Would you let your 9 year old ride the New York subway alone?

[tedhowe]

I saw this editorial and in light of the recent thread about a 14 year old staying home alone, I thought I'd share it here.

http://www.nysun.com/editorials/why-i-let-my-9-year-old-ride-subway-alone

So my question to you is... would you do this?

Personally, I would do it if my child was asking me to, and I hope that my daughters WILL be asking me to do similar independent things as they get a bit older.

 

[FergieTCat]

I ride the NYC subway every day and I don't think I've ever seen anyone under the age of 12 riding alone. And even 12 is pushing it.

 

[eclectics]

School Children have been using NYC Public Transportation (including the subway) to get to and from school for ages. Not sure of the minimum age they are given transit passes though. I suspect it probably starts with Middle School Teens, not Elementary age.

 

[SydSim]

We took my eleven year old onto NYC subway system for the first time last year - she was terrified and confused, but she's a suburban girl. While growing up in Philly, I rode the buses and subways all the time - with my family. First time alone, I was around 12. My child as a nine year old - not a chance. Me as a nine year old, probably wouldn't have been too much of an issue.

 

[DisTeach1]

No, here in No. Calif, we have BART, which is like the subway in San Francisco, and there is no way I would let my 14 year old ride it alone. In fact, I wouldn't even allow him to ride a public bus by himself.

 

[GeorgeG]

Absolutely not! Nine years old is too young to be going anywhere by themself.

 

[dcgrumpy]

School Children have been using NYC Public Transportation (including the subway) to get to and from school for ages. Not sure of the minimum age they are given transit passes though. I suspect it probably starts with Middle School Teens, not Elementary age.

You're right, when i was in school we got school buses until 6th grade. After that we used public buses or the subway. I was 11 when I started 7th grade.

 

[CinderellaIam]

School Children have been using NYC Public Transportation (including the subway) to get to and from school for ages. Not sure of the minimum age they are given transit passes though. I suspect it probably starts with Middle School Teens, not Elementary age.

Middle school is exactly when they get them. I grew up on the city mass transit system, but not alone until I was 12 and in middle school.

 

[BellvilleDad]

We don't even let our 10 year old play in the backyard unless we have an eye on him. Too many crazies out there anymore.

 

[eclectics]

Middle school is exactly when they get them. I grew up on the city mass transit system, but not alone until I was 12 and in middle school.

Forgot to add that I thought nine was indeed too young. At 11 or 12 with all your school friends, then yes, I don't see anything wrong with that. Even alone, if the child is responsible.

 

[emma'smom]

I think I might, if my child grew up in NYC and was used to riding the trains daily, especially if it was just following the same route they followed every day.

Heck....elementary school teachers in the school where I taught in NYC used to load classes of kids on the subway with each child hanging on to a loop of a rope to take them on field trips.

 

[tedhowe]

We don't even let our 10 year old play in the backyard unless we have an eye on him. Too many crazies out there anymore.

But that's just the point. The crime statistics all point to the fact that there aren't any more crazies out there than there have ever been.

The New York City subway idea in the linked article is an extreme example, but the idea that a 10 year old can't play in your back yard alone saddens me.

Do you live in an area with high crime, or are you just afraid of the "crazies"

 

[Stitchfans]

No way!

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I don't live in NYC so I don't know their subways well enough to have an opinion, but I've been debating putting my 9 year old on the DC metro alone next year. Well not exactly alone since there will be plenty of other families and kids from his school riding at that time.

I teach at a school 10 blocks or one metro stop and 2 blocks from his. If he came to my school each day he could hang out with me or attend our aftercare program for free. I feel safer with him in the well lit, crowded subway platform/car than I do having him walk on the city streets.

Yes, there are risks, but I also think that there are risks associated with not teaching kids to be independent. I'm not saying that parents need to do this particular thing, but I do think that children need to become indepdendent gradually and to face increasing challenges. Too many suburban parents I know seem to go from zero indepdence at 15 to driving a car a year later -- which is way too fast and scary a transition from my point of view.

 

[NYBlue1]

No way, no how, never happen in a million years.

 

[TinkerbellMama]

I wouldn't do it. I don't find the subway in NYC to be especially foreboding, either...I just wouldn't let my son go ANYWHERE alone, at 9 years old. YMMV.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Living in Mahattan, I did my fair share of double takes at young kids on the subway. I've found New York kids to be alot more street savvy than your run of the mill average American child. I'd have to say that it would have to depend on the maturity level of the child.

 

[mamacatnv]

I read the article and saw nothing wrong with the Mother's actions. Would I do it? I really can't say, I have never lived in a major metropolitan city and have no basis to make the decision on but knowing me, if it was all we knew, sure, I probably would.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

I'm a pretty laid back parent, but I'm answer is a resounding NO! Then again, I don't live in New York, so I may think differently if I was familiar with the system.

 

[dcgrumpy]

Now that I think about it when I was in 6th grade I used to go to my friends house after school sometimes and then take the subway or bus home afterwards. I was 10 or 11 at the time.