Kirstie Allsop's 15 Year Old Son

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Kirstie Allsop has just posted on X (Twitter) that her 15 year old son has just returned from inter-railing around Europe.

He was accompanied by his 16 year old friend.

AIBU to think this is too young?

These situations may seem OK but at that age they think they are invincible, so they can be impulsive and not make the best decisions, especially when something goes wrong!

Kirsty is so no-nonsense in that typical upper class way I’m surprised she didn’t let him go solo at 10 yrs old. Lol

I'm sure there are plenty of 15-16 year olds in worse situations. I was homeless a few weeks after my 16th, ended up living in a drug dealers flat. And it's only a few generations before who left school and went to work at 15. So no I can't get worked up about a mother, who clearly loves her child, letting her child go travelling.

It really does beggar belief! So yes fair play to KA because at the very least, her child is gaining some independence which is more than can be said for a lot of adults these days!

I'm sure there are plenty of 15-16 year olds in worse situations. I was homeless a few weeks after my 16th, ended up living in a drug dealers flat. And it's only a few generations before who left school and went to work at 15. So no I can't get worked up about a mother, who clearly loves her child, letting her child go travelling
I absolutely agree with this.
I work with teens who have been kicked out of the family home, ha e suffered serious neglect for years before social services got involved, have been groomed and moved from city to city or sensually abused by their own parent.
Going g on an trip like his would be a doddle and he would only be a phone call away from support.
I presume that he is reasonably well travelled to begin with so would know about checking in procedures, how to use an airport and train station and know how to take reasonable precautions. I know mine did that's why I had confidence in them travelling young.

But it says that her son is 15, how is this even possible?

Both of mine walked to school alone from mid primary.
By start of secondary they would get train or bus into local town with friends for shopping, skatepark, cycling etc.
Both of mine travelled the UK to see family from around age 13/14 on trains and buses.
At age 15/16 they were both on DofE expeds which had significant unsupervised times, and also both did a few days wandering in the mountains themselves alone or with a friend
One of mine went to the Alps for 4 weeks at age 16 and rented a place between him and 5 friends, all under 17. Repeated the next summer at age 17.
The next year at age 18 he had built a camper van in lock down so went driving to Italy and spent 9 weeks daundering back, joined by his 16 year old brother for a few weeks.
At one week past his 18th birthday my youngest disappeared to Japan and NZ for a year out - alone.

It is all about both the individual child's capabilities and resilience, and about how you support them to learn to make good judgments, with a healthy dose of progression and trust in them.

On the other hand, if you always drive them everywhere, they have only ever taken part in organised sessions led by adults for all after school activities, if they have never caught a train or bus, or had to figure out anything for themselves (see a lot of young people today), then no they are not prepared and ready for life and such adventures. Cotton wool does not prepare kids for life.

Not at 15 but my DC went inter railing at 17 and had no problem booking hostels, there are plenty (including youth hostels in the UK) that allow 16 + to book. The tweet here says her DS needed to be with a 16 year old to make it work. I'm in Scotland, although increasingly rare, some 16 year olds do go off to Uni and manage perfectly fine, very common to be under 18 when first leaving home to get that uni experience - which although not travelling comes with a lot of the dangers expressed here that people are trying to protect their DC from.

I think kids are wrapped in cotton wool . I think it's got worse since lockdown.

But it says that her son is 15, how is this even possible?
I'm not sure. She says the friend was 16.
I haven't read the article. Did she say where he was staying.
I know when my lad was away his 17th birthday was in the middle of his trip and he had to research hostels that would allow him and his friends and he booked them in advance to make sure he got somewhere to stay.

We did a long cycling trip, staying in youth hostels in the 80s after O Levels. It was common.

most kids left school at 14 and were considered adults in my grandparents generation around WW1 period, around 100 years ago.

More recently than that. The school leaving age didn't go up to 15 until 1947 (I think. Late 1940s, anyway. And 16 in the 1970s.) But young people weren't legally adults until they were 21.

They can in many, though not usually in the dorm room

We’ve deffo had to do some phoning, but have always been able to sort it without too much bother. Also in the Uk

So youth hostels aren’t in fact youth hostels. That’s a great pity. Structural cotton-wooling.

I was reading this thinking 15 is a bit young, then remembered I went to Brittany to meet my French pen friend just after O levels in 1981. Travelled on the ferry and got a train in France toute seule!

This is what she said... He is still only 15 and travelled with a 16 year old according to her statement.
Kirstie Allsopp
@KirstieMAllsopp
·
13h
My little boy has returned from 3 weeks inter-railing, he’ll be 16 on Wednesday so he went with a mate who’s already 16 due to hostel/travel restrictions, but they organised the whole thing; Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Berlin, Munich, Marseille, Toulouse, Barcelona & Madrid 1/3

This. My friend was born 31 August, at 11 pm. Very much the youngest in her year. Also very much one of the most sensible (ended up as Head Girl, great results, nice group of friends). Why should she have been penalised while a daft irresponsible kid born in October would have been able to go.

I went inter-railing by myself aged 16, funded by my Saturday job. This was in the 80’s. I don’t think I would let my 16 yo DD do it solo but I would consider her doing it with twin DS.
My DM said I grew up so much during the month I was away. I ran out of money and had to sleep on a beach but had to sort everything out for myself. It imbedded a deep love of travelling within me which I still have (though I don’t sleep on beaches anymore!)

I do wonder how her son was able to get accommodation though unless they were hosteling (or dossing on beaches).

I've just been interrailing with my 13 year old son and he took the lead on many of the travel arrangements. I would think that, in 3 years time, he and his sensible friends would manage a trip. It's so much easier today with phone and internet access and i'm guessing that their parents had a significant hand in planning and booking accommodation along the way.

She says he's very close to 16 (late August baby, I assume) and I really don't see the issue with a couple of 16-year-olds travelling in Europe. It's not like he's gone backpacking round Afghanistan, is it?

I loathe Kirstie Allsopp personally, but I'm sure she knows her own son and what he's capable of.

Kids that age can get jobs and join the armed forces. I think a 16-year-old should be more than capable of travelling unaccompanied in Europe, and I'd probably think a teenager who couldn't manage that was a bit immature, if I'm being honest.

None of anyone else's business. I'm impressed they have managed to find places to stay that will take 2 young people.

Exactly... he won't be slumming it.

Most kids who can afford it go off with their friends after GCSEs somewhere. Not sure how they check into hotels though, is it 16 in Europe? Maybe they have to stick with youth hostels.

YHA for the UK FYI

4.1 To ensure we provide safe and suitable accommodation for everyone, children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a person who is 18 years or older. Children at the age of 12 and over can stay in public dormitories if accompanied by an adult, who they checked into the Hostel with. Children under the age of 12 are not permitted to stay in public dormitory accommodation and should be booked into a private room. Children who are ages 16 or over may stay in any accommodation. Groups of guests of mixed genders, who wish to stay in the same room, must book private accommodation.

I do find in Europe you have to do more providing of parental consent, but it’s not too hard to sort.

Back when children weren't so mollycoddled, I finished my GCSE's and got a train straight to London to watch Coldplay at Crystal Palace. We stayed in London for 2 weeks doing loads of fun things at a friends flat and we decided to head over to Paris for 2 days on the Eurostar.

I was very well travelled, well behaved, reliable, organised and conscientious. My friend was even more so. My parents risk assessed and decided that I was more than capable. My friend was a boy (family friend) so that improved safety.