Would you take your 15-year-old daughter & 3 friends to mall & pick up hours later OR would you stay "just in case"?

Question

For reference: The girls are mature, none have boyfriends and they're not asking for any $ they have their own from work. Likely shopping, movie, food court - figure about 5-6 hours there.

blueonblack22 · Accepted Answer

This is tough call. You want to be a responsible parent but if overdo it kids can rebel. If she was 16-17 it might be different but 15 is youngish/rebellish age. She’s likely a freshman/sophomore and will be running into older HS boys who have cars. That’s were it gets risky.

I say install a location tracking app on her cell phone. Have a strict rule were they can’t leave the mall under any circumstance. Tell her if she breaks the rule in any way she will definitely be grounded. Have a 4 hour max time limit for their entire mall excursion.

Flatmanlewis · Accepted Answer

I would generally be good with this. I may leave them there and be nearby - 10min drive distance - and do my own thing. I may run some errands and do my own shopping at the mall. I definitely won't be home almost 40 min away. This depends on a few factors but mostly the ability to be available should she need me to pick her up sooner than planned. Shockingly, I found my teenage daughter can changer her mind several times in a very short time span. It’s as if teenage girls made impulsive decisions, or something.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

My brother and I were dropped off at the mall starting when we were like 10 and 12  and left alone to roam for hours , but different time period. I get that, but still, at 15, I think you have to cut the cord. You say they are mature, so as my parents told me, our trust is earned, and we trust you all the way up until you give us a reason not to. NEVER give us a reason not to. Go with that. Have them call you. Track their cell phones if you're super worried, but don't hover. They're growing up and they need a bit of independence.

rosemilk · Accepted Answer

if she has a cellphone, which obviously she does, i'd let her live her life as long as they stay at the mall or at least let me know if they're leaving and going to another spot

Mr_twoface · Answer

It depends on the country they are in and the area where the mall is. In Sweden, most places I would absolutely let them do their own thing. They will all have smarphones and/or smartwatches. In middle eastern countries, I would be in the mall, but usually its soo big that we wouldn't probably run into each other anyway.

Elsewhere, not so much!

lightbulb27 · Answer

our mall has rules for weekends, parents must be with kids... because of previous issues with kids.

our kid and friends are ok so I would leave and pickup. depends on the kids and how comfortable you are with the environment.

DaBiggestBird · Answer

Maybe if we lived in the Thicc Kingdom during the rule of Kogundyn. Crimes are almost nonexistent, and even then, they’re just small crimes like some kid bringing whatever their equivalent of alcohol to school or someone stealing something from a shop. Really most of the kingdom’s conflict happens at school with the cool kids and the King of them eventually becoming an actual dictator. But in our world, such a choice would be beyond foolish. If it’s just a movie then fine since I did that with my best friend, his brother and cousin and everything went well. We saw Minions: Rise of Gru, I had a good time. However, strolling around in a mall for hours is far more dangerous, I would probably go in the name of divine justice, same thing for my hypothetical son too. It’s not just girls who can be victims.

JacobJordan · Answer

They are welcome to do so especially as my children will know how to deal with a situation should it come up. I would remain near (more due to distance as closest mall is over an hour away) would probably use the opportunity to do a lunch or dinner out with the wife and kid can let us know when they are done

elaphe · Answer

My friends and I would take the bus to the mall when we were teens. We didn't have cell phones and we were fine (except for one time we got on the wrong bus and ended up in the neighboring town on our way home. Then our parents had to pick us up.

MGTK7 · Answer

Would hang out with friends unsupervised younger than that. It's good to learn to take care of yourself and be responsible even something as simple as respecting curfew time and taking the bus/ subway. Might have been safer times though

snowboarder720 · Answer

Definitely.
As long as they have a phone to call you if either of you need anything then why not? 15 seems old enough to have a degree of responsibility.
They are in public, being with friends, etc. it sounds like a good time!

Dinklex3 · Answer

Not a parent, but I def would. I was allowed at like 13… and that was before cell phones were popular. My niece is 13 & I drop her off and give her money when I visit home.

WindAtMyBack · Answer

Seems fine to me. When I was 15 we didn't really have malls yet. But I used to take the bus downtown at that age. I think I started doing that at 14 with a friend from school.

midnightmoon05 · Answer

I am good when that…  she doesn’t like it that much… so just 2 hrs or so. Then she wants to be picked up.  We drop her off to play tennis for hours… she prefers.

exitseven · Answer

Our local shopping mall is in a nice suburban town. The mall cops are all sworn members of the town police dept. I would be comfortable leaving my daughter and her friends there for a few hours.

caitycat21 · Answer

Yes, I’ve done this before and it was a lot of fun. They’ll prob be safe, I’d only say stay if you live in a bad area

4ngelic · Answer

i'd just drop them off. unless she is a problem child that hangs out with bad kids there's no reason to be worried in this situation

Booklover_90 · Answer

Considering that, sure. Just make sure they use the buddy system and have them check in with you at some point to let you know they’re alright.

MacDaddyRico · Answer

In the 70's when I was in high school, my friends and I would hitch-hike to the new mall.

These days, if I had children I wouldn't let them hitch-hike, nor would I drop them off at the mall.

Times have changed, and there's too much crazy crap happening out there.

dustybiker2 · Answer

At 15 I think its safe to rely on the useless mall cops and their own phones.

WhitneySnow · Answer

I would trust them. My parents let me go out with friends when I was 15 and I turned out ok.

molonski2 · Answer

Wayyyyyyyyyyy too many helicopter parents these days , how do they think their children will ever grow up? Its quite ludicrous.

DishLady · Answer

I’d stay…

Would you take your 15-year-old daughter & 3 friends to mall & pick up hours later OR would you stay "just in case"?

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Would you take your 15-year-old daughter & 3 friends to mall & pick up hours later OR would you stay "just in case"?

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Moms and Dads if you take your daughter shopping would you go into the store with her or just hang about outside?

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