Should 11-year-olds go to the mall unaccompanied?
I was willing to let my 11-year-old and three friends go to the mall without an adult last weekend. The other mothers wanted a grown-up nearby, so they ended up going to the mall with the kids.
The girls were trying on bracelets in one of the stores, and two of the bracelets broke. The store clerk, who was watching them, accused them of trying to take the tags off the bracelets, and an incident ensued. The mom who was with them but in another store at the time came in and rectified the situation.
Although I couldn't have imagined this scenario, I still think a mall is a relatively safe place to be. You are never alone. At the same time, situations may come up that the kids are too young to handle.
Do you let your kids go to the mall with friends?
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