16yr son working till midnight and coming home alone

[user1474272923]

Hi, this is my first post so please be kind 😁.
My son turned 16 last month. He got a job at mcdonalds and his shifts have been from 4pm til 12 midnight.
I'm not usually hysterical when it comes to him going out and his curfew is usually decided depending on what the situation is. I don't mind him out late as long as he's not alone and is getting home safely.
This job though is causing me a bit of panic. The mcdonalds is in a notoriously rough area. I feel I'm being too overprotective by going out to pick him up each evening. Plus if I'm honest, I work full time and im a single mum. I'm usually fast asleep by 11pm!! (Kinda missing them days now!)
So that leaves him either having to walk through the Estate then waiting for the next tram at midnight....or me trying to force him in getting a cab home. Which would take most of his earnings bless him. The other option is me lay in bed imagining him being beaten and telling myself off for being a bad parent and not picking him up.
I do understand I need to give him some independence. I also have a daughter of 22 so iv been through this already. However she would never go anywhere alone. He feels he is invincible!!
Please don't get me wrong I don't want to fill him with unnecessary fear and im all for him taking a few risks and becoming independent. I just feel really uncomfortable with this situation at the moment.
Iv asked if he works with anyone he can share transport home with, but he doesn't.
Any advice or hand slapping for being an overbearing mother would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

Actually MrsJayy you're right.

But if he doesn't raise it himself, sometimes you just have to have the nuclear option.

I really think this is long term unsustainable.

www.mcdonalds.co.uk/ukhome/whatmakesmcdonalds/questions/work-with-us/apprenticeships/what-does-a-mcdonalds-apprenticeship-involve.html

Blimey.

How can they get away with calling these things apprenticeships?

It brings real apprenticeships into disrepute, apprenticeships are respectable qualifications which should not be undermined by mcjobs.

I was referring to leaving school to start an apprenticeship not being a bad thing- obviously the hours etc. are unacceptable in this circumstance.

The modern apprentice system is strange my cousins son is doing his in a trade getting trained going to college but somebody else I know works in a discount chemist with instore training and another person I know has a great adult modern apprenticeship it's just a bit all over the place

Ermm nope. This isn't an apprentice it's a part time job. He's just applied and passed his psychometric tests for the navy and waiting on his medical to go through to the next stage. (Yes I do understand the irony of him possibly travelling the world soon and me worrying about him travelling home from his local mcdonalds 😂)
Although if he was working as an apprentice at mcdonalds I'd be just as proud of him. As long as he has a good work ethic and is learning a new skill then I'm proud as punch.
Although I get your points on "kids working the fryers" .. I don't think there's anything wrong with learning the entirety of any job before you expect to move up the management chain.

At that age I cycled everywhere - it felt safer than walking, and my parents didn't drive.
Would a bike be an option? It gives you a quicker get away!!

One of dh's colleagues' son couldn't stay on into Yr 13 as grades too low, and there was no space in any of the schools/colleges anywhere remotely near for him to start another course. When they said, "but he has to be educated somewhere, " (owing to the new law), they were told, "no, that just means he can't claim any benefits!"

McDonald's actually have very well respected internal training academies. I believe they were looking st offering degrees at one point.

Sorry OP I didn't realise the catering laws were different.

I do so admire young people who get part-time jobs and have a clear idea of what they want to do with their lives. You must be extremely proud op

Ahh thank you.. I'm super proud of him. Now if only my 22 year old daughter could find a bit of motivation and stop living the life of a tantrumming 15 yr old that would be great ... oh and if she stopped stealing my make up too I'd be in heaven haha

I think the cycling idea is good actually.

When I was 20 and worked til 11pm in a safe suburb my dad would pick me up or colleagues would give me a lift.

I don't think you're overprotective to pick him up, but it depends if it's really practical for you.

Is there a colleague who could drop him home? He could offer petrol money, still cheaper than a taxi

I'd be worried that an apprenticeship with McDonald's wouldn't be very transferable to other areas of catering. I think a Navy apprenticeship is pretty impressive.

Can you make your 22 year old stay up and give him a lift?

My son started working in a restaurant at 16. He finished at 11pm sometimes a bit later, we live in a nice area but a 40 minute walk home, I picked him up every time, as I couldn't bear the thought of him walking home that late. I'm also a single parent who works full time, but I am a night owl so would generally be faffing around anyway

I'd be picking him up at that time of night.

Mine know to phone me if they are stuck anywhere, dd17 was let down by an arranged lift home last week and rang me, her friend suggested they walk home (well over an hour).

I'd rather they drag me out of the house than something awful happen to them.

Dd has a part time job which involves an hour round trip for us but buses would be impossible where we are so we take and fetch her.