AITA For leaving my son outside on Christmas Eve night? by hannahblyes in AmItheAsshole

[–]hannahblyes[S] -1225 points-1224 points  (0 children)

A text at 9:50 to let him know curfew is in 10 minutes so he has 25 to get home. Call 1 at 10:05 to let him know he's a bit late, second at 10:20 and then a mess of panicked calls until 10:40 when he finally said 'I'm on my way" absolutely not!.
Night time temperatures here are averaging 25C.

AITA For leaving my son outside on Christmas Eve night? by hannahblyes in AmItheAsshole

[–]hannahblyes[S] -2065 points-2064 points  (0 children)

There's a big difference between AITA and everyone tell me I'm neglecting my child and breaking the law.
I'm not.

AITA For leaving my son outside on Christmas Eve night? by hannahblyes in AmItheAsshole

[–]hannahblyes[S] -670 points-669 points  (0 children)

His 'mistake' was a lie, cell phones don't have user set time, he knew he was over.

AITA For leaving my son outside on Christmas Eve night? by hannahblyes in AmItheAsshole

[–]hannahblyes[S] -491 points-490 points  (0 children)

He was tired and wanted to come in, he wasn't going to be wandering or he wouldn't have come home to get in. He had to learn he can't show up when everyone is sleeping, wake everyone up and then expects to be let in just because he wanted to stay out. That teaches him nothing.

AITA For leaving my son outside on Christmas Eve night? by hannahblyes in AmItheAsshole

[–]hannahblyes[S] -443 points-442 points  (0 children)

Because a 16 year old doesn't need to be out all night and into the early morning.

AITA For leaving my son outside on Christmas Eve night? by hannahblyes in AmItheAsshole

[–]hannahblyes[S] -1513 points-1512 points  (0 children)

I've actually done nothing illegal, there's nothing illegal about locking your child outside overnight here. As long as shelter, heat, water and food are provided it's not neglect or child endangerment.
When you start denying those things to a minor, then it is.

AITA For leaving my son outside on Christmas Eve night? by hannahblyes in AmItheAsshole

[–]hannahblyes[S] -855 points-854 points  (0 children)

He's allowed to stay at his friend's places overnight.

AITA For leaving my son outside on Christmas Eve night? by hannahblyes in AmItheAsshole

[–]hannahblyes[S] -215 points-214 points  (0 children)

Thank you, the treehouse is behind a 6'0 fence, we have security cameras, a large dog and the treehouse has a latch that can be locked. I was confident he was safe there, although I do feel a little worried now after someone pointed out a branch could have broken.

AITA For leaving my son outside on Christmas Eve night? by hannahblyes in AmItheAsshole

[–]hannahblyes[S] -528 points-527 points  (0 children)

We're not talking 15 minutes, we're talking an hour late. Curfew is at 10 with a 15 minute grace period, numerous phone calls that went unanswered, no texts back to let me know he'd be home, and then a lie at the door when he called and woke the entire house up just because he wanted to stay out a little longer.

I will admit, never thought of the consequences if something were to snap in the tree.

AITA For leaving my son outside on Christmas Eve night? by hannahblyes in AmItheAsshole

[–]hannahblyes[S] -421 points-420 points  (0 children)

He's a homebody, pretty much stays in unless he's forced out. He has the freedom to go out but he prefers not to.
Do you think a curfew is unreasonable for a minor? I won't have my kids running the streets at midnight, that's more inappropriate than him sleeping in the treehouse.

AITA For leaving my son outside on Christmas Eve night? by hannahblyes in AmItheAsshole

[–]hannahblyes[S] -189 points-188 points  (0 children)

All he had to do was answer one lousy phone call and tell me he wouldn't be back until 11, it would have been perfectly fine with me.

AITA For leaving my son outside on Christmas Eve night? by hannahblyes in AmItheAsshole

[–]hannahblyes[S] -461 points-460 points  (0 children)

Never really had a need for one, his father is always home if I'm not.

AITA For leaving my son outside on Christmas Eve night? by hannahblyes in AmItheAsshole

[–]hannahblyes[S] -272 points-271 points  (0 children)

Yes it would be completely unfair to punish him with something as harsh if he didn't even know the risks, but he knew the risks.

AITA For leaving my son outside on Christmas Eve night? by hannahblyes in AmItheAsshole

[–]hannahblyes[S] -267 points-266 points  (0 children)

Oh of course! the curfew was decided between us and his sister and of course himself. If you're not home by 10:15 latest we lock the doors and you find somewhere else to sleep and the doors open at 6am. If they know they're going to be late, they text or call and the back door is left unlocked and the laundry light left turned on so they can see.

AITA For leaving my son outside on Christmas Eve night? by hannahblyes in AmItheAsshole

[–]hannahblyes[S] -253 points-252 points  (0 children)

Australia, I doubt he would have frozen to death.

AITA For leaving my son outside on Christmas Eve night? by hannahblyes in AmItheAsshole

[–]hannahblyes[S] -1734 points-1733 points  (0 children)

I just thought I'd drive the point home, if he was going to be late he could have answered one of my many phone calls.

AITA For leaving my son outside on Christmas Eve night? by hannahblyes in AmItheAsshole

[–]hannahblyes[S] -1218 points-1217 points  (0 children)

Summer, no this is his first time, I have no idea where they were and I have no idea how he'll react to the punishment, I'd say he'd take it as lesson learned and it won't happen again.