[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

I expect to get flamed, but children at that age can take care of themselves and the younger ones for a couple of weeks. I don´t remember being helpless from ten on.

[TLBSHOW]

QUESTION IS WAS THE CREDIT CARD GOOD?

[kaboom]

I expect to get flamed, but children at that age can take care of themselves and the younger ones for a couple of weeks. I don´t remember being helpless from ten on.

What if there is an emergency? Can a 15 year old consent to medical treatment for the others?

[JIM O]

Yore right the little bastards should get jobs.

[MEGoody]

"children at that age can take care of themselves and the younger ones for a couple of weeks"

Consider yourself flamed. For some hours, yes. Overnight, perhaps. Not weeks.

[SarahW]

Agree. No flames here.

A fifteen year-old is quite capable of supervising brothers and sisters of those ages.

[PISANO]

I don't think the POINT is whether or not these children can fend for themselves for an hour, day or month. I think it is ONE of responsibility of the mother. She deserves to loose her children for this. If she is blatant enough to do this, only GOD knows what she is capable of or what harm she has already done.

[VRWC_minion]

I expect to get flamed, but children at that age can take care of themselves and the younger ones for a couple of weeks. I don´t remember being helpless from ten on.

Although I wouldn't do such a thing, I don't see this as abuse, however there should have been at least one responsible adult nearby who the kids rely on.

[metesky]

My wife was babysitting her younger cousins when she was ten. No problemo.

Infantilization of America continues apace.

[servantoftheservant]

Agreed. People, this is not a big deal. There was a time in this country when 15 year olds were considered perfectly capable of taking care of themselves and others.

My parents left me alone for over a week when I was 13 with a 9 year old sister. Friends would stop by every day to make sure we were OK, but it was not difficult for me to take care of myself and my sister. It was kind of fun actually.

I sure am glad there wasn't some sh** for brains 'do-gooder' to call the damn oh-so-loving STATE to seperate me and my sister from our parents.

[HamiltonJay]

10 is a bit young for 2 weeks alone.. 15 definately is old enough to take care of themselves, and likely supervise others.... I don't know if I would go 14 days with a 15 year old providing the primary care for 5 other children...