Maybe I'm overprotective

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

Now, I know my mother (who maybe wouldn't win awards, I admit) occasionally was out until after we were in bed. Once or twice. I know once was her little brother and his wife went to hospital so she was there with their children, who are 11-15 years younger than me. So me and my little sister would be early teens. Once was a netball match, she was due home at 9 but disloacted a finger and ended up in Friday night A&E until gone midnight. Think we were 12 and 14 then.

If it is a regular thing then that's VERY worrying and not right. It's a mite overprotective if the mother is out once and the son wants company, but not at all if this mother is rarely around, doesn't provide meals and doesn't provide any care. Walking home at 10.30 - I would be worried if DH were to do this! Actually, he doesn't. I have done it occasionally but as I walk home from the village due to a book club and he'd walk home from town after a few drinks then it's different. So I'd say not overprotective in this instance. Good for you for showing this poor lad things can - and should - be different.

[Ozziehoffy]

Wow! My DS 1 is 15 and I won't let him walk around at that time on his own either... in fact even with mates... NO WAY! Craziness.

[Lisa]

My brother had a friend like this... his mum had numerous issues and would leave her son alone most evenings. It got to the point that my parents offered for him to stay at our house every weekend, and most evenings too. My family kept him safe and out of trouble for over 10 years... when my family moved 5hrs away... this boy asked his mum if he could move too... and my parents took him in.
He admits that he wouldn't have known right from wrong if we weren't there to show him. We treated him like a brother... we taught him all the things his mum was unable to teach him, even the little things like how to hold a knife & fork properly.
I hope that someone out there, shows this little guy what he needs, which is time and attention... it seems from your posts that he is a decent enough kid, not wanting to spend his pocket money etc... I hope he stays on the right path in life and doesn't get mixed up with the wrong crowd/people which sadly happens so often in these type of circumstances.