To let my 15 ds get a train from Birmingham uni to Birmingham New Street then Euston Station on the train on his own?

[Owlbabie5]

Dp and Ds insisting he’ll be fine. I’m feeling twitchy. He has never been to Birmingham. We’d pick him up at Euston.

Many thanks for all the Birmingham tips, will pass them on.

It's a bit odd that CollaterlyS1sters is so sneering about the capabilities of children who can't use the tube at a young age when she can't even drive.

I thunk the issue here is this about OPs anxieties and nothing to do with her DS.

My teens (despite living in the north midlands) are very comfortable with the tube and anything to do with trains really. But give them local buses and they totally panick (I've had to rescue them several times.)

My mum, however who is financial director of a succesful company finds the tube system hideously confusing and would navigate it alone.

It's all about what you are used to. I find the sneering the OP has been subject to on behalf of her son quite horrible really.

@comefromaway This is not about the DS anxieties or abilities. OP is upfront that it is about her anxiety. That is the issue.

I thunk the issue here is this about OPs anxieties and nothing to do with her DS.

Why are OP's anxieties about her DS using the tube at 8.30 p.m an issue though? He clearly is doing a lot of things by himself at the age of 15 so I don't get the problem with him not using the tube in London by himself. Why does it matter to some posters?

Because it is not helpful to a 15 year old's growing independence for your parents decision making to be based on their own anxieties. The parent needs to get help to better manage their own anxiety.

Because it is not helpful to a 15 year old's growing independence for your parents decision making to be based on their own anxieties. The parent needs to get help to better manage their own anxiety.

Considering that the DS is doing many other things independently it is clear that the OP's issues with her DS going on the underground at 8.30 p.m. are very specific and it is not going to prevent him from becoming independent. I get that to people living in London it might seem very important that a child uses the underground independently whether or not it is the evening but outside of London it is just not a big deal.

The OP says clearly that her anxiety is because she has not done this journey herself. As her DC gets to 16 and 17 and older, he will do many things and go many places she has not been. Anxiety of this kind is unlikely to be such an issue when her DC was younger as it would be unusual to have a DC who travels somewhere themselves where the parent has not been. This is now changing.
OP needs to recognise this is about her anxiety and nothing really to do with her dc.

The OP says clearly that her anxiety is because she has not done this journey herself. As her DC gets to 16 and 17 and older, he will do many things and go many places she has not been. Anxiety of this kind is unlikely to be such an issue when her DC was younger as it would be unusual to have a DC who travels somewhere themselves where the parent has not been. This is now changing.

He is only 15 though not 18! Parents don't let 15 year olds go anywhere and do anything they want. They gradually let go so that at the age of 18 they are independent.

My DH was stuck in the US for an extra week when the ash cloud hit in 2010. When he finally got a flight back to Heathrow - knackered, grumpy, and broke - I drove (a fair way) to pick him up from the airport.

But, hey, I could have just told him to book himself on a coach back. He was 40, after all.

Sometimes it's nice to look out for the people we care about. Your plan sounds fine, OP.

He will be fine - local service to big station - loads of assistance points at big station and good info boards, people on every platform. My 13 nearly 14 yr old is just getting hang of local trains and I have been teaching her to navigate tube when we are in London ie she does all the planning

When I was last at Birmingham University station loads of pupils from Kings School (I think that’s what it’s called) got on to go home...

King Edward VI Edgbaston. Last time I went there I got off the bus at the wrong stop and had to walk about half a mile (and I was 53 years old!). I grew up on that bus route: I thought I could navigate it in my sleep. Haven't lived there for over 35 years, mind.

Yes that’s the school SirTobyBelch. They seemed like nice boys.

Poor thing is stuck in New Street. Had to run for a mile in the heat as train cancelled and bus put on. Every train he waits for just gets cancelled. Lady at Virgin trains he spoke to was utterly crap with no idea what will be running. Her advice was just get a train anywhere. If he hasn’t caught anything by half past dp going to Birmingham to get him.😩Ds fine and enjoying sampling the various fast food options. Still look on the bright side,Collaterly will he happy as character building stuff:

Oh man. I saw that they were saying don't start any new journeys this afternoon. The coach station is a short uber ride away, if that helps.

He’s on a train!!!!!! He was on platform 1 and saw a train on 3 for London so legged it. Is in jeans with two rucksacks, one filled with books.Feeling rather hot. Think he’s earned his Euston pick up. Sounds like chaos. Several had to leave early. Can’t wait to see him.

Oh dear. Loads of trains were cancelled a couple of days ago too. At least New Street has loads of shops and restaurants now. It does demonstrate that things can go wrong with public transport.

Cross posted. Glad he is on a train!

Me too,

Glad he's on the train. It will have been a steep learning curve for him with all those challenges he faced but both he and you will be more confident next time he has to do similar

Ha, he deffo deserves it! And an ice cold drink. Or is that too much like Mollycoddling do we think?

I heard all the warnings this afternoon not to try and set out on a train journey, and wondered if it was today he was traveling

Glad he's got on one.

Oh no that was a bit if a baptism of fire but it sounds ds like he coped really well which well hopefully alleviate any future fears

Did the train make it all the way? Hope he arrived ok