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Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Teenagers

Do I let her go ?

20 replies

mdrooney · 12/12/2008 11:33

dd1 is 13 and came home from school last night saying she wants to go up oxford street on Sunday with her friends,now we live in north London and she is fairly savy with public transport travelling on the tube and bus each day to school, but I know oxford street is going to be packed and am a bit wary of letting her go, but her friends are going and its taken her a while to bond with friends at her secondry school so I know its important for her to mix out of school and she is desparete to go she is fairly sensible but sometimes is a bit to eager to fit in with her friends so am a bit worried or is too much too soon,this Teenage thing is hard I know I should go on my gut feeling which is no, but I dont want her to feel left out of her group of Friends.

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needmorecoffee · 12/12/2008 11:34

Oxford street on a sunday sounds pretty safe to me.

mankymummy · 12/12/2008 11:34

how many friends is she going with?
are they the same age?
are they sensible friends?
has she got a mobile?

AdventCandleQueen · 12/12/2008 11:35

I'd let her go.

But then I don't have a teenage daughter.
OTOH, I remember being 13 and know how important it was to be out shopping with firneds as a bonding experience.

AnarchyInAManger · 12/12/2008 11:35

If during the daytime then yes, I'd let her go.

Talk to her about what she will do if she loses her friends, see if she can agree with them what they will do if it happens. Make sure she has her phone and give her a time to be home for.

AdventCandleQueen · 12/12/2008 11:35

firneds? Friends!

nancy75 · 12/12/2008 11:36

let her go, just make sure she knows about holding on to her bag, stuff like that. oxford street will be packed on sunday, there will be police everywhere, she will be fine.

themoon66 · 12/12/2008 11:38

Yes, I would let her go. As long as she is home by dark perhaps.

basementbear · 12/12/2008 11:39

If daytime, and if she has a mobile then yes. Agree with Nancy make sure she has her money/mobile hidden in an inside pocket or a bag that goes across your body. And make sure she has a tube/bus map so she knows how to get home in case they split up or get lost.
Oxford Street should be pretty ok - will be busy but not a dodgy area like Camden for example.

RTKangaSANTAMummy · 12/12/2008 11:47

GET HER TO PUT £5 NOTE in her sock so she can get home if her bag is nicked or she is pick pocketed

mdrooney · 12/12/2008 11:54

Thanks for all your replys, its made feel a lot better, it is in the daytime and their are 3 of them going, and she does know the underground well so I will let her go, but I just think its hard with the first one, she goes to school near Camden and I have let her go there after school a couple of times, its so hard letting go and being independent.

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Pimmpom · 12/12/2008 11:57

Yes, I would also let her go but agree with everyone about keeping her bag safe and extra money hidden.

sticksantaupyourchimney · 12/12/2008 11:57

Yes, make sure she has a secure inside pocket to keep emergency money/her phone, because there will be a danger of pickpockets (so don't let her take too much cash) but that's the only major risk. She'll probably have a great time.

nancy75 · 12/12/2008 11:59

if she gets on the tube ect she is probably quite savvy about keeping her bag/phone safe anyway.

jesuswhatnext · 12/12/2008 12:22

let her go, sounds fine to me (my dd is nearly 17, so i do know how you feel)

3 is a good number and they will have a great time.

Daisy15 · 12/12/2008 20:41

Oh wow! I live in North London too! I say let her go. It isn't at all that bad when i was 13 i was raving up in Camden Market consider yourself lucky .

mumeeee · 12/12/2008 22:32

I would let her go. You live in London and she is used to the underground. I agree with others about keeping her bag safe and puting some money in am inside pocket.

mdrooney · 12/12/2008 22:59

Thanks everyone dd1 is very happy that I have agreed and will take all advice given, dd2 who is 12 now wants to go to brent cross with her friend, but Im going too and letting them roam and meet me after,

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Pimmpom · 13/12/2008 15:12

Aww I'm sure they will both enjoy their bit of freedom. Don't worry though, because dd 16 asked if I would go to Westfield shopping with her tomorrow. So even though they like going shopping with their friends, they do come back to you eventually

mdrooney · 14/12/2008 22:25

I did let dd1 go to Oxford street today mind you I drove her mad before she went checking everthing, but she had a wonderful day with her friends and done lots of shopping and it saved me having to vist primark. thanks for all the advice.

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RTKangaSANTAMummy · 14/12/2008 22:28

deffo brill

glad it went well

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