In Reply to: would you leave 13 & 3yo alone in room? posted by stephjoy on Thursday, 16. July 2009 at 16:18 Bali Time:
as I said, it is not an idea I felt comfortable with & it just got me wondering what people's feelings were on the topic.
I did expect some heated debate (& got it) but what surprised me were the people who questioned whether I was a responsible parent, why we felt the need to go out on our own at all & the very kind offer to babysit for us!
MY PERSONAL OPINION is that a responsible parent would assess the risk and make their decision accordingly. Kids do need to be exposed to ACCEPTABLE risks, we can not wrap them up in cotton wool until they reach adulthood & then expect that they will be well-equipped to go out & face the big bad world. That being said, I don't feel that the risk is acceptable when it's a 13yo girls first overseas trip in a country where she doesn't speak the language which has been my stance from the start. Hubby & 13yo will just have to like it or lump it :o)