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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, ofc. My sister still gets her 17.5 yr old a babysitter whenever she's not home, they have to learn independence.

This is insane! I SAH homeschool my kids, no sleep overs, diagnosed with anxiety and this is totally flipping nuts to me. 17.5?!?!?!?!?! Wow. When does she get to be a grown up, 25?

[Anonymous]

For me, I assume an internship like this specifically targets underage kids to put them in a vulnerable situation.

And 50% or more are untouched.
And then the other 40-50% are vulnerable to abuse.

I said it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For me, I assume an internship like this specifically targets underage kids to put them in a vulnerable situation.

And 50% or more are untouched.
And then the other 40-50% are vulnerable to abuse.

I said it.

A famous dancer said this was how it worked when she went to live in another country as a teen. Everything seemed fine until it wasn’t. Now she sees it was always meant to be a privileged yet targeted position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How independent is your kid, generally?

My husband did something very similar at 17 one summer for an internship at a museum, but was attending a boarding school (albeit across the country) so was pretty independent to begin with. His grandmother's friend happened to live in the next town and two aunts were a few hours away. The museum happened to be in a college town (internship not affiliated) and he found a group house with some college students to stay in.

It really depends on the kid, and the level of supervision they have performed under. That summer was a lot more freedom than he had had before, but not a dramatic jump, and a good trial before college.

16 year olds are serving as camp counsellors at sleep away camp, not only are they away from home in addition they are supervising other kids

A 16 year old camp counselor has 24/7 supervision and all their food needs taken care of, though.

NP.

[Anonymous]

That said, I know a 14 yo going to live overseas for soccer in a big house of boys - chaperones/headmistress watching them. Very trusting parents. But I’d say they’ve probably given him a lot of talks about a variety of topics.

16 almost seems scarier than 14 to me, because they think they know more. And they can almost pass for 18, might put themselves in harms way. When a 14yo with a set of chaperones and in a group (not alone in an apartment) has enough eyes around to stay out of huge trouble.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For me, I assume an internship like this specifically targets underage kids to put them in a vulnerable situation.

And 50% or more are untouched.
And then the other 40-50% are vulnerable to abuse.

I said it.

There are tons of internships (at least there used to be prior to government cutbacks) in the DMV area with places like NIH specifically for high school kids. NASA and others also had internships specifically for HS kids.

Now, as you might expect...most of the kids are local, but that's not a requirement. There are always call it 10% of kids that are coming in from out of the area. Usually, they have a family member...but I could see trying to figure something out for a 16 year old that snagged a NASA job.

Are you claiming these types of internships are really fronts to abuse children?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How independent is your kid, generally?

My husband did something very similar at 17 one summer for an internship at a museum, but was attending a boarding school (albeit across the country) so was pretty independent to begin with. His grandmother's friend happened to live in the next town and two aunts were a few hours away. The museum happened to be in a college town (internship not affiliated) and he found a group house with some college students to stay in.

It really depends on the kid, and the level of supervision they have performed under. That summer was a lot more freedom than he had had before, but not a dramatic jump, and a good trial before college.

16 year olds are serving as camp counsellors at sleep away camp, not only are they away from home in addition they are supervising other kids

A 16 year old camp counselor has 24/7 supervision and all their food needs taken care of, though.

NP.

They're not supervised any more than this kid would be at his internship and he wouldn't be responsible for little people. Also, we're supposed to be worried about 16 year olds starving to death? Insanity.

[Anonymous]

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

Hmmm…if sorry about a girl’s safety more. If she’s always seen alone…I don’t trust others.

[Anonymous]

%*I’d worry

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I will. But I am an immigrant and not American where 16 year olds are treated like 12 year old children. Your son will be fine.

A 16YO cannot rent an apartment here and no legit landlord is going to be OK with a 16 living alone on their property.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was in college full time at 16

Did you live alone in an off campus apartment by yourself?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How independent is your kid, generally?

My husband did something very similar at 17 one summer for an internship at a museum, but was attending a boarding school (albeit across the country) so was pretty independent to begin with. His grandmother's friend happened to live in the next town and two aunts were a few hours away. The museum happened to be in a college town (internship not affiliated) and he found a group house with some college students to stay in.

It really depends on the kid, and the level of supervision they have performed under. That summer was a lot more freedom than he had had before, but not a dramatic jump, and a good trial before college.

16 year olds are serving as camp counsellors at sleep away camp, not only are they away from home in addition they are supervising other kids

A 16 year old camp counselor has 24/7 supervision and all their food needs taken care of, though.

NP.

They're not supervised any more than this kid would be at his internship and he wouldn't be responsible for little people. Also, we're supposed to be worried about 16 year olds starving to death? Insanity.

You are completely missing the point that people saying no are mostly objecting to the illegal apartment rental.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I will. But I am an immigrant and not American where 16 year olds are treated like 12 year old children. Your son will be fine.

A 16YO cannot rent an apartment here and no legit landlord is going to be OK with a 16 living alone on their property.

So, a parent rents an AirBnB or a VRBO and nobody gives a shit as to the day-to-day comings and goings.

OP said they will actually be on site for 70% of the time.

Folks, it’s not complicated if you want to make it happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That said, I know a 14 yo going to live overseas for soccer in a big house of boys - chaperones/headmistress watching them. Very trusting parents. But I’d say they’ve probably given him a lot of talks about a variety of topics.

16 almost seems scarier than 14 to me, because they think they know more. And they can almost pass for 18, might put themselves in harms way. When a 14yo with a set of chaperones and in a group (not alone in an apartment) has enough eyes around to stay out of huge trouble.

UK news media have had multiple credible reports of abuse, sometimes by adults and sometimes by other boys, in situations like the above. Safety first.