Leaving children alone overnight.

tea_lover

It's tomorrow.

quidsy

I had a job, my own flat & a car at 17, I think you should trust at least yoru oldest to look after the younger.

Pricivius

Person_one wrote: »

Has the OP told us when her hospital stay is happening and I've missed it?

If its too short notice for parental leave, then emergency leave for dependents will apply, I think:

https://www.gov.uk/time-off-for-dependants/your-rights

Just to clarify, it is my understanding that parental leave is only available for kids under 5 or those who are disabled on adopted, plus there is the 21 days issue.

Emergency leave for dependants allows Dad to deal with the emergency - in other words, make arrangements for care, not to provide the care himself. Seeing as he has already asked and been refused, I doubt it would count as an emergency.

Back to the OP, they should be fine at those ages. There is no legal limit on leaving kids, but if anything did go wrong, questions would be asked about reasonableness and whether you were negligent to do so. I would think it highly unlikely that you would be criticised for leaving your kids at their ages.

Person_one

tea_lover wrote: »

It's tomorrow.

Oops, yep, completely missed that, must learn not to skim read! In that case, time off for dependents applies, I would have thought?

Person_one

Pricivius wrote: »

Emergency leave for dependants allows Dad to deal with the emergency - in other words, make arrangements for care, not to provide the care himself. Seeing as he has already asked and been refused, I doubt it would count as an emergency.

Its been refused because its too short notice though, that suggests it fits the criteria, to me.

They will probably be fine on their own, if it were almost any other situation I don't think there'd be any worry at all.

Atomix

Times have certainly changed... 13,16 and 17 - they will be fine!

My parents divorced when I was 3, at 13 my dad used to wave good bye to me at Rhyl station, where I would have to make my way to oxford, sometimes late in the evening, changing at Crewe, then Birmingham new street, (today has x26 platforms with less than 15 minutes to get to the right one!) no mobile phones then either - Jesus thinking back now if I'd got on the wrong train, or a delay which meant Id miss a connection, I still wonder about those days... All they have to do is not leave the house, and have an emergency no. Just in case...

They'll treat it like an adventure...;)

quidsy

I agree, I have to admit to expecting to see the kids were all under 13 with at least one in single digits. lol 13,16 & 17, jeebus two of them are old enough to be parents themselves.

Carmina-Piranha_2

I would leave them alone at that age, as long as they can be trusted to get on well and not leave the 13 year old home alone. Mind you I was out babysitting at the age of 13 so there's probably no problem as long as the 13 year old is happy to be left on their own.

Can they contact their dad at work though, in case of emergency? If not, is there a neighbour they could go to in an emergency? Can their dad call them before they go to bed just to say hello?

LannieDuck

I was babysitting my next door neighbour's children at 16.

Make sure they have your husband's work number just in case, but I'm sure they'll be fine.

maman

I agree that they should be fine for one night but the attitude of your husband's employer stinks!