Meeting an online frI end

[bluebelle2017]

Just looking for some advice. My ds who's 17 has asked if he can go and meet a girl he's met online. She lives quite a distance away so they've decided to meet halfway most likely in Birmingham, and maybe stay the night up there, we are from the London area. He's assured me she's real and they've been talking for many months apparently. Another one of his friends have also spoken to her and confirmed she's real.

Just after some advice really, he's 18 in March and off to uni next year so I guess I can't stand in his way forever, but has anyone else been in a similar situation?

Should of mentioned she's also 17

Oh that's a tricky one. I would suggest he meets her in a public place and doesn't stay the night, or maybe he won't be willing to take your advice.

Definitely plan to meet in a public place to start. Given the distance, staying overnight makes sense but I would advise him not to plan to stay with this new friend and not to give her any details in advance about his accommodation since he hasn't actually met her. Do you have any friends/relatives in that area? Or could a friend from home go along too?