# Well This is Pretty - Home Alone, the Reality Show **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 5, 2006, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-this-is-pretty-home-alone-the-reality-show/338562 "2006-01-05T13:04:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2006, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-this-is-pretty-home-alone-the-reality-show/338562/21 "2006-01-08T21:36:17Z")
[A Relevant LINK](http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/localnews/ci_3382933) > [@](#): > > The case of two San Ramon boys left home alone while their parents partied in Las Vegas raises a question many busy parents face: When are children old enough to care for themselves, and for how long? > [@](#): > > Many child development experts believe parents shouldn’t leave their children home alone overnight until age 14 or 15, and even then they should consider the teen’s experience being without their parents, such as attending sleepovers or camp Well, if these experts are to be believed, this was so far out of line that our heads should be spinning like centrifuges. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2006, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-this-is-pretty-home-alone-the-reality-show/338562/22 "2006-01-08T23:08:32Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > Well, if these experts are to be believed, this was so far out of line that our heads should be spinning like centrifuges. _14 or 15?_ Jesus Christ. I was paying my own way and living with my girlfriend by fifteen. Certainly I was alright on my own overnight at eleven. (I still think the parents in the OP are criminally negligent, though.) ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2006, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-this-is-pretty-home-alone-the-reality-show/338562/23 "2006-01-08T23:31:45Z")
Leaving kids home alone for a _couple of hours_ isn’t too bad depending on the circumstances. But what sort of twisted mind would extrapolate that to mean that kids can stay alone for a week? If they hadn’t arranged for puppy care, I’d just think that these people were flat-out morons who can’t think at all. But to think of the dogs and forget about their children? I hope these people go to jail, and these boys get to live a happier life with Grandma. It just doesn’t seem fair to me that people like this have kids. You should have to pass a qualifying exam before being allowed to spawn. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-this-is-pretty-home-alone-the-reality-show/338562/24 "2006-01-09T00:07:10Z")
> [@Antigen](#): > > It just doesn’t seem fair to me that people like this have kids. You should have to pass a qualifying exam before being allowed to spawn. That would certainly solve the problem of overpopulation. ---
**Author:** ![Heckity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a5b964/32.png) [@Heckity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heckity)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-this-is-pretty-home-alone-the-reality-show/338562/25 "2006-01-09T00:33:35Z")
Depending on a child’s maturity at 14 or 15 - and their comfort in being left on their own, plenty of kids aren’t ready. I’ve been on my own since I was 15 - but it was my choice to be self-sufficient, not my parents. When my children were small and being taken care of by babysitters I called frequently throughout my absence. I can’t conceive of not leaving a number or calling to check in. Those parents didn’t try to phone these kids? And stayed on in Vegas once (as they claim) they learned they were alone? Oh please . . . It is a heart breaking story. I hope the maternal grandmother is as good as she sounds and can give them the attention and love they deserve. ---
**Author:** ![SuaSponte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-this-is-pretty-home-alone-the-reality-show/338562/26 "2006-01-09T21:13:36Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > His 5 year old _autistic_ brother? It seems to me that someone in charge of such a child should at the very least know first aid, and be able to drive and have access to a car. A lot can go wrong in 3 hours. Many moons ago, I worked for a community-based autistic education and care organization, and I’d have to say that it really depends on the child. Autism truly covers a spectrum of behavior and intellect. With some clients, it’s possible that the very worst thing you could do is find an (stranger) adult babysitter for the client, rather than having him watched by his older brother for a few hours. I’m by no means defending the parents here, but your post points to some misunderstanding of autism. Sua ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-this-is-pretty-home-alone-the-reality-show/338562/27 "2006-01-09T21:42:27Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > And why is there a town in California named “lard”? For the same reason there’s a town called “The Bathrooms.” ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-this-is-pretty-home-alone-the-reality-show/338562/28 "2006-01-09T23:27:14Z")
> [@SuaSponte](#): > > Autism truly covers a spectrum of behavior and intellect. With some clients, it’s possible that the very worst thing you could do is find an (stranger) adult babysitter for the client, rather than having him watched by his older brother for a few hours. to borrow a phrase from you, “older brother” covers a spectrum as well. Who said anything about a stranger for a babysitter? Presumably the parents would have more than just the two choices, (as long as we are inventing baby sitters 🙂 ) > [@SuaSponte](#): > > I’m by no means defending the parents here, but your post points to some misunderstanding of autism. > > Sua No doubt you are correct. My knowledge of autism is based on popular reading, (books by Temple Grandin), other miscellaneous sources, and conversations with my brother, who has worked with such children for thirty years. There is a great deal I do not know; I was pointing out his autism to emphasize how irresponsible the parents would be had even if it had only been a few hours. _Any_ five year old can get into more trouble than a nine year old can handle, in my opinion. The fact that he is autistic only exacerbates the situation. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-this-is-pretty-home-alone-the-reality-show/338562/29 "2006-01-09T23:31:29Z")
Hey **SpazCat** , (and **Case Sensitive** as well), I once submitted a joke to Playboy’s Party Jokes that had as a punch line “Absinthe makes the Fonz grow harder.” I’m sure you can figure out the joke. I never heard from them. I really needed that fifty bucks, too. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2006, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-this-is-pretty-home-alone-the-reality-show/338562/30 "2006-01-10T14:15:27Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > And why is there a town in California named “lard”? ::shrug:: Pork barrel politics. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2006, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-this-is-pretty-home-alone-the-reality-show/338562/31 "2006-01-11T02:44:47Z")
It gets worse. The father is a repeat offender, and once when the 5yo was left alone with his brother, the little brother fell down and hurt himself. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2006, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-this-is-pretty-home-alone-the-reality-show/338562/32 "2006-01-11T04:34:04Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > Hey **SpazCat** , (and **Case Sensitive** as well), > > I once submitted a joke to Playboy’s Party Jokes that had as a punch line “Absinthe makes the Fonz grow harder.” I’m sure you can figure out the joke. > > I never heard from them. > > I really needed that fifty bucks, too. I knew a guy once who went on a trip to Paris, and came back _really_ flatulent. Trouble was, whenever he broke wind his arse sounded more like a Japanese motorbike than the usual eructation. After this had gone on for a while he got pretty worried, and went to see the quack. He told the doctor his symptoms, and the doc had him drop his strides, peered up his bum and all the usual performance. At last the doctor said, “Well, I can’t _see_ anything wrong with you, but just at a guess, have you been drinking any absinthe lately?” “Why, yes”, replied the guy. “I developed a taste for it in France.” “There’s your problem”, says the doc. "You see… …absinthe makes the fart go “Honda!” ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-this-is-pretty-home-alone-the-reality-show/338562/33 "2006-01-13T16:26:00Z")
Both plead out. The “dad” plead no contest to 2 felony count, and got 270 days, the step-mom plead to one count of misdomeaner “accessory” and got 180 days. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-this-is-pretty-home-alone-the-reality-show/338562/34 "2006-01-13T23:47:42Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Both plead out. The “dad” plead no contest to 2 felony count, and got 270 days, the step-mom plead to one count of misdomeaner “accessory” and got 180 days. What about the kids? Did the parents lose custody or is it still pending? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-this-is-pretty-home-alone-the-reality-show/338562.md?page=1)