What privileges should a 13 year old have?

Question

I'm 13 and I feel my parents are being way too overprotective. I'm not allowed to ride the city bus, go to the mall by myself, walk to places that are across busy streets, etc. If you are 13 or have been 13 and remember what privileges you have/had and they are similar to these please tell me. Thanks:)

Answer 1

Hi,

I'm also 13

My parents allow me to go to the movies alone with my friends as long as I have a cell phone and as long as my parents know somebody is dropping us off/picking us up. My parents also let me go to the mall with a few friends. About the crossing the roads, my parents let me as long as I use a crosswalk and it's not dark out.

Answer 2

im 13 and your parents seem a little bit overprotective but i dont blem them

Answer 3

That doesn't sound overprotective to me. I'm not allowed to ride the city bus alone either. (But for me, it's not like I'd want to. Considering there are lots of old weird people on the bus, and it takes about half an hour just to walk to the Metro bus stop.)  I can't go to the mall all alone, but I can go with friends. Is that what you mean? I think that is kind of strict, unless you live in an area where you have mall shootings and stuff. I can only go if my cell phone is fully charged, and I have to check in every 30 minutes. The busy street thing is kind of bizarre. Isn't that what crosswalks are for? Try talking to your parents about a plan that will let them know you'll be safe while doing these things (like always having a cell phone, and emergency money on you.) And having emergency numbers (mom, dad, grandparents, 911, etc.) on your speed dial to easily access them.

Answer 4

When i was 13 i was aloud to ride the bus to the mall, i was aloud to go places on my own, but with my friends!!! Maybe u aren't mature enough? Or u act to childish? I don't know because i don't now you.....but give ur mom and dad a break!!! The world is such a dangerous place and anything can go wrong in the safest of neighborhoods !!!!!!!!!!!! If u don't realize this I don't blame ur ,mom and dad for not letting you go away by yourself, because you are to innocent and may not be the kinda street smart type. They will eventually let u go places on ur own. This may come as a shock but 13 is very young!!!! Give them time, show that you can be responsible and can be trusted.

Good Luck x

Answer 5

I dont think that not allowing you to walk across busy streets is really over protective. Some kid was walking across the road near my house and he was slammed into by a car and completely mutilated.

If they are holding your hand and helping you cross that is a little uncalled for but I can understand them not wanting you to walk across a highway or extremely busy street and they drive you.

Are you crossing at crosswalks? Teenagers are famous for ignoring crosswalks and running across into traffic thinking they are "safe". A few days ago a bunch of little teenagers ran infront of me while I was driving. Yes I was a distance from them, but I was in a car. What if I had been about to speed up?

And the mall thing isn't over protective at all. I wasn't allowed at the mall alone at 13 either.

Answer 6

pedophiles pray on boys too darling.

Answer 7

they are a little BIT strict

Answer 8

i'm also 13. My parents are exactly like yours. I don't really mind because it's twice as fun to go to the mall with your friends. But sometimes I can cross the streets. I'm not allowed to go on city buses either.

Answer 9

none your parents are perfect because they love you and want to protect you at least they give a sh$t

Answer 10

i'm 14, and i can usually talk my parents out of stuff. but my parents were the same exact way, so i know how you feel. i felt like everyone else could do whatever they wanted, and i was being treated like i was 5.

but when i was 13, i was allowed to walk across busy streets as long as it was a red light and i didnt just take off into the road.

i could go to the mall by myself if i wanted. but i preferred to go with friends.

and i know you probably dont want to hear this, but your parents have good reason to be protective. they care about you and love you too much to want anything to happen to you. just talk to them and try to set new guidelines, but have a good reason for each thing. good luck :)

Answer 11

I wasn't allowed to go to the mall by myself when I was 13 either. As a matter of fact, I couldn't go anywhere without an adult. I was allowed to cross the street though... But don't worry about it. Just follow their rules and try to have fun with the limits they set on you. Trust me, it'll be way better than fighting all the time, or spending your time dwelling thinking about things that you think you should be able to do. I've been there, so I know.

Answer 12

When I was 13 I wasn't old enough to drive so I couldn't go anywhere by myself anyways. Probably when you're old enough to drive your parents will be okay with you going places by yourself.

Believe me when you're older and look back on the restrictions your parents put on you, you'll appreciate them.

Answer 13

well im 18 and i guess it depends on where you live.

do you live in a big city??/

cuz to be honest there are a lot of creepy ppl out there. and yea your13.. a teenager. but your still a child. h**l im still a child. anything could happen. your parents love you is all. yea  youll look around at all your friends doing all this "cool" stuff but you have the smart parents. and try asking an older cousin to take you and your friends to the mall. no parents and  youll have your space.  

Answer 14

Well im 14, but last year i had the same privileges as i do now accept i can babysit now :)

Well, i can go to town (english version of mall) by myself by getting the bus by myself lol. I can date, i can stay out till 10:30 max as long as i keep my mam informed of where i am by texts. i can sleep over at people house, (i know thats small, but you'd be surprised of how many people on here are 14 and havent even had a sleepover before :l) hmm what else, im allowed to drink alcohol but by alcohol i men one glass of champagne at a wedding or wine at a dinner, and i can only drink this when im being supervised.

Im glad i was given this freedom because i dont have any desire to go out and get drunk because whats teh point? kids who are restricted of things usually end up doing them to teh extreme when they are older.

I suppose i have the responsibility of every normal teen :)

Answer 15

Well I have a sister thats 13 and her privaleges are be inside by 9:00. And stay up till 11:00 on school nights. She can not go to the mall with friends or by herself. She cant go outside on school days. She cant watch tv on school nights or get on the computer unless homework. She has to bed off the phone by 10:00. your lucky ♥

Answer 16

Depends on the 13 year old.

Parenting is dynamic; how you manage a kid depends on how mature the kid appears to be, not just on how old they are.  I know 15-year-olds who need to be kept under lock and key, and I know other 15-year-olds who are basically adults.  How your parents are likely to treat you depends heavily on how much maturity you display.

But in any case, it looks like what you're mostly interested in is wandering around without supervision, which frankly isn't a very mature thing to want to do.  (What exactly do you plan to do when you go to the mall by yourself?  Blow money?  Stare at people?  It's not exactly an engaging activity.)

If you want to convince your parents to give you more freedom, I would cut the "hey look at what these internet people's parents let them do" argument, and instead, perhaps cultivate some interests that require a bit of freedom.  If, instead of hanging around the mall, you instead wanted to go job hunting, or volunteer for some sort of positive cause, or even just help take care of household errands, you might find your parents more willing to grant you freedom than if you just want to wander for the sake of wandering.