At what age would you let your child/teen...

Spendless

" Have a social media account - when the sites age allows them and they ask. DS turned 13 10 days ago and OH asked him today if he wanted a Facebook account. DS gave a resounding no and asked why on earth he'd want one."

Ha, ha. My 14yo daughter informs me that only 'old' people (she means like me!) have facebook or use it regularly. Her age group is on other social media sites, eg snapchat.

She also told me that a friend of hers whose parent checks up on their phone/social media she regularly gets a message from her saying 'delete your messages, Mum is about to check'

MERFE

I've a 6 year old, 11 year old and 12 year old so based on what we do, sometimes the 6 year old has been allowed a fair bit earlier than the older 2.


- Wear nail polish - completely banned after several attempts to trust oldest and having to remove from windowsills, floors etc
- Wear make-up - 12 year old is allowed lip gloss but also due to mess she isn't allowed anymore atm, may review this when she stops being so messy.
- Shave their legs - as soon as she asked in year 6
- Walk to/from school alone - middle one was year 4, oldest year 5 and they walked together, 10 min walk no roads to cross.
- Stay at home alone for 30 mins - between 8-9 the older ones stopped being dragged out to the post office etc.
- Stay at home alone for a few hours - more recently so I'd say 10-11 they get a choice to come or stay home unless we are going to be gone all day then they have to come.
- Stay at home alone overnight - probably not till 16 years old.
- Go out (to the park/shops/cinema etc) unsupervised in a group, not something they have done yet
- Go out unsupervised alone - they go to the local park alone - older ones - since 9-10 years old - or go to knock for friends. We live in a tiny village. This year we have allowed the youngest 6 to go to the park with one of the older 2 if they want to take him and I'm busy. They are usually only gone less than 30 mins.
- Travel on a bus/train alone - older 2 go to secondary school on bus alone but no public transport. If they need to go to a friends house who isn't in the village we will drop them there so no need so far. Probably from 16 if they got a pt job.
- Watch a 12-rated film - If the older ones can watch it the youngest is also allowed. I probably let them watch 12s from age 9-10.
- Watch a 15-rated film - not allowed yet, probably 13-14. will be trickier as I wouldn't want youngest to see.
- Watch an 18-rated film - ideally not till 18 but probably more like 16.
- Have a few sips of an alcoholic drink - They have all had a sip of my wine at dinner to try.
- Have a weak alcoholic drink (e.g. shandy, spritzer) - 14-15 on a special occassion maybe.
- Have a strong alcoholic drink (e.g. beer, wine) - 18 as far as I would allow, no doubt they will try before then though.
- Choose their own clothes - tricky again as budget doesn't allow for huge spends on clothes so they have to have practical clothes that can be worn for different occassions, same as me. I guess when they earn their own money they can spend it how they wish. However they definitely get a say and if I get something they don't like they don't have to wear it. Actually the youngest is the worst because he will not wear trousers, jeans, polo shirts etc so he needs to be consulted before I bother buying anything for him.
- Have a mobile phone. Secondary school age, basic, pay as you go, no internet access - more smart phone 14years or over.
- Have a TV/computer/console in their room - middles one saved for his own computer recently so 11 for that, he had a PS3 already from 9 and the tv for that now has a Now TV box as we were given a spare. The youngest shares his room, it's the biggest room in the house so they have a sofa up there and the oldest goes in to watch tv with them and we get to watch what we want downstairs.
- Have unsupervised internet access - Unsupervised but still monitored 11
- Have a social media account - 18 if I had my way, but I doubt I will.

bylromarha

Spendless wrote: »

" Have a social media account - when the sites age allows them and they ask. DS turned 13 10 days ago and OH asked him today if he wanted a Facebook account. DS gave a resounding no and asked why on earth he'd want one."

Ha, ha. My 14yo daughter informs me that only 'old' people (she means like me!) have facebook or use it regularly. Her age group is on other social media sites, eg snapchat.

She also told me that a friend of hers whose parent checks up on their phone/social media she regularly gets a message from her saying 'delete your messages, Mum is about to check'

The only reason DS wants his phone is Minecraft. No snapchat/kik etc apps even loaded on there. We made him get whatsapp to contact his nan.

DD however I'm sure will be asking for social media apps as soon as she learns about them! Secondary school begins for her in 2 weeks...I can see life changing!

SuperHan

Not my kids, but this is the age I was allowed to do the following:


- Wear nail polish I can't remember not being allowed
- Wear make-up I got my first "grown up" make up at 12, but was only allowed to wear natural until about 14 (I got my first black eyeliner when I was 14).
- Shave their legs As soon as I wanted to
- Walk to/from school alone 11
- Stay at home alone for 30 mins 9 or 10
- Stay at home alone for a few hours 11
- Stay at home alone overnight I don't think I actually did this until I moved out. I was allowed to sleep out at friends/boyfriends house without challenge from about 16
- Go out (to the park/shops/cinema etc) unsupervised in a group 11
- Go out unsupervised alone 11
- Travel on a bus/train alone 11
- Watch a 12-rated film 9 or 10
- Watch a 15-rated film 13 or 14
- Watch an 18-rated film 15 or 16
- Have a few sips of an alcoholic drink 14
- Have a weak alcoholic drink (e.g. shandy, spritzer) 14
- Have a strong alcoholic drink (e.g. beer, wine) 14 (My Mum and Dad were very big on if you're going to drink, you can do it in the house rather than having to hide it. I didn't actually drink until I was 18 so it clearly worked, but a lot of my friends would drink in my back garden. Again, my parents allowed it as if they didn't we would have done it on the park in a less safe environment)
- Choose their own clothes 12
- Have a mobile phone 11
- Have a TV/computer/console in their room 10
- Have unsupervised internet access 10
- Have a social media account 14 (but social media was less of a thing until I was 14 - now mid 20s).

SavvyShopper01

Mine shaves her legs (its mainly a peer pressure thing), as she had to do PE in her pants last term when she didn't have her PE kit