13 year old girls

[KellyB4753]

Hi would you let your 13 year old daughter catch a bus into the city then a tram to the beach for the whole day with a friend or do you think they are to young to go by themselves? We live in Adelaide

Well I'm not in Aus but I wouldn't let my kids go to the beach unnacompanied at that age, no matter how good they were at swimming.

Yeah I don’t think it’s a great idea, thank you for your reply

It depends on your daughter. If her and her friend are sensible, know the route and can be trusted to stay between the flags I’d let her as long as frequent updates were provided. If any of this is in doubt or they want to go to an unpatrolled beach, then no.

Hmm. If they are heading to the patrolled area of the beach and are strong swimmers (eg have done nippers, understand about rips etc) and will only swim between the flags, and are not going to be coming back on the tram after dark, I think so.

Just please don't let them be the 13/14 year olds who insist on wearing tiny bikinis back into the city on the tram!

I live on the coast and have a 13 year old daughter. Nope, I think it's too young really. My daughter and her friends were allowed to go trick or treating alone, and they catch public transport to and from school, but I'm not comfortable with the beach yet.

For me it would depend on the beach - front/back, patrolled/ un patrolled and her level of surf experience (has she done nippers?).

Short bus ride into town to shop and get lunch yes. Longer journey to spend day at the beach by themselves. No way.

I have a 13 year old and still stand at the water's edge when she's in the sea - but she's usually with her dad or myself in the water. The sea can be so dangerous even to the educated and experienced. Not to mention leaving valuable on the sand while they go in like phones and wallets.

In Adelaide? Of course!
What is your fear? The transport? The water? If she takes the tram, I assume it is Glenelg so fully patrolled and you get shouted at by surf lifeguard if you don't swim where you are supposed to. And water is so cold, they won't stay in for long!

Not to the beach, no. Not without an adult. Theme park, shopping mall, cinema etc, it's a good age to start doing things independently . But absolutely not the beach.

I’m in Adelaide and I wouldn’t. Too many ferals in the city.

My son is 14 and I’m in Sydney and he’s been to patrolled beaches with friends a few times. I make sure he’s fully sun creamed before he goes and has strict instructions to only swim between the flags.