Do you ask your teens who they're meeting up with?

[stirling]

On the whole Ds (15) will tell me when asked, but occasionally it's just a case of "I'm meeting up with friends" on the Broadway...

I feel embarrassed to probe further incase its a girl. Though I've told him a billion times that he can meet up with girls /have a girlfriend etc he's refusing to discuss that with me...

My concern is that if anything were to happen I wouldn't even know who he was with.

That said, he's nearly 16 and at some point I'm going to have to just quietly trust and accept that he's his own person....

Thank you

@BigSandyBalls2015 yes it’s very odd them being off out again but really good for them. Maybe it’s more difficult since it hasn’t been a gradual increase over the last year or so?

I only ask as I like to know who their friends are and take an interest in that part of their lives

I ask just out of interest, although once or twice it has been handy to have her best friends' numbers (the ones she is close enough to for sleepovers) because she's a madam about answering calls. I've had to text the friend once or twice and say 'if my DD is with you can you ask her to call home please?' (She has asked their permission to give me the number)

thanks everyone, it seems that there is nothing wrong in asking then! You have all given me the courage to just do it in a chatty way. Thank you!

@stirling

thanks everyone, it seems that there is nothing wrong in asking then! You have all given me the courage to just do it in a chatty way. Thank you!

Nothing wrong with asking, just be prepared with being grunted at

I was gonna say absolutely, but actually I never have to.
they volunteer all the information about where they are going, who they are gonna meet, when they will be back. I suffer from anxiety so that way I barely worry.
I know their friends anyway, know where they live & got most of their mobile numbers too (even met a lot of the parents) so they all know if there was ever trouble they can call me.

It's how I grew up (sans mobiles), I always wanted my parents to know where I was & with whom, just in case.

My parents never knew where I was. Unless they were involved with lifts.
But I’d often go back out again after coming home while they were asleep.
Different times though I suppose.

@UKnowHowUsCatholicGirlsCanBe

I would be uncomfortable with the idea that random adults I don't know have my child's phone number.

For me with my safeguarding training it's a red flag.

I would be uncomfortable with the idea that random adults I don't know have my child's phone number.
I think most o us parents aren't "random adults' though.
O would guess that many of the adults know their children's friends and often (but I accept not always) their parents.
We are not someone lurking out side Youth zone wanting to groom teenagers.