13 year old on the metro

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There will be non-dangerous people riding at 7 or 8. Just tell him to ride in the middle car, not the end cars.

And look confident, like he does this all the time and it's not a problem. No eye contact, just read something.

[Anonymous]

I did this in the 90s but I had previous experience doing this. From Fairfax Hospital (bus) to Dunn Loring (metro) to foggy bottom then would walk to Foggy Bottom and walk to Georgetown to work at our family store . Didnt do it at night .

[Anonymous]

Having a kid that age out neil 7 on school night on regular basis seems like an over scheduled kid. Kids that age should be at home having dinner and finishing up homework by 7 at the latest. Somethings gotta give. Alexandria is too far away to be from FH at that hour for a middle schooler.

[Anonymous]

BTW, gender is irrelevant to me on this. Kids are tired by that time of day and they make mistakes--taking out their phone in front of people--heck, falling asleep and missing their stop. Every year their is a mugging spree in FH against people walking home in the EARLY evening when it gets dark. Why would you put your kid in that? Easy pickings for a mugging.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow. I'm surprised at all of these responses - NP here. How far are you from FH metro? If anything pick him up There, although that is highly unnecessary to me. Though I am also a new yorker who began riding the bus and train by myself at 10 or 11 and by 13 I was going an hour each way on two different trains.

The trains are NOT deserted after rush hour (these posters just probably don't ride enough to know). You can tell him to avoid the first and last car, which are less full. Teach him exactly how to go and hell be fine.

I cannot believe how over-sheltered children are now. How on earth do you expect them to become self-sufficient?

Actually, I am one of the posters who wouldn't do it after rush hour - turns out, I am from Brooklyn and stand by what I said. No, the trains aren't deserted, but they certainly aren't that crowded heading IN to the city. OUT is something else. I know lots of kids that age who ride the metro to and from school. They don't ride home from activities at 7 on their own. They get self-sufficient slowly over time and for my money, 13 is too young to transfer trains at 7:30 at night.

I transferred trains at night after basketball practice to the J train at that age (yes, that's in Brooklyn). I think a 13 year old boy could do it but it all depends on how street savy that 13 year is. As someone else mentioned, no iPhone or IPod out and I would avoid Gallery Place. Transferring train involves getting out and walking up stairs to another platform. It really is not that complicated. OP, I would take the trip with him a couple of times to see how he does.

[Anonymous]

OP here, would you avoid Gallery Place if the "cost" of doing so was being alone on the King Street platform?

I am picturing him on the platform, yellow line comes and everybody but him gets on.

Or is King St. a station where both directions share a platform?

[Anonymous]

My DD has been riding metro and the bus and making transfers since about age 10. She is very confident in knowing where to go, where to stand, knows all the rules about safety (no electronics, no standing near door, try to avoid cars that have lots of teens, never get on an empty car or with only 1 person, etc). She is now 14 and I will still NOT let her do the metro at night. It's about to start getting dark earlier, so "night" will be 6pm. So while I don't have an issue with 6pm "night", while within the metro system since it is still "rush hour", I will not let her walk home from the metro like she normally does at that time.

[Anonymous]

PP, also after about 7pm Metro is off-limits while she DD is alone. Like another poster stated, the trains do start emptying out of professional people and a different "quality" of folks are on the trains at that time.

[Anonymous]

I'd allow a boy OR girl at that age if they're responsible and street smart to take the trains to get around, as long as it's during rush hour. I wouldn't want them getting off the train when it's deserted out there AND dark.

Also, I'd tell them to sit near boring-looking adults rather than other kids, and to keep their phone tucked away around other kids, lest it get stolen.

[Anonymous]

No fancy clothes like a North Face jacket or the latest Nike shoes. Kids have been assaulted by other teens for those items. I think that station has a two sided platform and it is above ground, and people outside can see you from below.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No fancy clothes like a North Face jacket or the latest Nike shoes. Kids have been assaulted by other teens for those items. I think that station has a two sided platform and it is above ground, and people outside can see you from below.

OP here: Luckily* my kid doesn't own an iphone, ipod, North Face jacket or the latest Nike shoes. I imagine that he if he pulled out his handme down, held together with duct tape, pay as you go phone with buttons instead of a touch screen the potential muggers would die laughing.

* I doubt my kid would use the word "lucky" to describe this situation.

[Anonymous]

Here's an idea: OP - take the train back from Alexandria at 7:30. See what it is like on the platform. See how often trains come. Then decide on your own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Having a kid that age out neil 7 on school night on regular basis seems like an over scheduled kid. Kids that age should be at home having dinner and finishing up homework by 7 at the latest. Somethings gotta give. Alexandria is too far away to be from FH at that hour for a middle schooler.

Finishing up homework by 7pm? A 7th or 8th grader? Not in our universe. Try finishing up around 9 on a good night.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't. I'd wait another year. Girl or boy. I've got a 16-year-old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow. I'm surprised at all of these responses - NP here. How far are you from FH metro? If anything pick him up There, although that is highly unnecessary to me. Though I am also a new yorker who began riding the bus and train by myself at 10 or 11 and by 13 I was going an hour each way on two different trains.

The trains are NOT deserted after rush hour (these posters just probably don't ride enough to know). You can tell him to avoid the first and last car, which are less full. Teach him exactly how to go and hell be fine.

I cannot believe how over-sheltered children are now. How on earth do you expect them to become self-sufficient?

I agree. I'm still in my 20s and was on the Metro here in DC going everywhere alone at 13. I still see kids around that age alone and they don't stick out. Unless your son is impressionable, he should be fine. I can totally see picking him up from FH metro in the evening if that makes you feel better.