Would you let 15 year old take your kids into DC?

[Anonymous]

I'm a PP that said no. I did not say no bc I'm scared of any dangers on the metro/bus. I was mostly thinking of the behavior of my two sons about the same age. They constantly fight/bicker. I am not sure that a 15 yr old would have the maturity to handle it if they started in the museums or zoo. I would trust the sitter to handle it in our home bc he could just send them to their rooms. I would also feel more comfortable if he brought the kids to familiar places like the neighborhood park. But, I guess this is an issue with my own kids. If your kids get along well then go for it. Also, you should probably have the support of your ex as he can make this a problem for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It depends on the 15 year old. Some are very mature and responsible, some are airheads.

THATs the answer. Actually, half the answer. It also depends on your kids - are they good listeners? do they get along? are they well-behaved with this sitter?


My 14 year old does these things (not for younger kids yet, but certainly for himself). He has been riding the metro without an adult since his 13th summer.

The posters who think a 15 year old is too young to ride the metro are crazy (or at least should get out more).

[Anonymous]

I agree with dad. I would not allow it. Why not offer dad more time?

[Anonymous]

I would as long as babysitter was familiar with metro and would have a basic idea of what to do if there was an issue with the metro. It also sounds like you will be fairly easily be able to meet them if there is an issue.

That said, I thinking taking into the fact that your ex is so against it is important. Does he know the babysitter and know she's mature and competeNt? Have you laid out all the details for him?

[Anonymous]

Of course. Taking the metro to Woodley Park and walking up the street to the zoo is in a safe neighborhood. The Smithsonian stop makes it easy to go to the museums. 15 year olds who live in the city take public transportation by themselves all the time. As long as the sitter is responsible, and your kids are not out of control ( they will listen to the sitter), they will be fine. I assume the sitter will have a cell phone, and you can ask her to check in from time to time.

[Anonymous]

The plan is fine. If your ex is unreasonable you can't live your life in constant fear of his complaints. he can call all he wants but for this, they won't care. If you have your on lawyer you might get some advice on how to handle these kinds of situations prospectively.

But the plan sounds fine and really fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The plan is fine. If your ex is unreasonable you can't live your life in constant fear of his complaints. he can call all he wants but for this, they won't care. If you have your on lawyer you might get some advice on how to handle these kinds of situations prospectively.

But the plan sounds fine and really fun.

+1. I grew up outside of Boston and my sister and I went into Boston on public transportation to sail (community boating) when we were 11 and 10. It was fine. We did it for the next two summers. It all depends on what you are used to doing.

Your plan sounds great.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely. I would allow my DDs to do the trip you described alone at 12, so I would be fine with a 15 year old escorting them at 9 and 11 (or any age older than 5 really).

[Anonymous]

This thread is ridiculous! Of course the teen can take the kids downtown on the Metro. Maybe that's because I just watched the documentary about the teenager who sailed around the world by herself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't hire a babysitter just for their skill in taking my kid to a museum downtown and back. I hire a babysitter who can handle any contingency, such as a national emergency, which is always a possibility in the nation's capital.

Geez, if worrying about people armed with guns wasn't enough, now we need babysitters and Nannies who can handle national emergencies?

How do you interview for a babysitter who can handle national emergencies? OMG there's even a study guide! Are You Ready? An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness And an exam you can sit. http://www.fema.gov/pdf/areyouready/areyouready_full.pdf


Part 1 Basic Preparedness .....................................................................................13
Section 1.1 Getting Informed............................................................................15
Section 1.2 Emergency Planning and Checklists...............................................23
Section 1.3 Assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit...................................................31
Section 1.4 Shelter ...........................................................................................37
Section 1.5 Hazard-Specific Preparedness........................................................43
Section 1.6 Practicing and Maintaining Your Plan ............................................45
Part 2 Natural Hazards..........................................................................................47
Section 2.1 Floods ...........................................................................................49
Section 2.2 Tornadoes .....................................................................................57
Section 2.3 Hurricanes ....................................................................................65
Section 2.4 Thunderstorms and Lightning ........................................................73
Section 2.5 Winter Storms and Extreme Cold ..................................................79
Section 2.6 Extreme Heat ................................................................................85
Section 2.7 Earthquakes ...................................................................................93
Section 2.8 Volcanoes ...................................................................................101
Section 2.9 Landslides and Debris Flow (Mudslide) .......................................105
Section 2.10 Tsunamis ..................................................................................111
Section 2.11 Fires ..........................................................................................115
Section 2.12 Wildfires ...................................................................................123
Part 3 Technological Hazards..............................................................................127
Section 3.1 Hazardous Materials Incidents......................................................129
Section 3.2 Household Chemical Emergencies ...............................................133
Section 3.3 Nuclear Power Plants ...................................................................139
Part 4 Terrorism ..................................................................................................145
Section 4.1 General Information about Terrorism ...........................................147
Section 4.2 Explosions ...................................................................................151
Section 4.3 Biological Threats........................................................................155
Section 4.4 Chemical Threats .........................................................................159
Section 4.5 Nuclear Blast ...............................................................................163
Section 4.6 Radiological Dispersion Device (RDD)........................................169
Section 4.7 Homeland Security Advisory System ...........................................173

LOL. This is great

[Anonymous]

I'd allow it. But my DD11 has been taking the train to school by herself since she was 9.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for the responses, it's helpful to hear other's opinions. I'm not American but have lived here several years, still it's not obvious to me sometimes what it is people are worried about.

