Anyone else feel awful leaving your tweens home alone during breaks?

[Anonymous]

My kid loves to stay home alone. I brought him to visit my parents and he had asked if he could stay back alone and I said no. DH is working this week so he would be home after work.

My 12, almost 13yo, has friends that he would try to hang out with. His favorite thing to do is have friends over when we are not home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would structure it so she doesn’t have unlimited access to screens all day every day.

Are you effing serious? The "kid" is 13...not 5. Good grief. Unclench a little and let the kid live. This was pure heaven for me when when I was this age. The whole house to myself for a few hours (which is exactly what it really is when you factor in when they really wake up and when you get home). Independence....at least in little spurts is liberating and good for them! Woot! Just ask that crap is cleaned up and maybe start a load of laundry or two...

You didn’t have the internet. You had reruns on cable. If you can’t see the difference, I can’t help you.

Yep, we watched hour after hour of TV shows. One after the other…

[Anonymous]

I love all the guilty parents justifying their neglectful parenting. Do you teens have app limits or downtime limits at all? You are probably the same ones who let them keep their phones in their rooms 24/hours a day.

[Anonymous]

My kid would be thrilled. Put your “guilt” to rest. She’ll enjoy it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would structure it so she doesn’t have unlimited access to screens all day every day.

Are you effing serious? The "kid" is 13...not 5. Good grief. Unclench a little and let the kid live. This was pure heaven for me when when I was this age. The whole house to myself for a few hours (which is exactly what it really is when you factor in when they really wake up and when you get home). Independence....at least in little spurts is liberating and good for them! Woot! Just ask that crap is cleaned up and maybe start a load of laundry or two...

You didn’t have the internet. You had reruns on cable. If you can’t see the difference, I can’t help you.

Yep, we watched hour after hour of TV shows. One after the other…

Yep! Wheel of Fortune, news (boring), Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, sit coms like Three’s Company, Facts of Lufe, etc from 4-6pm. Loved it!

[Anonymous]

I loved being alone at that age and so does my kid. He has screen time limits and is allowed c to go for walks (often does)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would structure it so she doesn’t have unlimited access to screens all day every day.

Are you effing serious? The "kid" is 13...not 5. Good grief. Unclench a little and let the kid live. This was pure heaven for me when when I was this age. The whole house to myself for a few hours (which is exactly what it really is when you factor in when they really wake up and when you get home). Independence....at least in little spurts is liberating and good for them! Woot! Just ask that crap is cleaned up and maybe start a load of laundry or two...

You didn’t have the internet. You had reruns on cable. If you can’t see the difference, I can’t help you.

Yep, we watched hour after hour of TV shows. One after the other…

Yep! Wheel of Fortune, news (boring), Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, sit coms like Three’s Company, Facts of Lufe, etc from 4-6pm. Loved it!

And you don't think this is better than unlimited hours of youtube and tik tok garbage? I do!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love all the guilty parents justifying their neglectful parenting. Do you teens have app limits or downtime limits at all? You are probably the same ones who let them keep their phones in their rooms 24/hours a day.

Why does a teen need to have parents setting limits? Why can’t they be responsible for setting their own limits?

[Anonymous]

Yes. I'm sitting here on dcum while my 6th grader sleeps and dh is at an in person meeting for a few hours. I could go to the office but for some reason I feel bad leaving DS here alone.

I'm genX and was staying home alone all day by 6th grade. My sibling was 5 years older, out doing his own thing or working. My son doesn't have siblings and I don't want him to be lonely. I'm probably projecting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. I'm sitting here on dcum while my 6th grader sleeps and dh is at an in person meeting for a few hours. I could go to the office but for some reason I feel bad leaving DS here alone.

I'm genX and was staying home alone all day by 6th grade. My sibling was 5 years older, out doing his own thing or working. My son doesn't have siblings and I don't want him to be lonely. I'm probably projecting.

You know your kid best. Mine is an introvert who can go a week without seeing friends and not be lonely. Some kids have a strong social drive and wouldn’t be ok. I always offer the option of camps, he usually declines.

[Anonymous]

I loved being home alone. Sleeping in and watching tv all day, such fond memories. I’m off today and one kid just woke up. The other will sleep for a couple more hours. I’m not sure it’s much different that I’m here.

[Anonymous]

I loved it as a kid. Being home alone was the best. I watched junk TV and didn’t have to listen to nagging. I was always super disappointed when one of my parents was unexpectedly home from work when I thought I’d have the run of the house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would structure it so she doesn’t have unlimited access to screens all day every day.

Are you effing serious? The "kid" is 13...not 5. Good grief. Unclench a little and let the kid live. This was pure heaven for me when when I was this age. The whole house to myself for a few hours (which is exactly what it really is when you factor in when they really wake up and when you get home). Independence....at least in little spurts is liberating and good for them! Woot! Just ask that crap is cleaned up and maybe start a load of laundry or two...

You didn’t have the internet. You had reruns on cable. If you can’t see the difference, I can’t help you.

Yep, we watched hour after hour of TV shows. One after the other…

Yep! Wheel of Fortune, news (boring), Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, sit coms like Three’s Company, Facts of Lufe, etc from 4-6pm. Loved it!

Yes, I have fond memories of watching tv and eating junk all day long. My older sibling was more concerned than my parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would structure it so she doesn’t have unlimited access to screens all day every day.

Are you effing serious? The "kid" is 13...not 5. Good grief. Unclench a little and let the kid live. This was pure heaven for me when when I was this age. The whole house to myself for a few hours (which is exactly what it really is when you factor in when they really wake up and when you get home). Independence....at least in little spurts is liberating and good for them! Woot! Just ask that crap is cleaned up and maybe start a load of laundry or two...

You didn’t have the internet. You had reruns on cable. If you can’t see the difference, I can’t help you.

Yep, we watched hour after hour of TV shows. One after the other…

Yep! Wheel of Fortune, news (boring), Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, sit coms like Three’s Company, Facts of Lufe, etc from 4-6pm. Loved it!

Yes, I have fond memories of watching tv and eating junk all day long. My older sibling was more concerned than my parents.

Me too. My older sister used to make me turn the TV off and read. After hours and hours of Price is Right and soap operas. My parents couldn’t have cared less.

[Anonymous]

You can buy a wifi filter and turn it off and set phone downtime. Or even just allow music and podcasts (which I think are fine).

I think independence is critical. But we live in a screen saturated world which undermines that.