I have always been an early riser. My kid, not so much.
There’s things I could do while nothing is busy, but it would mean leaving him unaware that he’s alone.
I could wake him up, but that seems unfair.
He deserves a long lie. Good kid.
Would you feel comfortable nipping out while your 14 year old is still asleep in bed, leaving them home alone?
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Can you leave a note or text etc?
A 14 year old can get themselves up and sorted without help.
Yeah, as long as they’re sensible!
I was babysitting other peoples kids at 14.
Leave a note, make sure in advance they know if you’re not in wheh they self up they’ll find a note on the fridge or whatever.
I wouldn’t feel comfortable doing this, personally.
At 14 yes absolutely I would. Leave a note for them and they’ll be fine.
Depends how mature they are. I was left alone a fair amount when I was that age with no issues. Maybe send a text so if they wake up whilst you’re gone they know.
Yes, I think this is fine. 14 is old enough. It would be better if he knew this was likely to happen though.
I have a 14 year old, during school holidays I go to work and he stays home, its fine. I guess it depends on the child.
I would of course let them know where I was. I wouldn’t just leave when they’re asleep and wake up.with no clue where I was!
I’d pop in and wake them up to say you’re going out, they are 14, they’ll be back asleep before you’re out of their bedroom
It depends on the 14 year old.
I would if I thought they were mature enough. But I’d also make sure to discuss it with them.
“Hi 14 year old, some mornings I would like to go out before you are awake. How do you feel about this?” Would be my initial approach
At 14 I ran the house alone and looked after my 2 youngest siblings overnight, in the days, whenever my parents felt like 😂
Maybe time to cut the aprin stri gd a little? It is fine to leave them just leave a note,
What has happened to the world? In my day we would be latchkey kids at primary school age. 14? You could teach a 14 year old to drive a forklift truck in about 10 minutes.
Maybe yours is different. Are you still wiping his bottom for him?
I was hitchhiking into town at 14
Edit: granted that was the 90s but still, society hasn’t collapsed that much that 14 year olds can’t be self sufficient has it?
Note on the kitchen worktop.
>Popped out to the shop, back soon!
xxx
Jesus… at 14? Are you insane!?
/s
My parents used to go away for the weekend and leave me at home when I was 14. It was absolute fucking heaven. (I am not even 30)
Um…yes.
I would have no hesitation doing this, but would leave a note so that he knew where I had gone if he woke. When I was a child, both of my parents started work before I left for school and I got home before them, so I had a door key to let myself in and out from a young age. By the time I was 14, I was a veteran at being home alone.
Depends on the kid, but by 14 I would expect to be able to leave them for a couple of hours.
I think my mum was doing this when I was 10.
My mum went away and left me home at 14. But you know your kid…
Depends on the child and depends how long I’d be gone for. My concerns would be about their behaviour (including silly choices that could lead to injury) rather than their emotions or it being dangerous.
It’s weird to just do it randomly one day, rather than simply tell them you’re going to start doing it going forward though.
It depends on your kid and how you’ve raised them. If you’ve raised your kid with low independence and few life skills then maybe you should worry.
Mine know that if I’ve had to nip out there will be a note on the kitchen sideboard. That note might include instructions to start cooking the dinner before I’m back!
They know which neighbours to go for urgent dramas, and can call me. No big deal. And they don’t get scared about being home alone because I have taught them independence gradually as they have grownup.
Edit- to add some ages, I left my kids home with each other, or fully alone for very brief periods from age 6. My 10 year old is now comfortable staying home alone for hours, and sometimes chooses that if he’s not keen on what the rest of the family are doing.
He knows what he can and can’t safely cook without supervision. He knows good household safety and where to get help.
He will be fine. He will wake up and have a wank the moment the door slams closed.
Yeah I would! I feel like at 14, most kids are fairly responsible. My parents were leaving me home alone from 11 years old. Maybe you could send him a text that he could see when he wakes up. Or during the day while he’s awake, you could let him know that sometimes you pop in the morning before he’s awake, just so he’s aware
Depends on the child imo.
I know friends who have kids similar ages. Some I would have no problem doing it, others I would supervise them if they were making a bowl of cornflakes.
Would feel absolutely fine doing that. Text them or leave a note saying where you are and when you’ll be back.
At 14 they can take care of the self for a few hours.
