What age to ride public transportation alone? Different ages for boys vs. girls?

[Anonymous]

My oldest (Girl) started using busses and Metro at 14.
Younger girl thinks she can start at 12. I think this is too young.

[Anonymous]

There is no standard here, you have to base it on your child. Some kids are ready before others.

My oldest kid t started when he was 11. My youngest kid is 11 now and I don't think he's ready yet. I'm guessing he will start when he is 12.

I have a friend whose son started doing it when he was 10.

[Anonymous]

PP here, I forgot to address the boys vs girl thing. I can't think of one reason why that would make a difference.

[Anonymous]

Most kids should be fine using most public transportation at 12. Really depends how mature & responsible your particular daughter is , though, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP here, I forgot to address the boys vs girl thing. I can't think of one reason why that would make a difference.

Girls and young women have to deal with sexual harassment on public transportation.

[Anonymous]

11 would be my minimum.

[Anonymous]

Really depends on so maybe factors, such as the route, time of day, how crowded it is, who is the crowd, etc.

[Anonymous]

I took metro trains starting at age 8...but this was in the 90s. I think crime was considered worse then.

[Anonymous]

To give some context, the younger child is 11. She wants to catch the Metrobus after school so that she can take dance class 3 times a week instead of just one night and drop in when we can. Her older sister did this for sports starting at 14. Even if I could get off work early that many times a week, there's shared custody and I'm not supposed to take her to any activities on his nights in case he wants to pick her up early (he never does, but that is what the order says). As a result, the bus is an option. I can handle 14, but 12 is so young to me. So frustrating that this area doesn't have a reliable kid transportation service. Uber would have us living on the streets if we committed to that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Really depends on so maybe factors, such as the route, time of day, how crowded it is, who is the crowd, etc.

This. And boy/girl isn't a factor but child's personality is.

[Anonymous]

My daughter started taking the train to and from school by herself when she was 9. Turned 9 at the end of February and around April I started walking her to the train and then sending her off to get to school herself. Also would have her take the train to a main thoroughfare (think Time Square) and I'd meet her right where she'd come up from underground.

She was not particularly mature or immature. We live in San Francisco. By 11.5 she was taking trains and buses all over the city by herself, and can travel out of the city with a friend.

I think waiting until 14 is ridiculous unless your kid is diagnosed as slow or something.

[Anonymous]

OP if you think she is old enough and mature enough then I don't see the problem. Especially because she actually wants to do it.

Maybe do some test runs over the summer. Have her metro somewhere by herself and see how she does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My oldest (Girl) started using busses and Metro at 14.
Younger girl thinks she can start at 12. I think this is too young.

This area makes me laugh. All coddled up and worried.

Kids in elementary school ride the subway in NY to and from school on their own. Parent cards are only issued for K and 1st grade.

I think your snowflake can survive at 12.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My oldest (Girl) started using busses and Metro at 14.
Younger girl thinks she can start at 12. I think this is too young.

This area makes me laugh. All coddled up and worried.

Kids in elementary school ride the subway in NY to and from school on their own. Parent cards are only issued for K and 1st grade.

I think your snowflake can survive at 12.

Lol like NYC kids aren't coddled? Ok then.

[Anonymous]

I see mostly HS aged kids on the metro alone.