To clarify - Bethesda is about 8 metro stops/20 mins from DC - it's not alien territory for them. I'm assuming people on this forum are from the DMV area. I work downtown DC and didn't think it unsafe. The babysitter and kids are confident and excited about it.

I planned to print an itinerary and maps/directions for the babysitter and put the Metro phone apps on their phones - they won't be wandering around aimlessly. They have GPS on their phones, even the 11 year old can use that. The only bus would be from Bethesda Metro Station so we're talking Montgomery County buses, not DC. The 15 year old has used buses around Montgomery County.

Can those who think it's not a good idea explain why? Is it DC, or the Metro or the buses? Or the people they'll encounter? I thought this was a safe area.

They could all stay home all week but I thought it'd be nice for them, the 15 year old included, to go out. The dad makes unfounded reports regardless but I try not to let it ruin opportunities for the kids. I'm just trying to determine how founded or unfounded this one would be.

Because American moms coddle their kids. Sorry but most American kids have low self-esteem, no common sense, are fearful of everything their parents worry them about, and have no way of direction. It is very different in other countries where public transportation and taking care of siblings/kids and going off on your own is very common. Our kids are idiots thanks to us. Next someone will mention that there "could" be a pedophile on the Metro that will snatch all the kids and that is why they don't let them do anything but watch tv and play on an iPad.

Sure why not? That is your attitude. Live your beliefs. I would not do it, but they are not my kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for the responses, it's helpful to hear other's opinions. I'm not American but have lived here several years, still it's not obvious to me sometimes what it is people are worried about.

To clarify - Bethesda is about 8 metro stops/20 mins from DC - it's not alien territory for them. I'm assuming people on this forum are from the DMV area. I work downtown DC and didn't think it unsafe. The babysitter and kids are confident and excited about it.

I planned to print an itinerary and maps/directions for the babysitter and put the Metro phone apps on their phones - they won't be wandering around aimlessly. They have GPS on their phones, even the 11 year old can use that. The only bus would be from Bethesda Metro Station so we're talking Montgomery County buses, not DC. The 15 year old has used buses around Montgomery County.

Can those who think it's not a good idea explain why? Is it DC, or the Metro or the buses? Or the people they'll encounter? I thought this was a safe area.

They could all stay home all week but I thought it'd be nice for them, the 15 year old included, to go out. The dad makes unfounded reports regardless but I try not to let it ruin opportunities for the kids. I'm just trying to determine how founded or unfounded this one would be.

Because American moms coddle their kids. Sorry but most American kids have low self-esteem, no common sense, are fearful of everything their parents worry them about, and have no way of direction. It is very different in other countries where public transportation and taking care of siblings/kids and going off on your own is very common. Our kids are idiots thanks to us. Next someone will mention that there "could" be a pedophile on the Metro that will snatch all the kids and that is why they don't let them do anything but watch tv and play on an iPad.

Sure why not? That is your attitude. Live your beliefs. I would not do it, but they are not my kids.

I feel bad for your kids. You are depriving them of learning and being mindful on their own. If Mommy is always with them they just go on auto-pilot. Just like when they watch tv instead of playing outside, or text when they should have real conversations. A nation full of clueless auto-pilot kids.

[Anonymous]

I babysat when I was 15 and took the kids from Bethesda to the zoo. I was also very responsible at that age and had good kids to look after. Make sure the sitter is comfortable with the plan and have alternatives nearby, like going out for a movie and ice cream in Bethesda.

Honestly, OP, sounds like you have more to worry about leaving them with your bitter exthan with your sitter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has the 15-year-old been riding buses and metro by him/her self for some time, including making sense maps of schedules, changing trains and buses? My 12-year-old has been riding for two years, but always on routes I selected for her and practiced in advance. I wouldn't let her be in charge of a younger kid until she is comfortable not just with the mechanics of riding and changing trains, but planning the trip as well. If the 15-year-old has done all that and, importantly, if the 15-year-old is comfortable and excited about doing all that with younger kids in tow, and your kids know the babysitter and can be counted on to follow his/her directions, then it could be a great experience for all of them. Unfortunately, there is also the very serious matter of the father who is in the habit of making unfounded CPS reports. Do you have a feeling he might do that in this case if you don't cave in?

This. My 14-year-old is now very comfortable with buses and metro, after 2 years of working up to doing it more frequently and learning new routes, and is familiar with using transit apps and reading the maps on the trains. He's also proven to be reliable when taking care of younger children outside a few blocks from home, and has shown good judgment both on his own and when watching younger children, including when he has to change plans unexpectedly. Knowing this, I would be comfortable with him taking younger children into DC, as long as the parents of the younger children were fine with it.

So it depends on this 15-year-old's experience with transit, with caring for younger children (keeping in mind that these kids are not very young), and with making good decisions. If all of those are good, then yes, as a parent I would be fine with it.

But a separate question is whether it would be worth the difficulties of dealing with your ex on this matter, when he disagrees and doesn't seem to have a reasonable way of expressing his disagreement.