How old to spend night alone (with tween sibling)

[Anonymous]

Would you allow a 17 yr old DS and a tween sibling spend one night at home alone?

[Anonymous]

Yes, but it totally, TOTALLY depends on your kids and your neighborhood situation. I really would not do this unless you had no other choice. My parents left my sister and I alone overnight a lot when I was 16+ and I *hated* it.

[Anonymous]

No. I would be worried about an emergency. The 17 year olds slept like the dead and would never hear a smoke alarm.

[Anonymous]

No

[Anonymous]

I would not, because with SM these days it is so easy for word to get out that parents are away at Larla's house, and then everyone shows up. Tough situation for even a good kid to handle

[Anonymous]

It depends on the dynamic between the kids, how mature the 17 yr old is, how well the tween listens, etc.

My kids would be fine. They'd eat and watch Netflix and probably sleep in our bed together instead of their respective twin beds.

[Anonymous]

If my kids were both comfortable with it probably yes. But we are good friends with our surrounding neighbors so I would make sure the neighbors knew and the kids knew they could go to neighbor in an emergency. I would prob do a trial if a late evening out first though, like later than they normally go to bed to see how they handle that.

[Anonymous]

Yes, but depends on kids. I have done it without any issues on my side or kids'.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It depends on the dynamic between the kids, how mature the 17 yr old is, how well the tween listens, etc.

My kids would be fine. They'd eat and watch Netflix and probably sleep in our bed together instead of their respective twin beds.

Agreed. It all depends on the kids. In general, I think it's fine.

But for my family, no. My younger son has ADHD and some anger management issues. So it's no-go for us from the start.

[Anonymous]

It would have to be a VERY mature and dependable 17 year old and a great support system of neighbors who will check in and alert you what visitors show up.

[Anonymous]

Not an overnight thing necessarily but I’ve left my 9yo alone for upto 3 hours on occasion, usually an hour or so. But one day last week I was home and it was dark and the owner went out. Just for a minute but it freaked her out because she was upstairs by herself…. So I realized I need to go over a plan with her if that happens. Her phone and the house phones won’t work without power and the WiFi would go out too.

[Anonymous]

Power, not owner..

[Anonymous]

First world problems. Cell phones, wi-fi, smoke alarms. 17? Damn people there are 17 year olds away at college. Are you going to room with them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not an overnight thing necessarily but I’ve left my 9yo alone for upto 3 hours on occasion, usually an hour or so. But one day last week I was home and it was dark and the owner went out. Just for a minute but it freaked her out because she was upstairs by herself…. So I realized I need to go over a plan with her if that happens. Her phone and the house phones won’t work without power and the WiFi would go out too.

A plan? Just put a flashlight on each floor of the house.

[Anonymous]

The 17yr old might go absent