Anonymous wrote:Mine never did. The mall in our town banned under 18 without a parent or guardian. That was 20 years ago. Probably why it's still booming.

Where? What town? That's great, I live in a small town I may pass that along

Anonymous wrote:Seems like a normal thing for a teen to do. It's sad that there have been acts of violence in so many malls lately, though. It makes me sad that nowhere public is really safe, but you cannot lock your children away. It's life now.

Crime has always existed & crime rates have actually gone down significantly since we were kids/teens.

Anonymous wrote:DD, 14, wants to hang out with her friends at Montgomery Mall. Given what happened at Wheaton Plaza, my inclination is to say no. What would you do?

FWIW, it's not like what happened at Wheaton Plaza hasn't happened at Montgomery Mall. I worked at Nordstrom in Montgomery Mall over a decade ago when a stabbing happened there. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/26/AR2005052600006.html Just last year there was the shooting there. http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/maryland/shooting-reported-at-montgomery-mall/177084523 So you have to know that anywhere, danger is a possibility. It's up to you to decide whether to keep your DD in a bubble or let her go out and live life.

Statistically, the most dangerous part of the mall is getting and leaving there (due to car travel).

Mine never did. The mall in our town banned under 18 without a parent or guardian. That was 20 years ago. Probably why it's still booming.

I started hanging out at the mall when I was 10-11. We'd go to the candy store, watch a movie, look at clothes and cute things. It's what teens do. It's what they've done for decades, and always been relatively safe.

Do you let your 14 year old cross a crosswalk, even though they may still be killed by a detracted driver? Let your child have some fun - you cannot fully and completely protect them forever.

But in my 30s, I HATE going to the mall. If I do I go to a specific store, or to return something. Why anyone would choose to go to the mall as a form of "fun" is beyond me. But it's a timeless teenager tradition.

I usually drop my DD off with her friends at either Tysons or Montgomery Mall. They usually call me when they are ready togo and I am fine with it!

Seems like a normal thing for a teen to do. It's sad that there have been acts of violence in so many malls lately, though. It makes me sad that nowhere public is really safe, but you cannot lock your children away. It's life now.

If my kids were with a reliable group of friends, then perhaps. I would prefer Montgomery Mall to Wheaton Mall, knowing both as I do. But this would be a very boring way to pass the afternoon. My kids would rather spend it playing RPG/video games/ or reading.

Anonymous wrote:I'm fine with that for my 13 year old DD.

+1
No problem with it at all. My DD and her friend(s) like to go for about three hours - shop, eat, eat, shop. Maybe see a movie, but usually not. Sometimes I stay and do my own shopping, other times we just carpool and drop them off. It gives them the freedom they crave while still in a reasonably safe environment. I have lots of memories of doing the same thing at that age.

Montgomery is fine. My teen DD goes there with friends frequently.

I'm fine with that for my 13 year old DD.

Montgomery Mall is fine, OP. My DD, 16, does this all the time. They eat at the food court, maybe see a movie, and go to sephora.

I used to hang out at the mall with my friends when I was a teenager. It was fun, we ate pizza, tried on clothes and walked around the mall people watching.

But that was back when it was pretty normal for teens to do that. Now I might drive them to the mall and let them go off by themselves but I would stay at the mall and have them meet me places to check in.

DD, 14, wants to hang out with her friends at Montgomery Mall. Given what happened at Wheaton Plaza, my inclination is to say no. What would you do?