Leaving 15 yo DS home alone overnight??

(47 Posts)
Yonihadtoask Sun 28-Jul-13 13:40:52

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.

hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman Tue 30-Jul-13 23:18:41

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.

mumblechum1 Tue 30-Jul-13 23:13:19

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!

CoolStoryBro Tue 30-Jul-13 16:45:11

Oh just saw you're back!

CoolStoryBro Tue 30-Jul-13 16:42:01

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.

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

Yonihadtoask Tue 30-Jul-13 13:34:38

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!

ShatnersBassoon Tue 30-Jul-13 12:25:56

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.

Alertmind Tue 30-Jul-13 12:17:15

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!

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.

crockydoodle Tue 30-Jul-13 08:47:52

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.

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

curlew Tue 30-Jul-13 07:07:39

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.

Tubemole1 Tue 30-Jul-13 07:03:10

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.

berrycake Tue 30-Jul-13 06:04:28

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.

NoComet Mon 29-Jul-13 11:29:54


NoComet Mon 29-Jul-13 11:29:29

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'

chocoluvva Mon 29-Jul-13 11:20:43

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.

cory Mon 29-Jul-13 10:52:35

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. grin

deleted203 Sun 28-Jul-13 19:34:50

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.

Beamur Sun 28-Jul-13 19:30:31

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!

livinginwonderland Sun 28-Jul-13 19:27:11

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

Depends on the 15 year old.

Bowlersarm Sun 28-Jul-13 17:35:13

I wouldn't.

Alertmind Sun 28-Jul-13 17:34:12

If you think he would be scared then you shouldn't leave him but best to sound him out. If you are only an hour away can't you just drive back late or are you drinking?

I think it would be dishonest to do the second-guessing thing and would probably make him more nervous if he thinks you are going to turn up and then you don't. If you want to stay out then be straight with him

valiumredhead Sun 28-Jul-13 17:19:51

Yeah I would. I was baby sitting over night at 15. A friend's parents went away for 2 weeks and we house sat. We didn't have any parties.

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