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They're coming home tomorrow IY"H; anxiety vent
Topic Started: Aug 19 2008, 11:23 AM (616 Views)
LisaS
princess
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Well, the boys will be back in town tomorrow, about 24 hours from now. :crazy
Don't get me wrong, I've missed them terribly this summer (I'm not sure, why this one more than others?), and I'm glad they will IY"H come home safely tomorrow....but....but...but..
Well, I've gotten spoiled by being able to do things without having to :juggle the things that make kids, well, kids.
Yeah, they're "big" now - nearly 13 and nearly 15, and should be able to be more independent. I shouldn't have to worry about going to the Grad school orientation on Thursday night, right? I should be able to leave the two of them alone together for a couple of hours while I leave the house and take care of "my things". So, why am I so nervous? :dontknow
They might blow up the house...or kill each other and leave me with blood to clean up and a lot of 'splainin' to do.
How old is old enough to be left home alone (in NY)?
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zuncompany
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Administrator
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legally they are old enough.

I think teen years scare me WAY more than any other stage.
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U Tarzan Me Jane
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Rebbetzin
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if they kill each other, then you won't have to kill them...just kidding.

(my sis will be very sad if something happens to her future hubby! lol )
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LisaS
princess
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I guess I just need to realize that they are growing up. But still, I have that MAJOR anxiety attack over the THOUGHT of leaving them alone. Then again, its only a couple of avenues away..and only for around 4 hours total (including travel time).

(And, UTMJ, if you're so worried about your future BIL, I could drop them off by you...its not as if you'd notice another male or two wandering around your house, right? ;))
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LisaS
princess
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zuncompany
Aug 19 2008, 11:35 AM
legally they are old enough.

I think teen years scare me WAY more than any other stage.
Interestingly enough, I've been searching the web for the "legal" ok age to leave them home alone, and it appears that, at least in NY, there isn't one.

"New York, like most states, has no law stipulating an age of aloneness, though parents can be charged with reckless endangerment if tragedy befalls children while they are home without supervision."

From here: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/14/nyregion/14alone.html

It seems like a case of knowing how mature your kids are, and how capable.

Confession time: I did this once for about an hour or two, and the house was still standing when I returned. So why am I still so worried? :huh

Probably because they are teens. And two together. And they might fight :pound ..and...and...and...
:bricks
I can't afford a contractor.


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Estie
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aishes chayil
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Even without a legal age, 15 is certainly old enough. No one would accuse you of neglect at that age. I let 14 year olds babysit (some ppl start even earlier)
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zuncompany
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Interesting. Growing up I think it was 12 in IL but I could be wrong. I know it was the legal age at the time to babysit. My mom wouldn't let me until after my 12th birthday!
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Zeesachaya
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Rebbetzin
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I babysat with no parents around at the age of fourteen. Younger than that I was a "mother's helper" but not able to be alone without a parent.
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ScrappingMom
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Jewish Housewife
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LisaS
Aug 19 2008, 12:20 PM
Confession time: I did this once for about an hour or two, and the house was still standing when I returned. So why am I still so worried? :huh

Probably because they are teens. And two together. And they might fight :pound ..and...and...and...
:bricks
I can't afford a contractor.


I'm there with you. We have a contractor on speed dial. lol
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Marion
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aishes chayil
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In Ontario the legal age to be home alone is 10; the legal age to babysit is 12.
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Chavelamomela
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aishes chayil
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I started babysitting at age 11.
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conundrum1
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Yummy's Mommy
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Marion
Aug 20 2008, 01:13 AM
In Ontario the legal age to be home alone is 10; the legal age to babysit is 12.
I didn't even know that there was a legal age!
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LisaS
princess
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Well, I did it...and the house remained standing. Ok, I allowed one to be on the computer, the other on the laptop. So interaction between the two was, at most, minimal.
Funny thing is, when I called to check in with them after being out for a couple of hours, my OLDER one wanted to know when I'd be back. When I told him not for another hour or two (which included travel time) he was less than pleased.
And yet, they survived. Baruch Hashem!
Now I'm going to end up leaving them alone for a couple of hours multiple times this week since I begin classes on Wednesday. By then, my daughter will be home as well. I think I'm going to have to find her somewhere else to crash for that hour or two. The idea of leaving three by themselves seems (at least to me) to really be asking for trouble.
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ScrappingMom
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Jewish Housewife
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We had a full house as of Friday. Help! I think I'm going to run away! It was so peaceful this summer.

.....counting the days until next summer..... :unsure:
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