Don't call my parents idiots! I think you may be saying something about more peoples' parents here than you know with that comment ... I can honestly say that I never did anything that they wouldn't approve of. (Although that's probably because my parties involve less than ten people coming over to make sushi and roleplay. *Chuckles*)
Don't take it personally, my goodness. If that is the wildest thing you ever did as a teen ... make sushi and roleplay ... then good for you. And, your parents probably KNEW that, therefore knew they could leave for the weekend.

However ... they were lucky. Most parents are not so lucky, and have at least one wild kid in the family. Or, not necesarily wild, maybe just immature and not capable of making good choices yet.

I know personally of one teen, in my town, whose parents left for the weekend. The teen told a couple of her friends to come over and watch movies. That is ALL she had in mind. Well, one of those friends invited some boys. The girl didn't want to to look un-cool, so she didn't say anything. Then, a couple more people showed up, who told a couple more, etc. They had a raging party that TRASHED the house ... and it was not what the girl intended at all. She was just too insecure/immature to say anything, and by the time it was out of control, it was too late. Had relatives or family been told to check up on her, it wouldn't have happened.

And, partying aside, I do not think it is EVER a good idea to leave a teen alone with no one checking up on them. What if the furnace malfunctions, and the CO2 levels rise? What if they fall down the stairs and hit their head? What if their car slides into a ditch, where no one can see them, and they are trapped inside for three days, because their parents are out of town and no one is checking on them? (Also a true story from my town, BTW.)

Teenagers do NOT have the decades of life experience that mature adults have, and they have never run a household or a house by themselves. I'm not bashing teenagers, or saying they are incompetent or stupid. I was a teenager myself once, too. But, the fact of the matter is, someone needs to check on them daily. So, I'm sorry if the way I phrased that sentence offended anyone, but I stand by it - teens left alone for a weekend or a week with no one checking on them is not smart.




Our Grandparents and neighbors knew my parents would be going out of town and would check up on us if they felt it was justified but they must of trusted us because they hardly ever did.
And that's what I meant - someone knew, and could check ... and you knew it.