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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to refuse to travel up to London(with 7 month old baby) to escort my 19yr old niece from Euston to victoria so she can visit us

135 replies

shrinkingsagpuss · 17/03/2008 12:14

i could get flamed here, or not.. I've asked my Mum - of course, she sticks up for me.

DH's sisters daughter, travelling from somewhere else to London. 19 (!), nice girl, rather un worldly at times. Wants me to go to Victoria, cross London to Euston, meet said Niece, then travel home again together. 3 (4?) hours out of my precious toddler free time.

DH won't take a day off to do (which I don't blame him for).

Am I being the SIL from hell?

I have suggested she gets a taxi, which would be cheaper than my ticket there and back.

OP posts:
LilRedWG · 17/03/2008 12:16

Not at all unreasonable. If she was 14 it'd be a different matter, but she is 19!

DelGirl · 17/03/2008 12:17

If the taxi is cheaper than your ticket then i'd say get her a cab or she get a cab. I don't think a 19 year old needs an excort across london but then I suppose it depends on the 19 year old!

LilRedWG · 17/03/2008 12:17

If it is her parents who are insisting on the chaperoning, then they should do it.

cmotdibbler · 17/03/2008 12:17

She's 19 - YANBU to expect her to manage that on her own. Is it her suggesting this, or her parents ?

Blu · 17/03/2008 12:18

Unless there are very specific reasons that she needs assistance, I think YANBU - not at all. It is SUCH an easy tube journey from Euston to Victoria.
Why does your SIL think she needs an escort?

FAQ · 17/03/2008 12:18

19yr old needs an escort across London????

YANBU

Hadassah · 17/03/2008 12:18

YANBU - tell niece to get Victoria line southbound from Euston to Victoria. It's not difficult.

saadia · 17/03/2008 12:18

a 19yr old should be able to manage that, just offer to meet her at your local station.

Hassled · 17/03/2008 12:18

Insane - she should get a cab.

Original poster
shrinkingsagpuss · 17/03/2008 12:18

er... parents up north, long long long way....

I'm happy to pay for taxi. No qualms at all.

DH's idea was that I could teach her how to use the london Underground so when she goes home she can do it on her own ....

OP posts:
MaureenMLove · 17/03/2008 12:19

YANBU! Euston to Victoria on the tube couldn't be more simple. Its about time she did wise up to the world imho.

OverMyDeadBody · 17/03/2008 12:19

She's 19, unless there's something very wrong with her she should be able to manage to get from euston to victoria, so YANBU.

Blu · 17/03/2008 12:20

Teach her to use the Underground?

as in
Buy ticket
Look at simple diagramatic map, identiofy the one line / no changes it takes to get from Euston to Vicoria
Follow sign - s'bound victoria line
get on train
get off
follow sign to overground station?

What on earth are young people coming to!

Original poster
shrinkingsagpuss · 17/03/2008 12:20

this makes me feel SOOOOOO much better.

I thought it was a direct line from Euston to Victoria.

She's erm... not blessed with the greatest amount of common sense. Like I say, lovely girl.

I'm also paranoid about SIL seeing this (don't think she's a MNer)

OP posts:
MaureenMLove · 17/03/2008 12:22

Not only is it a direct line, its only about 4 or 5 stops, I think! Has she got to get an overground train back out of Victoria to you?

batters · 17/03/2008 12:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

marina · 17/03/2008 12:23

Ds, a hardened accompanied TfL traveller, could do that journey alone, I think. He's 8.

Weegle · 17/03/2008 12:24

I used to travel up to and across London by myself at 14 as I was in school in Kent and parent's had moved to Shropshire. Quite honestly she really should be able to manage it herself and if the family keep pandering to her she'll never be able to stand on her own two feet. Not to mention the inconvenience to you.

Original poster
shrinkingsagpuss · 17/03/2008 12:24

She does the have to travel from victoria out of London yes.

She's had a fairly protected life. I'm hesitant to critisize mum, as I know she's had a rough time.

DH would do anything rather than offend his sister, so i'll be the big bad Sil.

OP posts:
HereComeTheGirls · 17/03/2008 12:24

Is she from the North of Scotland? My DH is, and grew up in a tiny village with not much traffic, he is not very good at finding his way ANYWHERE and the thought of getting a tube train across London would fill him with horror too (he is 30).

But YANBU, she should learn, or get a cab, definitely!

rookiemater · 17/03/2008 12:24

YANBU at all. She's 19,could be married, have a job, have a child. Presumably she is planning to leave home at some point, so needs to learn some rudimentary life skills.Think the taxi idea is a great compromise.

Original poster
shrinkingsagpuss · 17/03/2008 12:26

... don't even mention the idea of having a child............

OP posts:
Lizzer · 17/03/2008 12:26

God what's wrong with teenagers nowadays? Has she never run away from home? Sneaked away to a dodgy festival or 2?

YANBU at all

Original poster
shrinkingsagpuss · 17/03/2008 12:27

herecomethe girsl - not quite that far north....... no'r that rural.

OP posts:
MegBusset · 17/03/2008 12:27

Blimey, by the age of 19 I had already left home and was living in a flat in central London. I was 13-ish when I first used the tube on my own. Really, YANBU.

In defence of your niece, if she has never been on the tube before then I can see that she might find it a little overwhelming -- they are both very busy stations. In which case getting a taxi would be fine.