9 Year Old NYC Kid Takes Subway Alone -- Bad Parenting?

[Ed Anger]

This woman should be killed and her child dissected for medical research.

Plus she should BURN IN HELL.

[HisMajestyBOB]

Borderline. I have a hard time imagining myself letting a 9 years old kid take the subway alone but this one seems highly intelligent and anyway his mother knows him and the city much better; the decision about when to let him take the subway was hers to take.

I think the thing most Europeans would find odd is, he didn't have a phone! Most kids here do already have a phone at that age, and certainly most fathers would give them one if they were free to take the subway alone.

Same in Korea. If a kid is old enough to talk, he/she's got a cell phone, it seems.
I routinely see little kids riding the buses and subways without parents around here.
I figure if they grew up in the city, whether NYC, Seoul, or DC, they'll generally be okay to ride alone by the preteen years, given certain restrictions (not after night, perhaps not in certain areas, etc.)

[The Brain]

It's not bad parenting.

[alfred russel]

a native 9 year old New Yorker should have the street smarts (or subway smarts) to pay fare, read a map and stay away from bad people.

mum should be commended for enabling her son's autonomy and initiative.

In theory, I agree with you.

In practice, I wouldn't make the same decision.

[merithyn]

a native 9 year old New Yorker should have the street smarts (or subway smarts) to pay fare, read a map and stay away from bad people.

mum should be commended for enabling her son's autonomy and initiative.

What he said.

Mom knows her kid. She knows if it's appropriate for him. I have three that would have been fine at that age; one who still gets lost coming home from school at 13. *shrugs*

[Habsburg]

[DGuller]

Meh, I'm OK with it.  When I was that age, I was taking public transit by myself all the time, and it wasn't unusual.

[Neil]

a native 9 year old New Yorker should have the street smarts (or subway smarts) to pay fare, read a map and stay away from bad people.

mum should be commended for enabling her son's autonomy and initiative.

What he said.

Mom knows her kid. She knows if it's appropriate for him. I have three that would have been fine at that age; one who still gets lost coming home from school at 13. *shrugs*

On the one hand, I agree with what you're saying here.  On the other hand, it's this sort of 'listen to your body' stuff that gets you into trouble.

[merithyn]

On the one hand, I agree with what you're saying here.  On the other hand, it's this sort of 'listen to your body' stuff that gets you into trouble.

Had my son listened to his body, he wouldn't have ended up in ICU.

The truth is that there is no blanket age for any of these things. Some kids are more capable than others at different ages. What one can accomplish with ease another cannot for another few years.

[saskganesh]

its like going to the hospital. you just follow the coloured lines.

[Brazen]

9 year old, boy, normal hours is fine.  If girl, then delay by 2-3 years.  If after midnight, not ok.

Why? Girls are more mature than boys, up to the age of about 40.

[Malthus]

Meh, I'm OK with it.  When I was that age, I was taking public transit by myself all the time, and it wasn't unusual.

I know that by age 11 I was totally used to travelling alone on the subway, because that year the new Spadina subway extention opened, and I can remember going to each and every new station and collecting a transfer, spending a whole afternoon by myself doing this - and by that time single subway travel was already old hat for me. But I don't remember what age I started to ride on my own. Must have been around 9 or 10.

[Valmy]

Why? Girls are more mature than boys, up to the age of about 40.

In what sense?  Being more neurotic and more likely to fall in love with people in prison?

[Brazen]

In what sense?  Being more neurotic and more likely to fall in love with people in prison?

And who are the ones that ended up in prison? I rest my case.

[Valmy]

And who are the ones that ended up in prison? I rest my case.

We only do that to get chicks.  The ladies love a Convict.