Would you let a 16yo stay alone in an apartment for an internship

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. We let our 16 year old spend 3-4 nights alone every week last summer as she was working at the beach and we were back in DC. She was comfortable with it which was key. She biked to work each day, biked for groceries, cooked for herself, etc.

This is terrible parenting

I am not a helicopter paren5 however this is dumb.

[Anonymous]

No.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. We let our 16 year old spend 3-4 nights alone every week last summer as she was working at the beach and we were back in DC. She was comfortable with it which was key. She biked to work each day, biked for groceries, cooked for herself, etc.

This is terrible parenting

I am not a helicopter paren5 however this is dumb.

I agree. Super dumb. I’m sure she was “comfortable” with it - and her boyfriend was too. The naïveté of some parents astound me.

[Anonymous]

Nope. Parent of 2 teenage/young adult men here: even the most mature boys need some supervision at that age. And honestly any "internship" that is given to a HS sophomore/junior is a bogus one in any case.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is that legal?

I’m going to go with no, but it’s probably state specific.

No, I wouldn’t do. Not at 16.

[Anonymous]

No. At that age, internships are probably bogus anyway. If your kid wants to work, get a normal teenage summer job.

[Anonymous]

A girl, yes. But not a boy.

[Anonymous]

I think this is very kid dependent, and you know your own kid. But it also matters, how far away are we talking and what is the internship? I’m trying to imagine what type of internship this could be, that would be worth it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. At that age, internships are probably bogus anyway. If your kid wants to work, get a normal teenage summer job.

It’s for his university applications.

[Anonymous]

Look for college dorms that let you rent rooms for summer. My husband did that in NYC when he was young, much safer than your idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A girl, yes. But not a boy.

It’s just as sexist but initial reaction was the opposite. My son looked like a grown man at 16. I’d worry more about break ins for my daughter, which is irrational.

This seems too much of a hassle for the entire family for an internship at this age.

[Anonymous]

No! And that’s an incredibly stupid thing to consider as a parent to a kid that age.

[Anonymous]

What kind of apartment? I leave my 11-year home for quite a long time. The apartment is safe with three locks, it's near front desk, and he has the phone number to front desk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What kind of apartment? I leave my 11-year home for quite a long time. The apartment is safe with three locks, it's near front desk, and he has the phone number to front desk.

I hope you don't leave your 11 year old home alone overnight.

[Anonymous]

The summer before my senior year of college, I went to a university across the country and took classes. There were college students around but no chaperones or other adult minders. NBD. The only difference you’d have is maybe an apartment would have slightly more older adults around vs college students?

Could you see about dorm housing instead for the summer (this is often available in big cities - I remember using it for NYU in college) if that would make you a bit more comfortable?