Leaving 16 year old home alone

[OnthePiste]

Hi just wanted some opinions. I would like to go away with DH for a few days in the autumn during term time. Probably 4 nights abroad or thereabouts. DS will be almost 17, very sensible, doesn't drink. A bit hopeless at being self sufficient but not worried about being on his own. Close knit community and we are friends with all our neighbours. No other family within an hours drive though. Would you do it? He doesn't want to come with us, I have asked.

Could you postpone it by one year? I'd be more comfortable with a nearly 18 year old than a 16 year old.

Sounds fine to me- we leave our 17yo DS for a night or two, no problems.

I'm not sure I'd leave a 16 year old for 4 nights.

Could he stay with a friend fir a couple of days, or a sensible friend stay with him?

A few days is a good step to independence

Sounds fine to me. I left DS for three nights at 16 and a few months.

I would leave DD, wouldn't occur to me not to, she'd love it. If your Ds would not love it, then maybe not, or get a friend to stay over.

If he's sensible then yes, absolutely. I left my 16yo when the rest of us went camping for a week because he flatly refused to come with us. Had some ground rules about no parties and although I spotted some of his Insta updates with pics of several friends in the house, when we got home everything was clean, tidy and unbroken and he'd even remembered to get a loaf in for our return.

I remember being left for a week or so at 16-17. It was fine, if a bit lonely. A nightly phone call would probably help.

From the age of 15 my parents regularly left me at home when they went away. I loved having the house to myself and just pottering about. Sometimes my friend would come and have sleepovers.
I never dared have a party as my grandma lives a few doors up and she would have reported any misdemeanours to my parents.
My life would have been made hell if I had a wild party so I never did .😉

It’s fine. I lived alone at 16.

Yes I'd leave a nearly 17 year old. Fill the freezer with ready meals.

Hmmm. We're leaving my 17.5 year old and 15 year old for 3 nights in a few month's time - again, close knit community and family half an hour away. Feel happier having them both at home but still feel a bit nervous as we're out of the country.

Worth thinking about what he would do if things went wrong eg something fused - would he know where to switch it on again? There was a leak - who would he go to? He will no doubt be fine, it's what MAY happen that he has no control over and how you think he will handle that.

Same. It's really not a big deal as long as you trust them.

Are there adult family friends locally that they could call in an emergency?

I see you say about being friends with neighbours, so if close enough to them that DC could ask them for help if something went wrong e.g. water leak or broken boiler, then I don't see an issue.

Only you know.

I'd have happily left my 16 year old looking after her 4 year old autistic sister for an hour or two, even a year ago, and would have no issue leaving her alone for a few nights.

Couldnt say the same for her 15 year old brother who shows no signs of being able to care for himself, and their 22 year old sister wouldn't have even been OK at 18....

Are you joking? At sixteen I was independent and working.
I'd be really worried if I felt I could not leave a nearly seventeen year old alone at home!!

He'll be fine, OP. I left home when I was 17.