How young is too young to go to the mall by yourself?

[Miranda_]

Should 11-year-olds go to the mall unaccompanied?

I read this blog, and was a bit shocked. I mean, eleven years old is far too young in my opinion to go to the mall alone. A group of fifteen year olds would be alright, but eleven is too young. I don't think there's a huge risk of being snatched, but there is a risk of them being set upon by bullies, or of getting into trouble. What do you think?

By the way, I went to the local mall by myself at age fourteen, but I was a mature fourteen and my parents taught me from a young age to behave myself in public. They wouldn't have allowed me at eleven tho.

[Andjelija]

Wow, 0.o, I mean, i'm eleven, and my mom doesn't lets me to go to the mall, but i want to, i mean, she says: what if i break something accidently, or somebody tries to kidnap me... 0.o

[prin367cess]

When i was 11, my mom would NEVER have let me go ANYWHERE alone, let alone the mall. Sure, that was almost 15 years ago, it was a different time back then, but if anything, it's worse now! There's so potential for trouble, whether it's shoplifting, being a public nuisance, or kidnapping.

Most of the malls in my area actually have the new curfew rules - any person under the age of 18 must have adult supervision in the mall after 7 pm. And they are strict, too, actually kicking kids out of the mall, making them call home for a ride or getting cops to drive them home. But even then, the kids have a parent walk them in, and then the parent leaves, so the kids are running wild.

[Elanorea]

Hmm... I'm not seeing much of a reason for 11-year-olds to go to the mall alone. I never wanted to go before I was in my late teens because I didn't get much pocket money, if I wanted to buy something I'd just go with my parents and get them to buy it for me.

[Silent_Wolf]

Dude, at 11 I was LUCKY to go to the mall at all because my mom hates the local town the mall's at. -__-

But that is REALLY too young to go. I'd say 13, but with a responsible OLDER TEEN. And by responsible I mean somebody who isn't the same age, isn't a crazy partier, yadda.

Just... god.

[Heva_Banana_Mad]

I went to the mall ONCE on my own with 2 friends coz it was my friend's birthday treat.
My mum was worried so she went to work on a Saturday. Her work building was really really near the mall. Literally just down the road.
Anyway we went and we took the bus home but I met her at the bus stop so she could see that I was alright.

However, one of my friends was insisting that she shouldn't be so fussy but I think my mum's decisions were perfectly reasonable and I probably would've done the same for my child.

That is the one and only time that I have been to the mall by myself. Plus the friend who didn't have a birthday that day and I are very mature for our age. I wish I could say the same for the other girl whos birthday it was.XD

BUT we survived. XD

In a way I do agree with what you are saying but this isn't going to be a thing that I will always do because I agree with what you have said and was in a way nervous/excited about going on my own.