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Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

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Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Teenagers

Leaving 15 yo DS home alone overnight??

46 replies

Yonihadtoask · 28/07/2013 13:40

Would you??

He is happy to be home alone. Has a mobile phone, and cam contact family who live nearby.

We will be just over an hour drive away.

DS is 15.5. Quite sensible. Can cook basic foods. Will lock the doors.

OP posts:

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livinginwonderland · 28/07/2013 19:27

I was home alone overnight from about thirteen. Had the neighbours number and they checked up on me. No problems.

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Beamur · 28/07/2013 19:30

Our DSS managed to be left alone occasionally with no damage done.
I don't think our DSD would have liked it. She is 18 now and still isn't keen to be in the house alone overnight. If her Mum is away (more likely than us going away) she usually comes and stays with us and just pops back to her Mums to feed the cats!

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deleted203 · 28/07/2013 19:34

I probably would. If he's happy with it, and he sounds sensible enough. I teach secondary, too - and not all teenagers immediately throw drunken parties with hundreds of gatecrashers!

He sounds reliable, you have family close by and you're only an hour away if there is an emergency.

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cory · 29/07/2013 10:52

What is happening on this thread of course is that every MNer swivels her chair around and looks narrowly at her own resident teenager(s), trying to size them up. Which is interesting enough in its own right but possibly not a great deal of help to you, OP.

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chocoluvva · 29/07/2013 11:20

Yup, In principle, I'd leave a 15.5YO home alone overnight if I had a good reason to, but in practice it depends completely on the individual and their circumstances. It's not illegal as far as I'm aware.

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NoComet · 29/07/2013 11:29

DD1(15) and a few of her friends (16) have blamed an empty house. They assure me they didn't get up to anything, not even a sneaky drink out the sideboard.

Actually they probably didn't, they really are the nicest most responsible bunch and the house wasn't in an easily accessible place for 'visitors'

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NoComet · 29/07/2013 11:29

Blagged

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berrycake · 30/07/2013 06:04

I was left alone at 15/16 for two weeks while the rest of my family went on holiday, and I didn't want to go for some reason.
I had friends over occasionally, but pretty much spent the entire time baking, reading and loving the fact that I could have whatever I wanted for dinner!
Honestly, only you know whether or not your child is to be trusted.

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Tubemole1 · 30/07/2013 07:03

When I was 15 I was home alone with my (2yrs younger) brother for a night bcos my dad had to take my mum to hospital. It was fine, micro meals in the fridge, TV, I was OK.

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curlew · 30/07/2013 07:07

I "I don't like the assumption that any 15 year old left alone would have a huge drug taking, alcohol fuelled houseparty complete with gatecrashers."

I don't either.

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Sparklingbrook · 30/07/2013 08:11

Thanks curlew. I also get that any mixed sleepovers will definitely include sex. But I am being naive apparently.

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crockydoodle · 30/07/2013 08:47

I left my 15 year old last year for a week. But he's the kind who doesn't have friends over and stares at computers a lot. His grandparents also just live next door. One night would be fine as long as he's happy with it.

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Sparklingbrook · 30/07/2013 09:19

That's what you think crocky, he probably had a drug and booze filled orgy every night once his Grandparents were in bed it's just he didn't tell you.

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Alertmind · 30/07/2013 12:17

Agree with others here about the crazy assumption that teen alone = house trashing party. It's part of the general knee-jerk negativity towards teens that has always grated on me.

I also think it's ironic that people think it's ok for parents to basically lie to their teen about what time they will be home, as a way of not having to come back, when if the situation was reversed they would probably go ballistic!

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ShatnersBassoon · 30/07/2013 12:25

I was left at home overnight when I was that age. I don't remember anything about it, so it must have been uneventful. I was sensible, was used to being in the house alone and enjoyed my own company.

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Yonihadtoask · 30/07/2013 13:34

We are home, and all is well.

He has been fine. House is relatively tidy. He even remembered to put the dustbins out.

One night was enough for me, for now though.

Looking forawrd to weekends away in the near future!

OP posts:

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Sparklingbrook · 30/07/2013 16:31

Yay! Yoni your DS managed to not have a party/orgy. Result!

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CoolStoryBro · 30/07/2013 16:42

I left my 16 year old alone for the night last week. His friend lives here too so I told them no more than 4 extras in the evening but none of them could sleep over. I also asked my friend (who's a NYPD cop) to go and check on them.

They were sat playing PS3 eating Cheetos (Wotsits) RocknRoll.

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CoolStoryBro · 30/07/2013 16:45

Oh just saw you're back!

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mumblechum1 · 30/07/2013 23:13

I've been leaving DS since he was 15 without incident. Now he's 18 and will be home alone for three weeks when DH and I go on holiday on Sat.

Coolstorybro Love your name!

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hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman · 30/07/2013 23:18

I left mine at that age and he didn't have a wild, drug fuelled sex and alcohol party either. He did have a couple of mates round they did spend most of the night awake playing on the x-box and eating me out of house and pizza.