Curfew for 16 year old during summer

[oliwiagrzeda]

I am 16 years old (girl if that makes a difference) and my curfew is currently 10:30pm. I find this quite unreasonable as when I am out, the buses are either at 9pm or 11pm which means I always have to get the 9pm bus. I understand during school time, but it is currently the summer holidays so I feel like I’m missing out on a lot as most people my age that I know either don’t have a curfew or have a later curfew of around 1 or 2 am. I want to know if people think this is resonable or if my parents are being too strict about this.

As a 16 yr old I had a similar curfew to you. That was 24 yrs ago. I wasn't allowed to stay put until the early hours until I was 18, and then I always had to let my mum know whereabouts I was. Where will you be when staying out to the early hours?

The bus situation complicates this.

My curfew definitely was not as late as 1/2pm at 16. It was about 10.30.

When you are an adult and paying your own way in your own home do what you want.

When I clicked into this thread I presumed it was going to be a parent asking for advice, and my suggestion of a suitable curfew was going to be 10pm… sorry!

I think 1-2am curfew is ridiculous.

I had to pick all mine up because we were rural. Can you ask a parent to pick you up sometimes.

Same re staying out past midnight - this was when I was 18. Where can you even go that time of night at 16? You can't get served in pubs or bars or get into clubs until then anyway.

I think it depends on where you are/what you're doing/who you're with.

I think you should probably be allowed to get the 11pm bus.

1 to 2am isn't a curfew, it's "do as you please and good luck to you!". There is time enough when you're 18 to be out as late as you like. 10.30pm to 11pm is pretty reasonable at 16.

I think 10.30 for a 16 year old is fine. Obviously if there was something special on, such as a party or gig then I as a parent, would give you a later curfew or pick you up myself.

I was going to suggest 11pm to midnight for week nights in school holidays and at the weekend a bit later. That’s my recollection at a similar age (20 plus years ago though!)

With only 2 buses it makes sense to get the later one. My parents were pretty good at collecting us though appreciate not all want to do that.

On the face of it, 11pm bus feels reasonable.

What time would that get you home and how far would your walk in the dark from the bus stop be?

The bus situation is what makes this curfew seem crap. It isn't though, sorry -mine was the same at 16, 11pm on weekends was the only difference.

The 11pm bus would be my answer as a mum.

To add - my parents would have picked me up/arranged a taxi for slightly later if there was an occasional party or something. They might have agreed to the 11pm bus sometimes if i was with a group all getting it together.

I would be home at around 11:10- 11:15 and the bus stop is right outside my house

I don't actually have a curfew for my 16 year old, we deal with things on a case-by-case basis, and they're usually home from anything by 11pm, but then we are in London where there's plentiful public transport, and we're a short walk from the underground down a high street that will be quite well populated until after 11. It might be a different case elsewhere.

However if you are somewhere with few buses, I can see it being reasonable to make a case for being able to take the later one at weekends and holidays, if the place you're taking it from and to should be safe or doesn't involve a long walk at either end, or if maybe you can always be with someone else.

Lots of factors. How long is the bus journey. Is there a walk from bus stop. Are you travelling alone.

At 16, home for 10.30/ 11 seems reasonable. Not leaving the place you are at, at 11pm is unreasonable imo.

As a parent I'd decide based on the child (yes still a child sorry) -and how responsible they were. The crowd you hung about with etc.

Would usually be at someone’s house so to get the bus I would have to leave at around 8:30 which I think is a bit too strict for the summer but I wanted to know that other people would think. I understand why people think a 1/2 am curfew is a bit too much but I think 11 would be quite reasonable

Sorry cross post on bus stop info

What are you doing or wanting to do till 11? (And what are your friends doing till 2am?)

I think it’s reasonable for you to get the 11pm bus given the bus stop is outside your house.

I have a 16yo daughter. If she’s at a friends house by us then I’d be happy for her to stay out later. But honestly there’s so much that happens on late buses by me that there’s no way I’d have her on a bus past half 10. Saying that I’m one of those parents who hate their kids missing out on anything, so I am soft enough to organise and pay for a taxi if they want to stay out late somewhere.

Just wanted to add that I’m not saying I think that my curfew should be 1/2 am but due to the bus situation I feel like 9pm bus is quite unreasonable. I have also gotten the 11pm bus before and was completely fine.

She’s not wanting to do anything at 11. That’s just the only option of her coming home on the bus. And at 16 I’d be pissed off with having a 9pm curfew as that’s what time the bus is. Do you not remember being young and wanting to stay out late with your friends? They’re not babies anymore, and technically if she decided to move out at that age there’s nothing anyone could do to stop her. There’s a compromise that needs to be reached somewhere

I think 11 is reasonable so long as it's not every night and parents know where you are going ie not just hanging around on the street. The problem is if you miss that bus. Also most parents can't settle themselves until their children are safely home so later means they will no doubt be on edge and exhausted and presumably on summer holidays from work.

If the bus is your only option for travel, then you should at least be allowed to catch the 11pm bus, in my opinion.

if you were able to get a lift home, I probably wouldn’t give you a curfew. I don’t think I had a specific curfew when I was 16 and was able to get a lift home. I had to tell my parents where I was going and how and when I would be getting home, but we just kind of agreed it case by case. I’m guessing that if I’d been planning on hanging around in the park with randoms they’d have wanted me home earlier than they would have done if I’d been going to the cinema, or a gig, or to my best friend’s house to watch TV and eat pizza.