Would you allow your 11 year old to go out with friends alone?

[SnazzyB]

When my kids were that age or younger, we would go to the mall, and I would tell them "OK, meet me right here at 2 o'clock. We can decide then if you want to keep looking around, get lunch, leave, or whatever."

If they did NOT meet back up with me at the correct time, they would be grounded for the rest of the day when we got home.

[RubyandPearl]

My mother or my aunt would drop my brother and me and our cousins off at the movie matinee most Saturdays. We were ages 10-6. The manager knew us and the place was full of kids.

This was in downtown Alexandria VA in the early 60s, well before it became the posh community it is now. The old buildings were slums, the streets were dirty and we didn't bat an eye.

There was also a big old roller skating rink where they'd drop us off. We'd skate for hours and then they'd pick us up.

I understand that things have changed a lot, but there were predators back then too. We were constantly told to avoid strangers. It's just that people refused to allow danger to hamper their lives. Our parents (WWII) had lived through a lot and they had tough expectations of their children.

Kids weren't treated as precious little people and we were expected not to do stupid things (doesn't mean we didn't).

But a different attitude prevails today. Personally if it were me I'd allow my 11 yo daughter to go to the local mall with a group of her friends, without supervision.