Can i legally leave my 14 year old son alone at home whilst i spend the night at.....

InMyArmsInMyArms Posts: 50,764
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Can i legally leave my 14 year old son alone at home whilst i spend the night at my parents? :)

If i cant he'll have to come with me

Comments

  • podge1podge1 Posts: 9,057
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    aran wrote:
    Can i legally leave my 14 year old son alone at home whilst i spend the night at my parents? :)

    If i cant he'll have to come with me

    I cannot believe you are even asking that question.
  • InMyArmsInMyArms Posts: 50,764
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    podge1 wrote:
    I cannot believe you are even asking that question.
    I take it he will be coming with me then :)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 27
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    He's 14, its not like he can't look after himself for one night if you give him the phone number to where you are.
  • Lisa.BLisa.B Posts: 57,265
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    Go for it, I've been left home alone at much younger than that lol! Never did me any harm.
  • InMyArmsInMyArms Posts: 50,764
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    Theme wrote:
    He's 14, its not like he can't look after himself for one night if you give him the phone number to where you are.
    but is it legal to do so?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 27
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    I dont know for certain whether its legal or not, but then again would anyone except your parents be finding out anyway?
  • podge1podge1 Posts: 9,057
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    aran wrote:
    but is it legal to do so?

    Does age come into it?
  • ILoveMyDogILoveMyDog Posts: 25,936
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  • andyinteractiveandyinteractive Posts: 945
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    LisaB87 wrote:
    Go for it, I've been left home alone at much younger than that lol! Never did me any harm.


    Very true....i was left at home a few times at 13...only because my mother drilled some maturity into me.lol

    I was well behaved....and the flat was still in one piece... :D

    I cant seriously see a problem if he is ok with it - 14yr olds today are more like 17yr olds anyway.

    If you were going on holiday for a week...i could see the concern...but for one night - i cant see a problem.

    Go and enjoy yourself...it's a positive step towards your son being responsible and independent ;)
  • andyinteractiveandyinteractive Posts: 945
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    If you do leave a child alone, remember:
    If possible, leave a telephone number where you can be contacted, and be available to answer it immediately. **as if he's really gonna phone...**
    Talk to your child about keeping safe at home and point out the potential dangers. Tell them not to answer the door to strangers. **including the postman**
    Give clear instructions about what to do if there’s an emergency. All children left alone should be able to phone the emergency services. **999 aint the hardest number to remember**
    Leave a list of trusted people they can contact. **Erm....their mates**
    Put obvious dangers out of reach of children, e.g. medicines, chemicals, matches, etc... **hang on....they need matches for their spliffs**
    Make sure that the child is happy about the arrangements and confident about being left. ***ahhh...he's gonna be more than happy alright....while the parents are at bay...the mice will play***
    Tell the child when you’ll be back, and make sure you’re back on time.
    Talk to him or her about it afterwards. **he's hoping you'll spend an extra few days away ** :D
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,330
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    aran wrote:
    Can i legally leave my 14 year old son alone at home whilst i spend the night at my parents? :)

    If i cant he'll have to come with me

    If he's emotionally mature enough to care for himself then I wouldn't worry about leaving him alone for the night. If he's a little bit of a tearaway (not judging - he's a teenager after all) then I'd take him with me.

    Perhaps you could find something in the middle. Ask a neighbour/friend to check in with him or call him once before bed and again in the morning before coming home. Maybe you'd prefer to leave him with a responsible (slightly older) friend/relative just in case?
  • skp20040skp20040 Posts: 66,872
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    aran wrote:
    Can i legally leave my 14 year old son alone at home whilst i spend the night at my parents? :)

    If i cant he'll have to come with me


    Just one thing , according to this post youwould apply for Big Brother if you were old enough ! So as you have to be 18 to apply for Big Brother that would mean even if you are 17 years and 11 months old now that you were at the oldest 3 years and 11 months when you had your son ?

    http://forum.digitalspy.co.uk/board/showthread.php?p=10478852#post10478852

    I could be wrong but thats how it sounds.
  • SystemSystem Posts: 2,096,970
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    skp20040 wrote:
    Just one thing , according to this post youwould apply for Big Brother if you were old enough ! So as you have to be 18 to apply for Big Brother that would mean even if you are 17 years and 11 months old now that you were at the oldest 3 years and 11 months when you had your son ?

    http://forum.digitalspy.co.uk/board/showthread.php?p=10478852#post10478852

    I could be wrong but thats how it sounds.

