Kids travelling alone.......

Skrib69

The Daily Mail have printed a story that has caused divided opinion in the office. I support the mother for taking a realistic approach to everyday life. It would be interesting to get a more worldly opinion!!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2718405/The-mother-lets-11-year-old-daughter-holiday-Europe-Utterly-irresponsible-Here-ANNE-ATKINS-insists-not.html

Discuss!!!!

keefmac

Too young in my opinion, what haapens if something went wrong?.

Easy to say she has her mobile phone on her but what happens if she gets mugged (or worse..)

jesse1117

I may be the wrong person to ask about this, as I traveled to Europe (from the US) as an unaccompanied minor with my younger brother in tow repeatedly without incident. But here's my $0.02 anyway:

I don't think it's a parent's responsibility to protect a child from every negative interaction that could happen, it's teaching them how to deal with negative interactions effectively. In order to do so, they need to experience negative interactions. Which is a long way of saying that I agree with the writer of this article.

And, this: http://www.checklistmommy.com/2012/02/09/tricky-people-are-the-new-strangers/

ETA: I'm not saying that everyone needs to experience traumatizing events. I'm saying that people need to learn to face a potentially scary situation (ie, being lost and alone in an unfamiliar city) intelligently.

Skrib69

Interesting that no-one has commented on the perceived increase in threat in more recent years. Personally I don't think there is any significant increase in risk to kids today. It is common fact that paedophiles are more commonly known by the family than not, and in fact the vast majority are family members in the same household. As for muggings et al, the child was being met at both ends.

I see so many young people who don't have a clue about using public transport or are so easily intimidated by unfamiliar situations that they almost make themselves a target.

This particular parent may make a habit of attracting attention in this way, but I think she has a point. CCTV is everywhere, everyone focusses on the negative side of life. Don't forget that it wasn't so long ago that a significant reason for buying a mobile was 'just in case'. The reality was that it sat in a bag or drawer to the point where the battery went flat. Eventually it was picked up and used because otherwise it was a complete waste of money!

Skrib69

I may be the wrong person to ask about this, as I traveled to Europe (from the US) as an unaccompanied minor with my younger brother in tow at repeatedly without incident. But here's my $0.02 anyway:

I don't think it's a parent's responsibility to protect a child from every negative interaction that could happen, it's teaching them how to deal with negative interactions effectively. In order to do so, they need to experience negative interactions. So I agree with the writer of this article.

And, this: http://www.checklistmommy.com/2012/02/09/tricky-people-are-the-new-strangers/

ETA: I'm not saying that everyone needs to experience traumatizing events. I'm saying that people need to learn to face a potentially scary situation (ie, being lost and alone in an unfamiliar city) intelligently.

And this is my point.......

I hitchhiked a reasonable amount from the age of 15 to 21 and met some really interesting people. Didn't meet anyone weird, and 1 was a bus driver who preferred hikers because they were grateful for the lift!

kr1stadee

The child isn't responsible enough to keep her cell phone charged, yet she's good to travel many many miles away, alone? Ok then!

I think what bothers me is that the mother doesn't seem interested in her child's activities. I'd be there as a support to her audition, I'd be travelling with them, not only to ensure safety, but to make memories!! They are only young once, and this woman is shortening their childhood, in my opinion!

sarahertzberger

I know that this is another country than the one I live in, but here where I live in in the US even though it's one of the more "safer" states, I wouldn't allow my kids to do these things on their own. For one, it is a dangerous world out there, why risk it, if I sent my kids out somewhere alone they could easily get kidnapped or worse. My kids are still pretty young, but when they get to that age I will give them a good bit of independence, I even try to give them some independence now, I saw some people in the comments say that parents now don't teach their children any independence, well, I teach my children all sorts of independence, I teach all of them things they will need to know when they go out into the world and when they are living on their own and I start doing so as soon as they can start to understand simple things so even before age 1. But, for most things that they need to learn about safety and going into the world can be learned while they are with you, you don't need to risk something happening in order for them to learn. But, I also saw in the comments about why would you not want to experience these things with your child, and that's what I was thinking as well, why would you not want to have those experiences with them, why would you want to be so detached from your child's life. That's just my view, I know that everyone has a different opinion, and everyone raises their children in different ways, and they are entitled to do so but for my children, this wouldn't be something I would choose.

MinnieInMaine

First, I'll be honest and say I skimmed the article but I think I got the gist.

I'm not sure. I can see letting a child fly alone because there's not a whole lot of risk with all the security and flight attemdants are good about making sure any kids alone are taken care of. But I don't know much about train travel. Would the same kind of thing apply? If she's taking a ride to Paris, are there stops along the way so you have to worry about people coming on and off and milling about or is it a straight shot there? And are there staff that would check on her from time to time?

Eleven does seem kind of young but not all kids are the same. If she's responsible and she's cautious about trusting random strangers or knows how to defend herself if someone were to try to take her bag or assault her...she'd probably be just fine. However, I don't think it's up to the travel companies to decide that either. If their policy is to not allow a child under a certain age to travel alone, that's the way it is.

rowlandsw

The mother should be hit with child endangerment charges, the kid isn't old enough to travel alone. I don't even trust the TSA and airports over here to get a kid on/off a flight alone.

Hell_Flower

Try reading a paper with a reading age higher than 8 years old?

The Daily Fail isn't known for its' truth. Take the whole thing with a shaker of salt.

Skrib69

Try reading a paper with a reading age higher than 8 years old?

The Daily Fail isn't known for its' truth. Take the whole thing with a shaker of salt.

I cannot disagree with you there - normally I ignore The Fail!! I got the link from an article on the BBC website. How much of it you actually believe is up to you, but I think it raised some interesting questions!!