When is it ok to let your child go to the cinema alone with a friend?

[marne2]

Dd1 has a friend coming over on Sunday and they would like to go to the cinema, if I went with them this would mean dd2 has to stay at home with dh as she can't cope with the cinema due to having ASD, I was thinking of taking dd2 with us and dd1 and her friend going into the cinema alone whilst dd2 and I sit in the cafe and have something to eat ( so I would still be on the same building ), dd1 is almost 11 and her friend (a boy) has just turned 10, is this too young to let them go in alone? The boys mother is likely to say 'no' to it anyway but was just wondering what age kids go on alone .

I'd be OK with that.

I let DD go with a teenage big brother at 9, and I think 10/11 is fine if they're dropped off and you're going to be nearby (either at an agreed place they can find, or with a mobiles).

My dd started going alone this summer , was a week or so before she turned 10. She was fine , dropped her and pal off and took them to entrance. They came out and were allowed to stay in shopping centre get lunch and have little look around before I collected them.
I gave them the instruction to stay together and only go to where the shop near the cinema was still in sight.
Went fab and they loved it

My dd started going alone this summer , was a week or so before she turned 10. She was fine , dropped her and pal off and took them to entrance. They came out and were allowed to stay in shopping centre get lunch and have little look around before I collected them.
I gave them the instruction to stay together and only go to where the shop near the cinema was still in sight.
Went fab and they loved it

That's absolutely fine IMO

Absolutely fine, 10/11 is very much the age the DDs and their mates went into one screen while my DF took her much younger DS into a different screen to see something different.

Thank you, I will mention it to her friends mum and see what she thinks.

We are in same situation ds3 asd. I've let ds1 and ds2 go in together since 9 & 11. I tell them to sit near a family and not anyone there on their own or teenagers etc. Always been fine. Siblings of a disabled child have to be more indep and self sufficient at home so in my experience tend to be more sensible and mature outside too. Do they have a phone? I ended up giving them one earlier than I would otherwise so they could go to stuff. Cinema once had a power cut and they all got chucked out early so phone was useful!
From year 6 I let ds1 go into town with his friends. They really like it and ds1 got much more confident eg asking for things in shops and cafes when previously he wanted me to do all the talking.
Not every parent is ready for it, but they need to get more independent. At 11 ds1 got a bursary at a private school 20 miles away and now has to deal with trains and walking to school in another town so it's good he had practice close to home first.

Dd1 is also on the spectrum (AS) but is quite responsible as long as I prepare her for anything that may happen, I'm sure if I'm in the same building not much can go wrong, I will be able to find her as soon as she comes out ( I can ask what time the film finishes ).