Anonymous wrote:Ordinarily I'm really, really good at figuring out when the OP is actually a minor posing as a parent -- i.e., the DD or DS posing as the parent of said daughter/son and asking the question. This time, though, I think either the DS got me and he's adopted his mom's/dad's voice perfectly OR we've got a mom at whom we really are all shaking our collective head and who is really maybe well-intentioned (or something) but REALLY hasn't got a clue.
OP (whoever you are): just no. Or stop it. Or whatever it takes to help you understand that you have explicitly been told NO by the homeowner and that if you allow your son to go over to the home you are directly enabling trespassing not to mention encouraging a minor to go against parental wishes and to flaunt a teenage girl's parent's directives.
As the parent of a teenage girl, I'd consider this an open invitation for a whole raft of options ... not a single one of which is attractive -- and since you're identified as a parent who explicitly would have given permission for her child to attend this event (because your child has had the good sense to discuss this with you, per your post), I would hold you directly accountable.
You have only one responsible choice to model here. Please do what you would want someone to do were they in your (parental) shoes and just.say.no.
PS If indeed you are a teenager figuring out whether to attend a party or throw one when parents are out of town, again, please don't: it's not worth the horror show that can happen if someone gets hurt or accused, and these days increasingly someone will. Reputations and lives fall apart in seconds and can't get rebuilt no matter how many promises are made, truly.
Anonymous wrote:OP here- I didn’t allow it at all at first when I found out no parent ever there. But only 1 other mom out of 7 neighborhood boys have issue with this- so rest of kids always there- of course- who wouldn’t want to hang at huge house with lots of toys, teen girls and no parents. Then the other mom allowed her son son outside only and I agreed that’s ok. Then the pool damage happened- kids threw patio furniture in deep end damaging pool. My son didn’t do that - it was one kid/ but the homeowner texted all the neighbors boys parents with the warning of please invite only and respect his property.
So bigger issue is, why am I about the only parent not concerned with boys/ girls unsupervised. Am I way too strict? Most of the neighborhood boys are good overall- couple get bit rowdy- but most are equally unsupervised with parents having busy social lives.
I want to follow my gut - but also be open to someone saying I am way to strict if I’m being too protective- strict??? I trust my son, but still feel like boys don’t need to go over there.
And yes, it would help if the dad would text it is ok- since he asked for kids to only come with invite.
Anonymous wrote:OP here- I didn’t allow it at all at first when I found out no parent ever there. But only 1 other mom out of 7 neighborhood boys have issue with this- so rest of kids always there- of course- who wouldn’t want to hang at huge house with lots of toys, teen girls and no parents. Then the other mom allowed her son son outside only and I agreed that’s ok. Then the pool damage happened- kids threw patio furniture in deep end damaging pool. My son didn’t do that - it was one kid/ but the homeowner texted all the neighbors boys parents with the warning of please invite only and respect his property.
So bigger issue is, why am I about the only parent not concerned with boys/ girls unsupervised. Am I way too strict? Most of the neighborhood boys are good overall- couple get bit rowdy- but most are equally unsupervised with parents having busy social lives.
I want to follow my gut - but also be open to someone saying I am way to strict if I’m being too protective- strict??? I trust my son, but still feel like boys don’t need to go over there.
And yes, it would help if the dad would text it is ok- since he asked for kids to only come with invite.
Anonymous wrote:One of the houses in our neighborhood is popular place for all the boys in the hood, including my almost 15 year old. Mom and dad never home- busy with their own social life and often flying out of town leaving their 13 year old girls at home. Supposedly a teenage sister is there but friends of ours have stated she was equally unsupervised and is party-er.
We have told our son no more hanging out there without a parent. Outside ok but not inside.
But apparently we are only parents in hood with these rules.
Got text from the unsupervised house that pool was damaged last weekend and the dad stated he didn’t know who did it but boys are welcome only when invited.
Now again parents out of town and my son and his friends all want to go over. They insist the girls are inviting.
What would you do? Do you let your teen boys hang out at unsupervised girls house? Would you allow outside only or not at all?