    So the REAL question is

    "Can my parent leave me at home when I'm 14 as I don't want to go to granny's" :D
  • trinity2002trinity2002 Posts: 16,059
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    There is no law I believe on the subject but the guidlines are that children under 12 shouldn't be left in the house on their own and children under 15 shouldn't be left overnight on their own.
  • larrysrabbitlarrysrabbit Posts: 5,797
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    aran wrote:
    Can i legally leave my 14 year old son alone at home whilst i spend the night at my parents? :)

    If i cant he'll have to come with me
    Ha! You've been rumbled on the BB forum!
    There is no legal age, it is down to your parent's discretion. Many 14 year olds babysit, so not only are they left unattended by an adult, they are in charge of minors. If your parents don't want to leave you alone it's their decision and you have to accept that.
  • skp20040skp20040 Posts: 66,872
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    There is no law I believe on the subject but the guidlines are that children under 12 shouldn't be left in the house on their own and children under 15 shouldn't be left overnight on their own.


    Yes it appears there are no legal ages but all parents have a duty to protect thier children from harm up to age 16 , although there is no legal age people do get prosecuted if it is neglect and harm comes through such neglect.


    http://216.109.124.98/search/cache?p=legal+age+minors+can+be+left+unattended+at+home&ei=UTF-8&fr=FP-tab-web-t340&x=wrt&meta=vc%3D&u=www.guardian.co.uk/print/0%2C%2C4436475-103417%2C00.html&w=legal+age+minors+left+unattended+home&d=GxAXDyQ8NRYf&icp=1&.intl=uk
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 849
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    Give him £100, some beer and a telephone number for a local escort. If you don't, he will probably find it some other way while your away for the night lol
  • hanndavhanndav Posts: 2,809
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    If he's anything like the teenager next door to me NO way! When his Mum stays out somewhere, all the other teenage boys come round and start drinking beer and smoking 'special' ciggys outside whilst leaving the windiws wide open with techno sh@t playing full blast. Give him his due, the music is silent by 1030 but as they are kids it doesn't stop them screaming. If I was 14 and left alone for the first time.... I think I would be doing the same! ;)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,429
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    aran wrote:
    Can i legally leave my 14 year old son alone at home whilst i spend the night at my parents? :)

    If i cant he'll have to come with me

    Naughty boy! ;)
  • SpotSpot Posts: 25,118
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    My parents first left me on my own at 14. It was at my request as I didn't want to go away with them for the weekend. We also had a dog which obviously didn't like being put in kennels, so I was able to look after him. Shortly before this a boy in my class at school had told me his parents were away and he was on his own so I used this as an argument that it would be alright. This was in 1972, and it has occurred to me in recent times that if it was now, it would probably have made the papers and social services would be involved. But I was perfectly OK and from then on always stayed at home when my parents went away. It probably depends a lot on the maturity of the child.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,789
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    It's not about age. It all depends on how self-sufficient your 14 year old is and how dodgy you believe you area might be. Lots of kids are ok being left at home by themselves at 7-8 as long as there is some food in the fridge and a phone number to call their parents if they need to. Others can't be left alone when they are 16. So, it all depends on your kid.
  • TagletTaglet Posts: 20,286
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    You need to make sure he wont get a load of mates round and have a bit of a party. Surest way to get a visit from the police. Because he has stirred up the neighbours he will be judged to be too young to be left and thus trouble.

    Is he mature enought to behave himself.

    Is he mature enough to not make chips and leave the cooker on - all that type of stuff.
  • jesayajesaya Posts: 35,597
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    tiggerkid wrote:
    It's not about age. It all depends on how self-sufficient your 14 year old is and how dodgy you believe you area might be. Lots of kids are ok being left at home by themselves at 7-8 as long as there is some food in the fridge and a phone number to call their parents if they need to. Others can't be left alone when they are 16. So, it all depends on your kid.

    I cannot believe anyone would leave 7-8 year old children on their own long enough for them to need food!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,791
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    Well in my area most 14yr olds are left alone and ..

    Drink alcohol
    Smoke
    Take drugs
    Sleep with girls
    Have parties


    Depends on how responsible your boy is, but i thought legal age was 15.
  • ForestChavForestChav Posts: 35,127
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    It's all a question of maturity, if the kid can cope for that time period and is reasonably sensible, not likely to prat around or anything, then that kid is suitable to be left alone.

    Some chavvy kids aren't even suitable to be with adults...
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