ChatterBank1 min ago
Is it ok to leave my son and daughter at home for 2 days?
My husband would like to take me for a short break (2 nights) for our anniversary, he thinks it will be fine to leave our 17 (almost 18) year old son in charge of our 13 year old daughter.
They are both very mature for their ages and are able to cook, clean after themselves etc but I'm unsure about leaving them.
My son has stayed at home to look after his sister from the age of 15 for an occasional night out but we've always been home at night. Also he stayed home alone whilst we went camping in the summer for 3 nights and was totally fine.
Both say they are happy for us to go on this break and assure us they are fine with the situation.
My son can also drive and has a car so it's not like they are stranded at home, the next door neighbours also have a key to the house and say they will be happy to keep an eye on them should my children want them to.
What does people think? Am I worrying too much or should I say no to the anniversay trip?
They are both very mature for their ages and are able to cook, clean after themselves etc but I'm unsure about leaving them.
My son has stayed at home to look after his sister from the age of 15 for an occasional night out but we've always been home at night. Also he stayed home alone whilst we went camping in the summer for 3 nights and was totally fine.
Both say they are happy for us to go on this break and assure us they are fine with the situation.
My son can also drive and has a car so it's not like they are stranded at home, the next door neighbours also have a key to the house and say they will be happy to keep an eye on them should my children want them to.
What does people think? Am I worrying too much or should I say no to the anniversay trip?
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Get out of it, Suzyangel, you are just trying to cause the kind of panic which assumes everyone over 18 is a paedophile, every situation where it does not confirm to your ideas of" Elf and Safety" is criminal and prosecute the lot of 'em. And all 17 year olds are maniac irresponsible yobs.
How will anybody ever learn responsibility if they are never allowed to assume it? The son will be old enough to fight and die for his country soon, so if the parents are happy they are responsible youngsters, with back up they should be fine. I often took my patrol of scouts out for several days at younger than this, alone but with reachable back-up. There are many children who are carers for their parents at 13.
I really think you and your ilk are the cause of many of the problems, making people panic, and never allowing young people to demonstrate they can be responsible.
How will anybody ever learn responsibility if they are never allowed to assume it? The son will be old enough to fight and die for his country soon, so if the parents are happy they are responsible youngsters, with back up they should be fine. I often took my patrol of scouts out for several days at younger than this, alone but with reachable back-up. There are many children who are carers for their parents at 13.
I really think you and your ilk are the cause of many of the problems, making people panic, and never allowing young people to demonstrate they can be responsible.
No Androcles....it is not about causing panic. Your response is rather pathetic. Legal is legal and if we don't have a law then n** heads will be letting a bunch of do-gooders go off on weekends pretending to be Ray Mears. As a scout type person, ahem, you just don't have the knowldege that I do. It isn't the place for children to be looking after children so their parents can have a jolly. And as for carers...what EXACTLY is the bizarre connection that you make..as what is the bonkers connection about fighting for our country (I roll my eyes here)
But why am I arguing with a man (?) who talks of me and my 'ilk'. I just think that 17 is too young and frankly rather unfair o to have to look after a child. But dib dib dib and all that!
But why am I arguing with a man (?) who talks of me and my 'ilk'. I just think that 17 is too young and frankly rather unfair o to have to look after a child. But dib dib dib and all that!
Suzy....you are wrong. simple.
Look at others answers and not just the fact that I asked a social worker. The social worker said there is no law and it's down to the parents discretion. Although you are right in the fact that if anything happened while the child was alone the parents could be prosecuted.
What about latch key kids?
Look at others answers and not just the fact that I asked a social worker. The social worker said there is no law and it's down to the parents discretion. Although you are right in the fact that if anything happened while the child was alone the parents could be prosecuted.
What about latch key kids?
androcles i totally agree with you ,suzy get a life and if you are indeed apart of the social work system then where the hell where you in the case of baby peter why dont you concentrate on something you know about than try and panic someone and as for calling someone a liar thats just not on you are either far to old for the job than you are in or just learning get with the times ,i know 1st hand about the law on social work and to get the picture clear to you the question wasn't if it was legal or not to leave her son in charge of his sister mrsl has a neighbor who can watch over them she isn't ABONDONING them she just wants to have a nice anniversary break with her husband
and i also like how you answered EXACTLY ,even though it wasn't for androcles it came at just the right time because he is perfecly right
can i also add are you one of these people who think it's ok for a child to be watch for half an hour i bet you are !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and i also like how you answered EXACTLY ,even though it wasn't for androcles it came at just the right time because he is perfecly right
can i also add are you one of these people who think it's ok for a child to be watch for half an hour i bet you are !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just think that 17 is too young and frankly rather unfair o to have to look after a child. But dib dib dib and all that!
