A mum has been criticised for leaving her two kids - aged 10 and 13 - home alone for six weeks while she and her husband work.
Mumsnet user deffonamechange explained that her children will be home alone for the whole summer holidays, aside from one week she has off work.
“My husband and I don’t get many holidays,” she wrote. “We have a week off together in summer but rest of the time the kids are on their own, all day, everyday for six weeks.
“They wont go to any activity clubs. I can’t ask their friends round with no adult in the house. I know that they sit on computer with headphones in all day.”
The mum continued: “I feel sorry for [my kids]. My friends are all teachers or get loads of holidays so they are all having days out.
“Anyone else in same boat as us? I feel like they are ‘wasting their summer holidays’”.
Many parents slammed the mum for being “irresponsible” for leaving her children alone.
“Crikey yes definitely too young to be home alone,” one person wrote. “I think it’s really irresponsible to leave them for six weeks at that age.”
Another commented: “Honestly, aren’t they too young to be left alone? Why aren’t they in holiday clubs?
“My children are three and five so I may be out of touch, but there are loads of clubs advertised going up to teenage years.”
Another person wrote: “How do you know what they are doing all day? You’re not there.”
A mum in a similar situation wrote: “My kids wouldn’t want to go to holiday club if the alternative was sitting at home eating and playing on screens constantly.
“Unfortunately I don’t give them that option so off to holiday club it is. They enjoy it when they are there and understand we have to work so they have to go to holiday club. Simple really.”
Other people tried to offer solutions to the mother so she won’t have to leave her kids alone in the future.
“PGL type activity holidays? Do you have any family members they could go and stay with? Temporary Au Pair/nanny? That way at least they could go out on a few day trips here and there?” one wrote.
And another suggested: “Sacrifice having both parents off the same week and tag team your weeks? We’re halfway through so that would mean one further week only sans a parent around.”
One parent said she felt sorry for the original poster, writing: “You are getting a hard time for which I am sorry. I was a single parent and did much the same. In those days it was endless TV and videos.
“When I had time off we went on holiday and I organised as many fun activities as possible. She hardly remembers the time spent on her own, even though I look back with some regret.
“Families have to be fed, clothed and educated but most of all loved. Love doesn’t necessarily mean being there for every minute.”
What do you think?