14 yr old walking home alone at 4 am after school trip

[ladyeve]

Is it acceptable/common practice to suggest to parents that, should they so wish and they (parent) have signed a consent form to this effect, their 13-15 yr old child will be allowed to walk home unaccompanied at 3-4 a.m. after returning from a school trip?

Views and or experience of this matter will be gratefully received

no

I am usually the first parent to give written permission for my children to make their own way home from trips and events. They are 14, 12, 10 and 10. The primary school had to add 'making own way home' to collection arrangement slips for me.

But not at 4 am!!!

No way

No not a chance at 4am - and I'm the most relaxed parent ever about kids walking home.

Not a hope in hell.

No

No chance and I'm only a ten minute walk from the kids school.

Depends how far & what conditions, but I would probably be ok with it.

no - apart from anything else they will be exhausted and therefore more at risk of accidents.

No

....and apart from anything else, won't they have a stack of luggage and other crap that they didn't manage to fit in the case? maybe that's just my kids and also they will be exhausted and groggy if they've managed to doze off at all. tbf it is probably safer on the streets at 4am than 11/12 ish as they will be empty of hangers about and no traffic too, but it would still be a No from me and have had two school trips return in the early hours and a scout one and it's never been suggested that children could walk home.

I live in a country which is generally far more laid back than the UK about children's independence, and much of the 'don't leave your child alone for one second' hysteria in Britain (and on MN) is frankly laughable.

Having said that, not letting a young teenager walk home alone at 4am is not hysteria, it's common sense. At that age they haven't yet developed the skills to watch out for danger and there would be too few people out and about to offer assistance if anything happened. I have a just-turned 16yo and I wouldn't be too thrilled if she pulled a stunt like that alone (ie no adults or similar aged girls), so 14yo is absolutely unacceptable. 10pm to 11pm would be OK at that age, no later.

No!

Just out of interest, where from and to?

No way.

Tell us more.

Is there any chance they've just used a standard form that has "pupil can make own way home" as an option?

I'm pushing thirty and I wouldn't be happy walking home at 4am.

No way!

At that time of night? Hell, no.

NOPE!

No! DH would probably baulk at me doing it to!

It's a standard "pupil can make their own way home" form

If they lived opposite the school it would be fine. If they were 17 and driving themselves that would be fine too.

My ED's school has this as a standard choice on most forms. I'd presume that this is there as a default and no-one is expected to select this option at 4am.

not a cat in hells chance, even I wouldn't walk home at that time.

No way. Surely no school can think that is even remotely acceptable?!!

Of course not. But are you sure it's am not pm? Why on earth would they arrive back at 4am??