England lockdown - Teens meeting up with 1 friend

[Inastatus]

Are your teens going out to meet up with one other friend? If so, are you imposing any time limit/curfew on them? (I’m talking about under 18’s, not adults).

I like minr to be in before dàrk.

@PineappleUpsideDownCake - how old are they? Are they allowed out all day?

I have suggested an hour (they are 14&16)

I had this today. The guidance does say to minimise the time spent out but they were walking mainly and in a pretty quiet area so I felt OK about it - lots of cars but v few pedestrians.

And it's SO hard to justify when they're in the same bubble at school for the rest of the week/ sit near each other in several lessons.

I don’t have teens but they’re allowed to meet one outside aren’t they same as everybody else? Perhaps it would be sensible not to do it every day, but a couple of times a week for an hour or two would be fine!

I let DS (almost 18) out for 2 hours last night but said he shouldn't make a habit of it

Yes. 12yo DD went to play in her friends cul de sac today. She just has to be in well before dark.

Yes they are. No curfew/time limit.
I've suggested they should probably spread out a bit if leaving their college for lunch elsewhere, but I needn't have worried. They've already figured it out.

Yes, though only during daylight. Why would they not meet their friends?

One at a time obviously.

Yea my dds have been out with 3-4 friends each all day today and I’m happy for that as they’re in classes with all of them all week

They know to disperse if police show up but common sense approach in my mind they’re i classes all week together

DD hasn't yet. I wouldn't impose a specific time limit, but would remind her to keep a bit of distance between herself and the friend. I can't imagine DD wanting to be wandering around outside late at night, so I wouldn't see any need to impose a curfew.

Yes I think it's important for their mental health. No time limit just the normal prefer them home before dark.

Thanks all. I just wanted to get some idea of what others are doing. I’ve let 16 year old DD out all afternoon to see her friend and wasn’t sure if I was doing the right thing.

And those who say they have to be in before dark - what age are you talking about? I asked a question on teenagers forum recently about what time people let their 16 year olds out until and was made to feel like I was being very over-protective asking her to be home by 7/7.30 even though it’s pitch dark by then.

I let dd age 13 out til 5-6pm whilst it’s dark - would be later if in someones house

Dd15 can stay out normally til about 8 (again later if in a house) but she’s normally out by 3/4pm so would be bored come 7pm!

The come home by dark thing is a strange one as they are just as at risk in the day but assume more people would be around to help/it's easier for others to see what's going on. I have let my DC go out later but what exactly will they be doing?!

My teens are going out to meet a friend outside for 2-3 hours, any longer and they’d be freezing! Definitely home by darkness, even the 18 year old. Who wants to hang around outside in the dark and who wants to bump into teenagers hanging around outside in the dark? It’s not a curfew if they’re doing something or going somewhere but as loitering around outside is the only option then I think it’s reasonable!

Yes, just one friend at a time, for a couple of hours outside

I have two young teens, yes the are allowed to go out with a friend during the day. They have to be in before dark anyway but can go out all day if they wantNat the weekend. tthey don’t want to though 😂. Anyone they meet with they Are at school with for 8 hours a day.

@Inastatus - mine are 13 and 14. In the summer they stay out later at weekends but they have to be in before Dark in the winter even if that’s 4pm.

Ds (14) hasn’t been out. I’m not sure if his friends have?

I believe the dynamics of his friendship group would mean that ds wouldn’t be the friend ‘picked’ to hang around with, so I ‘think’ he’s quite content in his own company for now, although if this goes on for months, maybe not so much, plus he sees them everyday at school. He speaks to friends online at the weekends but it’s just not the same as being out and about in the fresh air.

So we’ll probably be back to going out for walks together, which we both really enjoyed during the summer.

Ive always encouraged mine not to be scared of the dark, otherwise your life is very limited after 4pm in the winter.

No particular strict rules here, just like to have an idea of their plans and roughly what time they are finishing.

My DD16 goes out for a few hours at a time if she wants to, it's not every day. She needs it for her mental health ,and she's being sensible . Curfew is the same as non lockdown, earlier in the week for college and later at the weekend if she wants . She's only seeing one friend at a time .

I heard my DS (14) chatting with his friends earlier coming up with a kind of rota of who is going out with who and when so they aren't all out together at the same time I was quite impressed at how mature and sensible that was. Hes been out on the skate park with 1 friend for about 2 hrs this afternoon, I've just heard him saying that friends X and Y are going out now for a bit.