14 years old?? What’s your 14 year old done that this is even a question? I used to let the decorators in the house when I was 11 years old over the summer holidays when my parents were at work.
Honestly I’m seriously concerned this is even a question? Of course a 14 year old can stay in alone on a Saturday morning!? 🥲🥴
Yeah, they’re 14, not 4.
I don’t have kids but when I was 14 I was travelling across the country solo and going on nights out, if I had a kid and I couldn’t even leave them alone for half an hour I’d feel like I’d failed, parents these days seem incredibly over protective
Depends on the kid, but yes, especially nowadays with mobile phones.
Do they have a phone. If so leave a message, the first thing they will do is look at the phone when they wake up. I leave my 13 year old son alone for short periods, he is fine.
Just leave him a text, and it’ll be fine, he is a teenager, not a kid anymore
I was working at 14 and left on my own to deal with a yard of 18 horses 🤣 he’ll be fine.
I would leave my 14-year-old home alone during the day as he likes the house to himself sometimes, but I think it’s against the law to leave them home alone overnight. Just leave a note to say you have gone out.
He would probably be thrilled
Just leave a note and go.
Btw you have phones right?
14?
I was left on my own for a week at that age while the rest of the family went on holiday 😂
At 14, I was already taking buses around town by myself. In Japan, kids leave the house by themselves in the streets at the age of 3. They definitely have self agency for it. It comes down to their education and personality/capabilities.
I was left alone from age 10/11 they’ll be fine
I’m sure your 14 year old can fend for himself whilst you grab a twix.
I’d leave my missis 12yo home alone asleep forever if that counts for owt?
This is a joke right? Leave a note and leave him in bed.
Out of interest, what do you think the potential issues are from leaving him in bed on his own?
When I was 8 I used to take myself the swimming baths. This was in 1992 (I’m 41).
Maybe that was too much, but by 14 they could have a paper round, they could be getting on the bus and taking themselves to school and managing their own time with course work…
You should be able to leave them in the house by themselves and not think you’re going to be snitched on by social services.
Tell him in advance this might happen from time to time…when it does happen leave a note. If he’s chill about these things then no bother.
It really depends I guess, but at 14 I’d been left in the house a lot by then. My mum worked so me and my younger sister would get ourselves out to school, come home, cook tea, etc. 14 is quite old unless there’s reason to be worried they’d go on the rampage.
i babysat my siblings at 13/14 iirc.
As long as you plan on coming back 😂.
Honestly tho these kids today are bubble wrapped
At 14?! Of course!!!!
Yes – 14yr olds can look after themselves
Judging by my kids, you have 4hrs before he wakes up and will not notice you are gone for another couple of hours or when he is really hungry (whichever is earlier).
We have to leave our 15 and 13 year at home early doors every weekend due to work and all we do is leave a text and they are golden
When I was 14 I spent more time alone in the house than not.
14 is far too old to be worried about leaving home alone
14?!? My parents used to leave me at home when I was ‘sick’ from school when I was like 8
14 is well into the able to look after oneself zone. Just leave a note.
Leave him a note on the kitchen table.
Yep, 14yo I’d be fine with leaving for a bit if I needed to go out.
I’d discuss it with them first that I may be out some mornings when they wake up, and leave a not or likely text them to say where I’ve gone as by then I imagine they’d have a phone.
At 14 I was ruining a successful car business and making cakes for the whole village….
They will be fine
Child of the 80s here. My parents went on holiday for 2 weeks and were comfortable leaving me home alone, with a stack of cash for food, and the phone number of a nearby family friend. Those were the days 🙌
You know your child, if you think they are mature enough then they are. Just communicate with them before hand to let them know that you might go out in the morning and you’ll leave a message on their phone or on the fridge if you have gone out and roughly when to expect them back.
I was sleeping in the park after drinking cider all night at 14 lol.
I feel like I’m turning into my parents, but when I was that age I was left home alone for whole weekends (I’m 30). That said, my younger step-sister was never street smart and I know she wasn’t given the same responsibility. It depends on the kid but at the same time, I can’t see nipping out to be a big deal for most 14 year olds.
I read it as 14 months – turns out its 14 years.
Do some role plays with them to check what they would do in an emergency- fire, power cut, angry banging at door etc.
If they pass the role play, I think 14 is ok