I can’t remember exactly how old I was when my mom went away for a night and left my older sister and me home alone.
What I remember clearly though is the “talking to” I received when my mom returned and learned from our next-door neighbor that my sister and I had a party, which involved alcohol.
“I’m so disappointed in you,” my mother would say over and over again, which were crushing words for a perfectionist straight-A student, who vowed never to let that happen again.
And it didn’t.
But the story illustrates two challenges for parents: 1) What age is OK to leave your teens home alone overnight? and 2) What if something goes wrong when you do?
Read: ‘Brutally Honest’: What if you don’t like your kids’ friends?
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“But with the college acceptances pouring on, reality has struck,” said Arena, executive director of the Global Center for Journalism and Democracy at Sam Houston State University. “We need to leave her on her own in a place she is comfortable to help ease the transition.”
Arena said she’s now looking at a time early in the new year she can leave her daughter alone for a weekend.
“We figure it’s a good way for her to be on her own in a familiar environment. Of course, I’ll make sure there is food!”
When do you think it’s OK to leave teens home alone overnight or for a weekend? Share your thoughts with Kelly Wallace on Twitter or CNN Living on Facebook.
