Age for metro
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
| What age would you let your kid take the metro by herself to get to school? Say from one side of the line to the other so no transfer. School and our house are one block from train stations. Some days she’ll have a friend with her but probably not every day. |
Anonymous
| I ride daily and see middle schoolers (guessing) but rarely younger. Mostly HS. |
Anonymous
| This is very kid specific. Have you let her lead you home including getting on the correct escalators and trains or does she follow you around? |
Anonymous
|
I’d let my kid at 13. She started riding the metro bus at 12. We live in moco and it’s rare she takes the bus but she has, to go to our local ish shopping center and back.
I’d ride the route with her a couple of times and make sure she knew what to do in an emergency. I know some kids do this younger and maybe if I lived in DC and other kids were doing it I might agree, but for us it’s 13. |
Anonymous
| Both my boys started at 10. |
Anonymous
| 5th grade |
Anonymous
+1 |
Anonymous
| DS started for this same reason at age 14. Other kids at his school did it younger, but he was anxious and we didn't mind letting him wait until he felt ready. He does switch lines so that was part of what he was worried about; might have started sooner if it had been a straight shot. |
Anonymous
| 7th grade |
Anonymous
| Middle school. I took the metro in Paris starting at 12, and it was a similar situation with no transfers. I had a longer walk home, but it was during the day. |
Anonymous
My mother accompanied me several times at first to make sure I remembered the way and felt comfortable. |
Anonymous
| 5th grade |
Anonymous
|
It's very kid-specific. My DS was ready to take metro to and from school by himself in 6th grade, though some days he rides with other kids from school (depends on everyone's after school schedule). He's responsible, has street smarts and is always aware of his surroundings. I don't think my DD will be like that when she's in 6th grade. She isn't as aware of her surroundings and she's always been on the small side so she looks even younger than she is. She's just not as mature in general as DS was at the same ages, so she may not be ready to ride the metro alone until she's a bit older.
The other thing that gives me pause about letting her ride alone is that my DS has witnessed older teen boys or maybe young men (he couldn't quite tell) bother the girls in his group on the metro. Even when riding with a co-ed group of kids, the girls were still getting harassed by others. I've talked to my DS about what to do in those situations to help the girls and keep the whole group as safe as possible, but it was unsettling for the kids. I'd want my DD to have a bit more maturity before possibly having to deal with that--and any other unforeseen circumstances--when riding alone. Again, it's really kid-specific. |
Anonymous
| Depends partly on the route. End to end on the Green Line and I'd never allow it. |
Anonymous
|
My DS was 11 when he started 6th grade this year to get to school.
So easy for him and game changer with not having to drive. |