Like the title says....how much freedom would you think is reasonable for a 13 year old ?
I am just trying to work out if I am being over protective or not. I guess at 13 I was having sleepovers with girlfriends...watching movies etc but I wasn't roaming far and wide.
I have only just started letting DS1 go for bike rides around the block by himself.
Other kids seem to have been doing this for such a long time.
I had a conversation with a friend about her DS, who is also 13, going to a large skate park with 3 of his friends. Heaps of people "hang out" there and you see some pretty "interesting" stuff. Anyway...these boys were going without adult supervision. She asked me what I thought and I said that I didn't think I would cope very well with that. I would worry the whole time that something could happen and I don't think I'm ready to let my DS do that yet. She said that you have to let go at some point.
These boys ride/scooter quite long distances for hours on end while their parents work (school holidays and weekends) and the kids stay home or do what they like within reason.
I'm not judging them at all ! It's up to them how they parent and its up to me how I parent but I wonder if by not really letting my DS do some of these sort of things am I holding him back or smothering him ?
I don't want him to resent me.
I like to know where he is and that he's safe but I guess I can't keep him wrapped up in cotton wool either !
What do you or what will you think is fair ? A little help please xo