To not want my dd to go to London on the train?

[Haxdret]

Its a 2 hour journey on the train then the tube to where they want to go. Would you let yours do this? She's 13. Travelling with one other then meeting two friends en route.

If she's after vintage clothes, tell her to look for a kilo sale near where you live. My DD loves these and picks up some amazing clothing for very little. As others have said, Camden is pretty grim these days and no way would I allow a 13 yo to travel there. I'm in London with two teens and am pretty relaxed but 13 is just too too young.

She'd need to leave Camden before 5 because it's insane with commuters at that time, but other than that, no problem. As long as they keep to the markets, they'll be fine.

I travelled to central London on with a friend at that age, but allowing my kids to do so is a different matter (hypercritical but true). I would probably allow it though if my child was mature and sensible. I take it your DD has a phone if she needs to contact you.

Ben's cookies in covent garden were lush when we visited and whittards tea shop was fun. We came away with a few bits. If you want some quiet time primrose Hill is fairly close and regent Park.

No worse than any medium-sized market town in terms of crime.

Really?? What medium sized market town are you comparing it to?

Quite!

I wouldn't allow this op. Maybe next year. I'm sure she would be fine and all that but sometimes you do t need to put yourself at unnecessary risk. Different if she needed to go for eg school.

I'm glad you've found a compromise. FWIW, at 13 DD1 and her friends regularly travelled into random parts of London to go to supposedly vintage shops and markets. They started doing so at the end of Y8 and know to stick together. Long train journeys have been done from age 12 too, both with friends and alone.

Do talk to the other parents. They may not be that enthusiastic either.

I did from 12 but I lived in the suburbs so more like 30 mins on the train, we also went to Brighton on the train alone at that age

My husbands (naice middle class) parents allowed him to move to outer London alone when he was 16. I judge them hugely for that. Just because people live alone or allowed lots of freedom doesn't mean it's the right thing to do.

I was young in my year and went to uni when I was still 17. Totally different as I lived in the cosseted halls environment.

Yes, let her go, assuming
-she understands how the tube works
-they’re both sensible
-they both have phones with plenty of battery and credit

Im a londoner born & raised. Trains are difficult even for London teenagers. If she was using it everyday for school like I had to that would be fine.
Also Camden market on a weekend can get very busy and rowdy.

I would go up with them. If you can't make sure you give them instructions and a back up plan. Not much a teenager can enjoy in Camden at 13 ! only shopping

I'm allowing it at 16 (but 18 year old dd is also going) but I wouldn't and didn't allow it at 18.

The reason being the unreliability of the trains. Although we live 1.5 hours away by fast train its a 4-5 hour car journey away for us. We have been in London many times when there have been problems with the trains (once dh and ds were due to get the 6.30 train back arriving home at 8.30pm but they didn't get home until midnight. As an aduly we have the option of saying sod it and booking into a travelodge for the night. A child couldn't do that and we couldn't get there to rescue them.

My kids know the West End theatre area of London very well and are very familiar with the tube but there is just too much that could go wrong in terms of them getting home.

From the age of 13 dd was regularly travelling to a city an hour away on the train but in an emergency we had people in that city she could go to/stay with and it was only an hour drive away.

I didn't allow it at 13 that should read.

The OP is going with her daughter today.

I hope you all have a really nice time. London is really good fun.

We had a great time! She saw her friends on the train up and was happy to leave them and come with us. On the train home now. Lots of vintage clothes purchased! Shoreditch was just right edgy enough to be interesting and fun enough to amuse a 13 year old and 17 year old. That's London done for a few months. Thanks for all your advice!

Thank you for the update. I am glad you had a great time.

Glad to hear that it all worked out.