Seriously? A 15 y.o. needs a babysitter? I won't believe that.
I just checked. You're not supposed to leave an under-16 alone at home overnight. So yes, the 15 year old would need a babysitter if it was overnight.
I thought a 16 y.o. can buy legally a beer but not strong alcohols. Is the legal age the same as in the USA, 21?
The legal age to buy alcohol in the UK is 18 but many stores enforce 21, or even 25.
You can supposedly have a beer or cider with a meal if an adult orders for you when you are over 16, but I don't think many pubs / restaurants actually allow that.
You have to be 18 to buy cigarettes.
You have to be 18 to buy any kind of knife, including cutlery and kitchen knives. So you're 16, you can set up your own household and have children, but your parents will have to buy any knives you need for your kitchen. Wow. Very logical.
10 year old is a little too old, but maybe the parent was worried about the kid messing up their sunday clothes.. maybe, she was letting the child try some food from their own plate? Maybe this was an alternative to "you will sit at this table until your plate is clean!" routine.
My thoughts exactly.
all three of these boys are so pathetic. We can hear them through the walls crying. All the time.
Maybe they're being extra naughty and keep getting punished? ;-)