I've lived in this neighborhood you are referring to and know it well. I would personally not allow it in the 7th grade. If it's dark, I'd wait for 9th grade and walking with a friend.

Anonymous wrote:I agree 25 or 30. Seriously!

So if your DD or DS gets a job in NYC after college will you or your spouse accompany him or her to & from work everyday or will you hire a nanny to accompany him or her to & from work everyday? If it is the latter, remember to specify that only nannies over 30 need apply when advertising the position or you may end up with a nanny who needs of a nanny!

I love NY and my kids do too. At this point, my son is 14 and pretty mature, but I would say 17. When he goes to college, I realize if he wants to go to NYC or anywhere else, I won't really have much control. He should learn to handle the city and transportation etc. before then.

100

Anonymous wrote:This was many years ago now, but a pimp mistook my college-aged sister for a runaway and basically tried to abscond with her. She handled it, but to send a kid to NYC solo, I'd want to have some confidence that they could handle being approached like that. Some kids are savvy, some aren't. 16yo me had no street smarts. If yours does, that's the earliest if even consider it.

Assuming by "many years ago" you mean sometime in the '70s, '80s or '90s, NYC is far less dangerous now.

Anonymous wrote:Completely alone, I'd say 16 or so, but my kids started going with a friend or group of friends in early high school- 14 or 15.

+1

Yeah, depends a lot on street smarts. I'd say somewhere between 16 and 18. Also, what if the cell phone battery wears down unexpectedly? Sometimes mine burns out in a few hours if I forget to close map app or if I'm underground a lot. Or if she loses the phone? Just hav a plan for what to do if the technology cord is unexpectedly cut.

I started going by myself at 14. It was usually just for the day and I would go to dance auditions and then have a little time to window shop and go out to eat by myself. My mom would drop me off early in the morning and I would take the bus from Union Station and then she's pick me back up around midnight when the bus came back. I'm glad I had the opportunity because when I went to college I had no problem going off on my own and being independent.

This was many years ago now, but a pimp mistook my college-aged sister for a runaway and basically tried to abscond with her. She handled it, but to send a kid to NYC solo, I'd want to have some confidence that they could handle being approached like that. Some kids are savvy, some aren't. 16yo me had no street smarts. If yours does, that's the earliest if even consider it.

Depending on the child and friends and plans for the day, I'd say 16.

First time I went was at age 14. I was not saavy but made it home. Considering my kids, if they had a plan, I'd lit them at 16 with a friend. They've been there MA y times. I would trust them to stay within the area we agreed to. They have phones so if they get lost (which they don't tend to do) they can use Google maps. They use public transportation here. They've used public transportation often in NYC.

Totally alone, just to explore? 18.

With a chaperoned group of some sort (like a field trip or a music competition)? 13/14.

Alone, but with a clear purpose (like a college interview or to participate in a theater workshop)? 16/17.

OP said kid is savvy. 16

18

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As someone who lived in New York for years, I would NEVER let DC go to NYC without adult before 18.

It hasn't changed that much.

You realize there are THOUSANDS of under 18s who navigate NYC solo every day? I was one of them.

This says more about you and your kid than anything else.

But you were from NYC. Big difference.