10 yr old on a bus

[moomooland01]

AIBU to think that a 10 yr old is to young to travel 6 miles in a bus to McDonald's with his 12 yr old brother is to young?
They've been at dads this weekend and I've just found out.
I can see it now "here's 20 quid get out of my sight"

YANBU. At all.

6 miles is a long way. Did he kknow the route? Is he used to smaller local independent trips?

We have a court hearing coming up, how do I put this forward, bearing in mind this was between 5-7pm!
I'm so mad!

One bus, in the day time, sounds fine to me. Did they manage ok?

10 yr old isn't used to any trips, 12 yr old hates the bus.

I think it's fine to be honest. They were together and it was a straightforward trip.

I think it's too young but my sister doesn't and she allows her 11 year old to do it with her friend.

I wouldn't. But my sister is a reasonable woman who's already brought up 3 children into adulthood...so I kind of have to sometimes think "Well she's done ok with the others..."

Were they both upset? Or okay with it?

Moo did he make them go? You say the 12 year old hates buses...have the children complained about being made to go?

Both ok, but then I'm gonna get the whole "dad lets me" when they come home! I feel it's too young and he's done it just to "get rid"

Not an issue. I let my charges (when I nannied 4 years ago) get the bus to school aged 8 and 11.

MY 10yo wouldn't cope.

I just think, dark, busy town centre, No go?!

It depends on the children, I was using buses at the age of 10 with my friends (also 10).

If your DCs are level headed , then I'm sure they would have been fine

I guess it depends without specifics but I think it's ok- definitely for the12 yr old & for the 10 yr old with an older sibling.

Also, lots of children travel to school by bus or train everyday, from the age of 11.

Lots of 11 and 12 year olds catch buses to school a similar distance on their own. I don't think it's that unreasonable TBH.

Had they done the journey before? I used to travel by bus alone a lot at that age but my Mum or someone would always come with me the first time if it was somewhere I'd never been. I wouldn't trust my 10yo to get off at the right stop if he hadn't done it before and he probably wouldn't ask for help. He'd get off somewhere random and walk in the wrong direction
Lots of kids go to school at that age in their own but it's always easy to follow the uniform the first few times.

Totally depends on the children

Having said that YABVU to think a 12yr old shouldn't be getting the bus

literally 1000s of 12yr olds get the bus to and from school every day.

But unless the 10yr old is very badly behaved and his brother can't cope with him, I don't see a problem.

And I don't see why a busy town centre would be a no go?

Surely the busier the better?

The trip in itself wouldn't bother me at all. The after dark thing would, enormously so. That's where I think you need to target your ire, the fact that the trip was unsafe in those conditions, not that it is intrinsically so, because it isn't.

There's a huge difference between children catching the bus to and from school and two kids, unused to the bus, being sent into the town centre, in the dark, to sort their own tea out.

I have no problem with parents letting their children get buses at that age if they have asked and the parents make sure they have a mobile, know what to do if they get the wrong bus etc, I have a big problem with someone shoving some money at them, sending them on their own, on the bus, into the town centre, in the dark, to sort their own dinner out. That, to me, is neglect.

If they are used to it and know what to do, and they got back safely didn't they. Then I think it's good for them. But this obviously has some deeper ramifications that you're not really happy about dad and you've got a hearing coming up.

Timefor why is it worse after dark?

I agree with Time totally.