Is it ok to leave my son and daughter at home for 2 days?

[mrsl]

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?

[funnygirl]

I think it all depends on the 17 year old.

Looking back, if I had to leave my eldest at 17 years old to look after his younger brothers, I would not do it. At 17 he was very much into doing his own thing and staying out late! I just couldn't have trusted him.

So I would not do it.

[cherrychapstick]

sorry i should have looked up Santa claus i dint actually think the film makers of the Santa clause would actually be wrong and woe and behold it doesn't come up wrong on my spell checker but claus does ,i do not make jokes about child abuse where and when have i ever joked about this kind of thing!!! and as i said before it is not child abuse her neighbor is on hand with a key should in the unlikely event that anything happens ,right now i'm abusing my children as they are upstairs sleeping and i am downstairs!!!!!!!!!! ,the neighbor can check on the young adult and sister{sorry babies in your opinion) at any time just like i can check on my children at anytime do you not get that this seems to go right over your head

[cherrychapstick]

yes jays_son in mrsl's post she does state that he and his sister are very mature for their ages (probably the way they were brought up) very well done mrsl she also says that on ocassion he has looked after his sister while she goes out for night since he was 15 and been very responsible while doing so

[cherrychapstick]

my point is suzy we are in this thread to talk about my grammar if you want to talk about my grammar open a new post and title it to cherrychapstick who has poor grammar i will see you there

[cherrychapstick]

very well said jays_son

but you better not mention any child abusers names as suzy will think you are directing that at her

[cherrychapstick]

oooops made another mistake better correct it promptly not in this thread to talk about my grammar

can you please open a thread for this

[suzyangel]

didn't EVER say that the original poster was committing any form of abuse.

Cherry. Grow up.

[cherrychapstick]

other post i made just for you and i never said you did btw read what i wrote not what you are interpreting

[cherrychapstick]

http://www.theanswerb...k/Question835851.html

see you there suzy

[annie0000]

Anyhoo - what law are we talking about here? I have seen several times that doing this would be against the law - can someone point me to this law - especially considering we don't even know what country mrsl lives in and what laws apply.

[cazzz1975]

can you find a link that says its against the law suzy?

[cherrychapstick]

hi annie ,i posted a link to the law that says you can in england and wales i know for fact you can in scotland as that is where i am ,there is no law which says it is illegal if abuse occurs while you have left you child in the hands of a minor you can be prosecuted but that is in the very unlikely occurrence that it did .

[cherrychapstick]

no she can't cazzz she has been asked this a few times now and not linked anything i wish she would as i would love to be proved wrong and find out it was illegal so i could apologize (she must be making her own webpage as we speak)

[annie0000]

Hi cherry, yes I am in Scotland too and I was aware it wasn't illegal here. However, at the end of the day we are assuming that mrsl is in the UK , which she probably is, but not necessarily. Anyway, there are a lot of things that are not illegal and may still not be advisable, but the only person able to make that judgement is the OP - we don't know her kids, I think she has had some good comments here, so hopefully she has food for thought and will make a decision that she is comfortable with.

[Androcles]

Well, Suzy, I am still struggling to see anything other than a jobsworth approach in your replies. It depends entirely on the assessment of the degree of sensibility and maturity of the young man concerned and his relationship with his sister. What I am saying is that the idea that he magically changes in his attitudes and capabilities at midnight on the night before his 18th Birthday to being old enough to look after his sister, die for his country etc seems a nonsense. Many young people display great responsibility in all sorts of situations, some of which they ought not to have been placed in, but they have handled it as well as any so called adult. the only way to learn responsibility is to practice it, and thank heaven there are still people with the courage to let young people have the opportunity. We have seen increasing applications of legislation to try and micromanage every likely situation and yes, you may sneer at other people's views, but the whole ethos of CRB now being introduced is that everybody is suspect, and it is destroying trust.

So I say to the parent rasing the question, if you feel your sone has the maturity to handle this for a couple of days and the right relationship with his sister, then assess the risks of it going wrong and if you think this is reasonable, then ignore the "You do this and we'll prosecute you" brigade and do it. I am sure your children will be pleased for you and behave exactly as you would wish them to, so as not to spoil your short trip away, an appreciate being trusted.

[naomi24]

The NSPCC advise choosing a babysitter over 16 years old, but that is only advice. It is not a legal requirement. Their website clearly states that it is not illegal to leave a child alone.

http://www.nspcc.org....mealone_wda35965.html