To think it's not unreasonable to let a 16 year old go abroad without adults?

[Junzuki]

My 16 year old wants to fly to Germany in the summer after his exams. He's paying for it himself, going with a couple of friends and staying at a friends family home. He speaks german quite well, is a responsible, mature kid and I trust him. Aibu to let him go?? Also at 16 (almost17) is he legally allowed to go without my consent anyway?

Of course it's ok. It's only in MNland that parents treat their 16-year olds as if they were six.

OP did you mean to just travel without an adult or is he planning on staying somewhere without adults?

No problem in my book!

I always find it astonishing when people feel 16 year olds should be wrapped up in cotton wool and barely allowed to do anything, when in 2 short years they can do whatever the hell they like.
Surely responsible parenting is about a gradual path towards independence. My children traveled alone quite a bit, one of them went abroad with friends and they all went to festivals at age 16. By the time they reached adulthood they would all confidently make their own arrangements and travel anywhere by plane, train etc alone or with friends. I doubt they'd have been half as sensible and confident about it if theyd been wrapped in cottonwool til then

I had strict parents and even they let me go away with my friends at 16 on our own (still in the UK but a seaside town, hours away from home, got ourselves there via national express changing in a big city, stayed in a dodgy hostel and went clubbing most night. At we went for a week to an infamous holiday resort abroad - more clubbing, every night - we were fine. I was only 17 by a couple of months.

I suppose it depends on the child, but at 16 I think he would be fine as long as he knows how to get on a plane/manage an airport (which is what would worry me the most). It's germany, hardly outer mongolia, I am sure he will be fine.

I would be very proud if I had a son who at sixteen had (I'm presuming) worked for saved for a holiday!

^ Yup

If he is paying for it himself it would be very difficult to stop him going in any case, short of resorting to blackmail in terms of consequences of what would happen if he disobeyed OP.

I would make sure he knows how to get to his location, knows what to do in cases of emergencies etc but as I said above, it's Germany, a safe enough country, not widely different to the UK and he won't struggle to find an English speaking person should he need to.

Of course that's fine. Me and a friend went travelling around Europe at 16 and 17, that was only 8 years ago too!

What ThePinkO said in the first reply.

I went to Amsterdam with some friends when I was 16, and interrailed round Europe for a month with another friend at 17. I don't see any issue with it at all. As has been said above: legally he can get married at 16!

He can only get married with parental consent.

He can get married without parent consent in Scotland. And many scottish students (including me) leave home and go to uni at 16. So, very much an adult.

Its germany hardly magaluf he sounds sensible what could happen really not much

Depends on the 16yo but assuming he's a normal capable 16 yo then yes, I'd let him go. I might be shitting myself the whole time he's away though.

Its totally fine, will be great for him. I had no adult holidays at 16-17 and was so much fun.