...sooo...ds,14, going into city with his pals for first time.....what do I warn him about?

[ssd]

what do I tell him about getting lost, losing his phone/money or getting them stolen, wandering up side streets etc etc

dont laugh please! he's my eldest, he's been to local town plenty of times but not into the city before

any advice from mums who have been there welcome! thanks!

is maryz about anywhere?????

Day time shopping or evening?

I honestly think he will be fine, and will have nothing to worry about as long as they are fairly sensible, in the evening they might need to be a bit more aware.

My DD has been going into the city centre shopping with some friends for the past 8 or so months, shopping with money and phones and they have never experienced any problems (She is 11, friends are 12).

Try not to worry I am sure he'll have a great time.

Just tell him to keep his phone on him at all times (not on silent) so you can ring him and see if he is OK.

Other than that, I don't think there is any need for warnings other than the normal 'look after your stuff' advice you would give to a child going into any normal town.

I say that as someone whose daughter has gone on day trips to London since she was 14.

keep phone in front of jeans pocket, it's less likely to fall out there

to pre-arrange a meeting point with his friends to go to if any of them get separated

and not to hang about in shop doorways etc chatting/messing about, this gets on everyones nerves

You could ask him to text when he gets there so you know he is safe and maybe text after an hour or two depending on how long he intends to stay. I also ask my DC to text when they are leaving.

thanks......my main worry was what does he do if his phone/money gets stolen. who does he go to?

I told mine to stay together, not flash phones and money around, and keep valuables in secure pockets when not in use, and to keep a bit of spare money down a sock, in case they lose everything else (I doubt if they did this).

So far, nothing bad has happened.

If they lose their phone/money they can call 0800 reverse.

The likelihood though is that they will be fine - if he is anything like my daughter he will be so chuffed at being considered grown up enough to venture into a city on his own that he will be very careful.

DD has gone all over on the trains and megabus, I think teenagers are more sensible than we give them credit for (only in small groups of 2, 3 or 4, though, something happens to their common sense in large groups, plus they are more likely to attract attention).

ah, spare money down sock, I like it (although I know ds would think me crazy to suggest it)

whats 0800 reverse?

Most city centres will have some sort of police presence/station/portacabin type thing if the worst happened and he lost his money/phone or they were stolen.

I'm in Glasgow and i know this is the case, so just assuming really.

But I do honestly think it is very unlikely that it will happen.

am in Glasgow too!....where is it?

There are always police wandering about Argyle st, and there is a small police place in St Enoch's square too, both the main train stations usually have police in them as well so if anything were to happen, he would be able to get help quite quickly.

My DD has been going into the city centre for a few months now and has never had anything happen or even anyone bother or speak to them, the only problem they had was when they over filled their bag of pick and mix in the cinema and then never had enough money to pay for it, and even then the staff were really nice to them! And finally DD believes that cinema pick and mix are an expensive rip off

she;s right they are a rip off!

thanks for tips, might google the police place in st enochs

he is sensible, its the wee toerags hanging around I dont trust

If ds loses phone and money he can go to a phone box and dial 0800 reverse(7383773)- spelt reverse if texting that number iyswim

It's the reverse charges so the call receiver has to pay for the call. Ds will need no money for the phone.

The biggest issue we warn about is interacting, teasing or mucking around with unknown groups of other teenagers. You know the usual football, where ya from kind of stuff that can turn nasty. She will be fine and will have a ball and will gain so much confidence from the experience.

As a student I always kept £10 and my door key in an inside pocket. The idea being if someone pinched my bag I cold still get home and into the flat.

Never happened, only ever got my bag stolen because I left it in the car park, unloading suite cases in the dark.

Never had any trouble in the middle of town.

keep wallet in front trouser pocket - not in jacket, or side trouser pocket, & definitely not in back trouser pocket - & phone in other front pocket

(DS2 lost several phones when this sort of age because of keeping them in side pocket of trackie pants - they would just fall out when he sat down )

thanks everyone x

Some good tips.
DS1 (16 but very unstreetwise) is going to the city tomorrow with friends.

Interacting, teasing or mucking around with unknown groups of other teenagers is exactly the stuff that worries me. He says they are going shopping but I know for sure the main attraction is girls.