with aunts/grandparents/etc. There was one year where their arrangements for my brother and I fell through and so he and I stayed home the whole weekend (Friday evening through Sunday night) by ourselves. I think we were like 10 and 8. Mom got us like 8 Totinos pizzas and quart of ice cream. We didn't leave the house the entire time but just ate pizza and ice cream and watched TV. It was the greatest weekend of my life to that point. And every time I think about it now I just can't fathom that my parents were ok with this. On the other hand, we grew up to be very responsible young men and did a lot of things for ourselves that my kids would never do now. I'm 20 years into parenting and still not sure our ways are better today.