What independent things can a 13/14 year old

[Anonymous]

Back when I was a kid in the 80/90s we were very independent at age 13. I could ride my bike to the store and buy what I wanted with my money, bike to school, babysit, go to McDonalds and eat by myself or with friends. My kid is almost 14. What can he do by himself today without getting harassed by busy bodies? He’s within biking distance of these places. Should I just let him try doing these things?

[Anonymous]

I would think he can do almost everything except vote

[Anonymous]

In a pandemic? What are you drinking?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In a pandemic? What are you drinking?

Ignore he lunatics.

He can do all of that. My 11 year old does that now.

[Anonymous]

My 12 year old can do all that stuff.

[Anonymous]

My 14 year old has been doing that stuff for a few years, but I'm more cautious with my 12 year old who sometimes has poor judgment. Now with the pandemic, I won't let her take the public bus, though, so that limits her.
Also, the biking depends heavily on how safe the streets are. We have a couple areas where there are no shoulder, no bike lanes and the sidewalks are narrow, uneven and have obstructions-- so I don't really allow biking in that direction.

[Anonymous]

Some kid might give kids crap about it, so you will want to give them ideas about what to do when somebody says “where is your mother?!?”

[Anonymous]

Huh? At that age, I was traipsing around on the metro by myself, going to movies, museums etc...and this was before cell phones—I just had to be home by a certain time . I mean it’s different in the middle of a pandemic but otherwise....

[Anonymous]

Attack the Capitol with his family members maskless.

[Anonymous]

OP, my 15 year old can ride his bike in our suburban neighborhood but that’s it. Too many adults feel comfortable harassing teens for my comfort so he has little freedom. I do wonder if this is a poor preparation for more independence in a few years, but the behavior of adults towards teen has changed. I don’t want my DC to become too attenuated to verbal harassment.

[Anonymous]

At 13 my kid took metro from the Ice Rink in Ballston home (changed trains at metro center with his hockey gear)

At 13 my kid was responsible for taking younger sibling to and from summer camp (walk to metro, take it 2 stops, walk to camp and check in). He learned that it is best not to wear flip flops if you are going to walk a lot, if you get on the metro going the wrong direction it is not the end of the world, that if you stop at Wawa's, how much cash you need to bring for yourself and your sibling.

[Anonymous]

My kid is not White. In the pandemic and age of White supremacy and police violence, my kid is not doing very much but study and do his EC activities.

[Anonymous]

The difference between myself at 13 and my daughter at 13 is huge. It is exacerbated by the pandemic. If she was in school, she would be spending more time away from home-socializing, going to the mall with friends, sleepovers etc.

I live in a suburb that is not pedestrian or bike friendly (hilly, no sidewalks). Stores are a mile away. I grew up in DC and took the bus & subway at 13. There is no comparison. I’m concerned.

[Anonymous]

Sadly the way so many ignorant people drive around here (NoVA) would give me pause about letting them stray too far on bikes. However, I don’t know where you live so I can’t say that drivers in your area are as bad. Maybe you both go together on bikes a couple of times to test the route and if it’s good start sending your kid on errands for a couple of items???

[Anonymous]

DS is turning 15 and right now he is not doing much. However, before the pandemic, he rode his bike to the store or took the bus to the mall, etc. The only difference between him and me when I was his age is that I was babysitting and he has never had a job. This will change (hopefully) as soon as this pandemic is over.