Anyone with 16 year olds? what time do you allow them out to?

[surferjet]

Ds 16 ( 17 in a few months ) came in at midnight last night. Is this normal?
I want to give him his freedom but at the same time he is only 16 & midnight seems a bit late? I didn't say anything to him last night as just relieved to see him ( I'd text him at about 9.30pm but his phone was off )
Just looking for advice really.

My 16 year old generally has a 10.30 bedtime, but last night she came home at 3.30am. That was because she was working a night shift though. We live somewhere with very limited public transport that I wouldn't use at night so anything late has to be prearranged.

My ds is 17 and doesn't really go out at night at all. He told me today that getting eight hours sleep every night was very important to him. He's probably going to university next year (might take a year out but hasn't decided yet) and I have no concerns at all that he will manage independence just fine.

When ds was 16 there was no curfew as such at weekends. However, we live rurally and he cycled everywhere. i used to worry he'd be knocked off his bike on some country road somewhere, so the rule was " home by 11.30 or text to say roughly what time you'll be home". He quite often stayed over at friends houses, which was fine as it meant he wasn't cycling at night. I never asked which friends or for the adddresses, just that he told me that he would be away all night so I didn't worry.

I don't think midnight is too late for a nearly 17 year old as long as he lets you know he'll be out.

DS16 (17 next month) tends to be home by 10 ish - sometimes earlier on a weeknight.

Weekends is a bit more flexible. Midnight is ok, but he's hopeless at letting me know and his phone is usually flat.

Unfortunately he's now lost his iPhone that he bought in April with his own money - so we have no way of contacting him.

I'm happy for mine to be out until late if I know when they expect to come in.

If they're just "round at a mates" I think it is polite for them to let me know where they are, and give an ETA.

My 17yo and 15yo often go up to London to a gig or a show with friends. They have quite a lot of freedom, but they don't abuse it.