precisely YOU don't think!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! guess you aren't in law or social work after all ,you are just one of these people who decides who is wrong or right and would phone the social workers if you saw santa clause going in a house rather than phoning them when you actually know there is a child being abused get your priorities right!!!!!!!
precisely YOU don't think!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! guess you aren't in law or social work after all ,you are just one of these people who decides who is wrong or right and would phone the social workers if you saw santa clause going in a house rather than phoning them when you actually know there is a child being abused get your priorities right!!!!!!!
cherry...I never said what i did for a living and for the record I do not work for Haringey...so the baby p was alittle low.
P.S You may know the law but your grammer (sic) and spelling are perfectly frightful! And your bizarre comment:
can i also add are you one of these people who think it's ok for a child to be watch for half an hour i bet you are !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!' makes little sense...what could you mean by it??? for a child to be watch...!!!!
P.S You may know the law but your grammer (sic) and spelling are perfectly frightful! And your bizarre comment:
can i also add are you one of these people who think it's ok for a child to be watch for half an hour i bet you are !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!' makes little sense...what could you mean by it??? for a child to be watch...!!!!
suzyangel,you are making yourself look more foolish with every post. There is no law against a child of 13 years old letting themselves into their own home and awaiting the return of the parent from work(latchkey kid).
If these laws you insist you know to be real actually exist then please provide a link to them.
If these laws you insist you know to be real actually exist then please provide a link to them.
my grammar may be crap apologies it should have read watched by another sibling!! as you probably knew
i have never said that i am a good writer (because i am not ) i never say i am something i am not and would never call anyone a liar because their opinion is different to my own ,eh and take a look at you own spelling there missy grammar not grammer ,take heed if you are going to try and correct someone make sure you are correct first :)
and heres a link to what grammer actually means http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammer
i have never said that i am a good writer (because i am not ) i never say i am something i am not and would never call anyone a liar because their opinion is different to my own ,eh and take a look at you own spelling there missy grammar not grammer ,take heed if you are going to try and correct someone make sure you are correct first :)
and heres a link to what grammer actually means http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammer
p.s it...sic...was put as a slight play on YOUR poor grammar....rolling of eyes...
p.s what did you mean watched by another sibling? It doesn't make sense...i think it is wrong, wrong, wrong...illegal and immoral to make children do their parents work. I think that is what I have stated from the off.
And having read that you 'think' (loose term) that I would:
phone the social workers if you saw santa clause going in a house rather than phoning them when you actually know there is a child being abused get your priorities right!!!!!!!
I am slightly disturbed by that trite statement about child abuse. P.S it is Santa CLAUS. Not clause. Should I direct you to wiki??? (yes, that is more trite and appropriate than 'jokes' about child abuse)
p.s what did you mean watched by another sibling? It doesn't make sense...i think it is wrong, wrong, wrong...illegal and immoral to make children do their parents work. I think that is what I have stated from the off.
And having read that you 'think' (loose term) that I would:
phone the social workers if you saw santa clause going in a house rather than phoning them when you actually know there is a child being abused get your priorities right!!!!!!!
I am slightly disturbed by that trite statement about child abuse. P.S it is Santa CLAUS. Not clause. Should I direct you to wiki??? (yes, that is more trite and appropriate than 'jokes' about child abuse)
I bought my first flat at 17 - had to get my parents to sign the legal papers and regularly had my nephews and nieces over to stay overnight and they were younger than 13. I guess it depends on how responsible they are. I probably wouldn't have been able to stay for a weekend without parents when I was 13 and my brother 17 because we fought like cat and dog, but every situation is different.
Guess I'm just one of those people who don't like being wrong...but I do admit to it when in the wrong. In the authority that I live and work it is illegal!!! And I don't like the fact that it is ok for me to be accused of being involved with baby p's case (untrue!) and to be accused of being a person who would ignore abuse...but heaven forbid if you comment on poor grammar!
Taken from DirectGov website...
"There is no legal age limit for leaving a child on their own, but it is an offence to leave a child alone if it places them at risk. Parents can be prosecuted for neglect if they leave a child unsupervised ‘in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health’ (Children and Young Person’s Act)."
"There is no legal age limit for leaving a child on their own, but it is an offence to leave a child alone if it places them at risk. Parents can be prosecuted for neglect if they leave a child unsupervised ‘in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health’ (Children and Young Person’s Act)."
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