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At what age would you leave kids alone while you holiday

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  • Kim_kim
    Kim_kim Posts: 3,726 Forumite
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    It’s far too young. I first left my daughter about 19, but didn’t really, we had the in laws move in for two weeks!
  • theoretica
    theoretica Posts: 12,691 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    I think it matters why the kids are being left. When other people are away on holiday and having fun it feels very different from being left because they are at work or caring for grandparents. People's actions are different depending on how they feel about a situation - though we don't know what family negotiations and kid only holidays may be counteracting this.
    But a banker, engaged at enormous expense,
    Had the whole of their cash in his care.
    Lewis Carroll
  • Comms69
    Comms69 Posts: 14,229 Forumite
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    Kim_kim wrote: »
    It’s far too young. I first left my daughter about 19, but didn’t really, we had the in laws move in for two weeks!

    19?!

    Sorry, no, that’s a parental failure.
  • Pollycat
    Pollycat Posts: 35,939 Forumite
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    Comms69 wrote: »
    19?!

    Sorry, no, that’s a parental failure.
    I agree.
    At the age of 19, I was in full time-employment, married and running my own (rented) household.
  • ska_lover
    ska_lover Posts: 3,773 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I had my own home at age 17...and looking after a small baby & husband....I would have found it absurd if a person my age (or older) was not trusted to do the right thing if left alone overnight
    The opposite of what you know...is also true
  • Cash-Cows
    Cash-Cows Posts: 413 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 100 Posts
    I think it!!!8217;s unfair on the eldest to be responsible for the younger ones. Perhaps one night but not a week.
  • 74jax
    74jax Posts: 7,930 Forumite
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    Kim_kim wrote: »
    It’s far too young. I first left my daughter about 19, but didn’t really, we had the in laws move in for two weeks!

    Did you mean 16 and hit the wrong key on the numerical keyboard?
    Forty and fabulous, well that's what my cards say....
  • Spendless
    Spendless Posts: 24,811 Forumite
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    Fireflyaway wrote: »
    My parents left me at home for a long weekend when I was 15. I have no siblings and they knew my best friend would be found most of the time and I was a responsible young person. However I ended up getting together with the neighbours son. I also experimented with some alcohol. now as an adult I feel terrible and it's made me realize even those apparently sensible kids do silly things. I know I won't leave my daughter alone until at least 18. It's also other kids that might turn up uninvited and cause trouble that's the worry.
    Teens certainly do silly things, but there's a difference between doing daft things and doing dangerous things. I'm not sure from your post if you just snogged the neighbours son and tried a glass of wine, or you sh@gged him and drank so much booze you were at risk of alcoholic poisoning.
  • Silvertabby
    Silvertabby Posts: 10,346 Forumite
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    It's far too young. I first left my daughter about 19, but didn't really, we had the in laws move in for two weeks!
    Originally posted by Kim kim
    74jax wrote: »
    Did you mean 16 and hit the wrong key on the numerical keyboard?

    My thoughts too. At 19, I was serving in the WRAF !
  • Pollycat
    Pollycat Posts: 35,939 Forumite
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    Silvertabby wrote: »
    My thoughts too. At 19, I was serving in the WRAF !
    If that poster really did mean age 19, no wonder we have a snowflake generation...
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