quick question

on reading about what to do about lost kids at the parks....was
wondering...at what age do you let your kids explore the park on their own
as long as you can get in touch with them with cell phones or two way
radios?

On Apr 3, 6:59 pm, "gary" <txskni...@> wrote:
> on reading about what to do about lost kids at the parks....was
> wondering...at what age do you let your kids explore the park on their own
> as long as you can get in touch with them with cell phones or two way
> radios?

Didn't hesitate to let my 11/12 yr olds go off by themselves for
awhile in any of the parks.
No cell phones, no radios, none of that stuff.
Simple "we're here, we'll meet over there in a couple of hours" is
all that was required.
They didn't change parks by themselves, simply because we were there
on a FAMILY vacation and there was no reason for us to really be apart
anyway.

Have seen younger ones that look to be out alone, but I think the
younger ones hesistate a little bit before asking for help - too
afraid of strangers - so they sort of stand around looking nervous and
upset until someone asks them if they're ok. And the CM watch, always
watching. Sit sometime and watch the CM watching the people. Can be
fun.

The 5th/6th graders, bah, they just go up to the CM and ask - they
have more confidence. Mine never got lost (pretty tough to do
really), just a little late on the time, which wasn't surprising.

Back again when they were 15/16, and went alone several times between
the hotel and MGM and MK, etc. Heck, the one was a licensed driver
then and driving to school everyday, the other almost there - either
one could have driven cross country if they had to. At that age, them
getting lost at WDW was the least of my worries.

On Apr 3, 10:59 pm, "gary" <txskni...@> wrote:
> on reading about what to do about lost kids at the parks....was
> wondering...at what age do you let your kids explore the park on their own
> as long as you can get in touch with them with cell phones or two way
> radios?

I think it depends on the individual kid as opposed to the age. Mine
is only 5, so not a problem. My nieces, all have done fine as young
as 14, but have one that even at that age she wouldn't do it. When I
took my nieces at Christmas three years ago, I simply said, if you
aren't here at specified time, or answer your phone when I call, all
bets are off, you won't go off alone again. They complied, of course
they knew I was serious. They were 13 and 15 at the time, strangely
enough the 13 year old was/is more mature than the 15 year old.

Mia