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do you guys think that in the episode "weekend" it is unrealistic when patty leaves angela, and danielle by themselves for a whole weekend. I mean, angela is only 15 years old! i am 16 years old and my mom and dad would never leave me alone for a weekend. so i want other people's opinion on this....

I think maybe it being Patty, and her leaving the two girls alone for the weekend is unrealistic. Just because of the way she normally acts, like no going out on school nights.

But I don't think in general that leaving a 15 year old alone is unrealistic. That's been done a lot before.

My parents used to do it.

I think the key is that she knew she could send any one of a number of people round to check up; Camille, Bob Krakow etc. I'm sure if it was a bad neighbourhood then the situation would be different. It didn't strike me as particularly unrealistic, I must say.

I think it's unrealistic considering that Patty was contemplating not allowing Angela to do homework at Brian's because it was a school night.

But then, parents aren't always consistent -- enforcement of rules often depends on moods, and with that in mind, perhaps it makes the show even more realistic. (After all, self-contradictions are a part of being human.) For example, my curfew was one o'clock, but if on any given night my mother was irritable/tired/cranky, she might arbitrarily tell me I had to be home at ten. When this question was raised, I tried to think back to what my parents did with me when I was that age (my parents are so almost exactly Patty and Graham it's frightening (except my dad just barbeques and makes chili, and would never speak to another woman) but I couldn't quite remember. I seem to remember my parents leaving me home alone for a weekend (but maybe only night not two). I'm not quite sure that not being allowed out on school nights necessitates other forms of strictness -- it just depends on the parents priorities. Although my parents are very strict, I had a lot of freedoms my friends didn't, but I was rarely allowed out on school nights, and was never allowed to watch TV during the week. I don't find Patty and Graham leaving 15-year-old Angela home alone too unrealistic, but factoring Danielle into it changes it. I don't think, no, I know, my parents would never have left me home with my older sister when she was 15 and I was 12. I do agree that there is definitely the element of the unlikely in this episode in order to allow for the fun situations that ensue. The series does, from time to time, balance out its realism (ex: So-Called Angels, Halloween).


Starbug, I love that you just whipped out "Bob Krakow"! It would have taken me a moment to conjure up that first name. Props!

My parents never let me spend the night alone at our house until after I had graduated high school. Then, when I was away at college they would come to visit me for a weekend and let my younger brother stay home alone while they were gone. ARRGGHGGH! So UNFAIR!!! Of course, I'm older, so they didn't know what they were doing with me and they had some idea for my younger brother. I paved the way for him on so many things --- he owes me big time.

I think the more realistic thing for Patty and Graham to do (at least, this is what my folks would have done) would have been to have the girls stay at Uncle Neil's house. Or have Uncle Neil stay at their house.

But with every show, no matter how realistic, you have to suspend your disbelief sometimes.

I also would say that it is unrealisting but mainly just because it is Patty in particular. Another reason it's iffy is because of Danielle sort of, I mean because she is so young you would think maybe she'd let Angela stay by herself if Danielle was with an adult but at the same time maybe that is another reason why she did let them stay alone. Ya know the safety in numbers concept!

But I'd say it's not completely UNREALISTIC persay maybe...it's just more unlikely and mostly because it's Patty and she is pretty strict. Again a reason that was brought up that makes it a little more likely and less unrealistic is it being a good neighborhood and the fact that Patty knew she could send Camille or the Krakows or numerous others over to check on the girls. But that's just my two cents.

Im 15 and my parents leave me alond all the time. Just recently, they left for Toronto for a week and a half, we live in northern Ontario. I was fine, I survived. No handcuffs were used though

my parents have left my siblings and i alone, the oldest being 15 at the earliest I think.... my friends mom always leaves her alone for several weeks at a time and it always makes me laught that her mom doesn't invite her along half of the time.....

ThrozzyFoxx: .... my friends mom always leaves her alone for several weeks at a time and it always makes me laught that her mom doesn't invite her along half of the time.....

That sounds familiar. As the oldest I used to feel frustrated to have the responsibilityof my siblings, not leaving much room for my own interests or my own time and space.
My child goes everywhere with me, and we travel away most school holidays. My mum envies that we are close, and her interest in the two of us really annoyed me.