Reply to How Independent is your 16 year old DS?

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Reply to "How Independent is your 16 year old DS?"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]These answers are strange. Who cares if your son can do laundry or cook a meal for the family. That’s not a sign of independence. The most dependent kid could do that.

How about traveling alone?
Getting back and forth to school and activities independently? 
Planning his own schedule?
Coordinating his own activities?
Finding a job, and having new responsibilities at work
Pursuing independent interests and passions 
Taking care of his own banking and money
Being responsible for some household chores 
Being responsible for siblings or grandparents 
Being trusted to handle significant things at home/school/work - deliveries, pet care, shoveling snow, letting contractors in and out, etc 
Being able to spend the night/weekend alone

[/quote]

Well, I am a  pp that mentioned cooking dinner for the family and doing laundry, which you are so dismissive about.   Maybe my answers are "strange" because I really wasn't sure what to write--"independent" can mean different things to different people, and OP didn't mention any specifics so I was trying to come up with examples of my own.

Since you provided some examples I will answer based on those:
[b]How about traveling alone?[/b]  yes, he has flown many times on his own-we have dropped him off in front of the airport and he has navigated going through security, getting to the gate, etc. on his own.  
[b]
Getting back and forth to school and activities independently?[/b] No, because he doesn't not have his license.   We do not live in a location with public transportation.  His school is over 4 miles away and it starts early in the morning (still dark outside at some points of the year) so he can not bike.

[b]Planning his own schedule? [/b] He decides which activities he does, which are on a set schedule...so I guess?
[b]
Coordinating his own activities?[/b]  See above

[b]Finding a job, and having new responsibilities at work[/b]  No, he has not had a job yet.   He is heavily involved with activities both in and out of school and doesn't have time for a job.
[b]
Pursuing independent interests and passions [/b] Yes
[b]
Taking care of his own banking and money[/b]  He doesn't have/earn much money.   We pay him $30 to mow our lawn...that's about it
[b]
Being responsible for some household chores [/b]Yes, in addition to mowing the lawn (for pay) he feeds the cats, cleans their litter box and empties/loads the dishwasher (no pay)

[b]Being responsible for siblings or grandparents [/b] No, his siblings are older than him.   2 grandparents are dead and the other two don't live near us.

[b]Being trusted to handle significant things at home/school/work - deliveries, pet care, shoveling snow, letting contractors in and out, etc [/b]  Homework yes.  Pet care yes, shoveling snow yes.   Deliveries and letting contractors in/out haven't come up.   My kid is a big/tall boy--but tbh if I had a 16 year old daughter I would NOT want her staying at home by herself to let in contractors.

[b]Being able to spend the night/weekend alone[/b] He probably would be able to, but it hasn't come up.

[/quote]

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