Seriously what was she thinking?! Poor kids

I am shocked and also saddened that a mother would leave her children for any reason to travel overseas and leave them behind without parental care.

A Nother that does that does not deserve to have care of children at all. Putting it very diplomatically it is child neglect. If she had to leave them because of a genuine emergency she should have made arrangements for somebody to car for her children. She needs to get her priorities right.

Leaving them with a 16 year old for a day and/or one night is okay – providing the 16 year old is mature enough to handle the responsibility – but for a whole week …. I don’t think so!

A 16 year old is fine to babysit for a few hours. But no way should that sort of burden be put on the for a whole week.

Yes, but this mum didn’t go away for one night but for a hole week.

I can imagine some people leaving their kids alone with a 16yr old for an afternoon or evening, but not overnight, while staying on call in case of emergencies. Indeed depending on maturity. Personally I’ve never done that, but I remember when I was a young my eldest sister sometimes looked after us, while mum and dad had something on. There are many teenagers baby sitting for some pocket money, is that so much different ?

Definitely not good parenting. a 16 year old is not an adult.

If l was asked at sixteen to look after my younger brothers and sister’s then yes l could do it,it depends on how mature a sixteen year old is!

Hard to know if this is right – some 16 year olds would be quite capable.

Unbelievable. Leaving a 16-years old in charge seems quite a lot to ask.
But send her to prison for a year? And who takes care of the kids meanwhile? It seems quite a contradictory sentence.

The penalty seems harsh, but she did do the wrong thing.