend of yours who he can contact in case of emergency.

Why so protective? Do you not want your kids to develop independence and resilience? You're doing them no favours at all.

You are kidding right?

Really??
Unless your dc has some SN, then they are going to struggle a hell of a lot in a years time when they are off the Uni on their own tbh.

That's horrendous. Your poor kids.

@yetanotherdaytoday no idea if you are stil reading but expectation is that as soon as children t start secondary, they can be kept for the whole day on their own.
There is no CM fir all the Y7 and somehow, it’s ok fir them to spend those holiday days on their own.

Now I wouldn’t recommend that. But your dc is 15yo, confortable with the idea if being on his own. He has spend the evening alone before.
I think he’ll be fine!!

If he's sensible and unlikely to throw a massive party, leave him. My late mum would laugh at this debate - when she was 15 she had a full time job in a factory and took her 10 year old brother on a week's seaside holiday up in Skegness as a treat (they lived in London).

Op is there anyone who can give you a lift back

As the parent of a 15 year old I'm kind of surprised by the answers on this thread. A 15 yr old really should be capable of spending the night alone, SEN apart, obviously. Not wanting to because scared, I understand. Being incompetent to spend 14 hours alone? Worrying for the future of adulthood!

To be honest I think it’s totally depends on the child. My son would have been fine at 15, my nephew I wouldn’t trust not to burn the house down at 19! 😂

I can only assume that some people are either kidding or only have tiny children. Seriously? Install a camera to spy on a 15 year old? Insanity!

Anyone spying on a 15 year old using a camera is being abusive.

He will be fine, you are over thinking it. It is one night.

We left DD overnight when she was 15. She kind of conned us into it, she was supposed to go to a friend’s but changed her mind. She was absolutely fine. We gave her numbers for all the neighbours in case of emergencies.

This thread is bonkers. Of course he will be fine.

Has anyone suggested a teenage student to babysit or an au-pair (only ever on MN).
Seriously they'll be people who's trust a random 16/17 yo rather than their own kid.

Maybe I should set up as a babysitter for these random 15 year olds? Easy money.

My now 15 year old attempted to take his own life when he was 12. I was in the house but not watching him, I was trying to get my younger child to do home learning. So yes, I am more overprotective than a lot of parents. Dc1 isn't going to uni but if he was we would be working on him being more independent.