What should my 16-year-old boy's curfew be?

Dear marionshannon, He can’t do anything at night that he can’t do during the day. So if he is going to get in trouble he can at anytime. Since he is 16 he is unable to go to bars and usually the latest movie lets out around 11pm. Visiting friends later than this would probably be a problem with parents who are in bed by this time. So unless there is a party or some special event there is no need for a curfew to exceed 11pm. Knowing where your child is, is very important and as a parent you are responsible to know his wear abouts at all times. You need to trust him to follow these rules…if he doesn’t then you need to put consequences in place. Penalizing your son because you can’t sleep just isn’t fair. So if he’s a good kid and follows the rules you need to examine your own insecurities.
Sue…good luck

10pm is a great time for a 14-15 year old, but at 16, you could allow him out later for one night of the week, assuming you dont live in a really dangerous neighbourhood !

As you have to get up early on Saturdays, perhaps he can stay out till 12.00 on Saturday night? provided he’s done his weeks homework and has gotten home by 8pm on school nights.

I believe that a minors whereabouts should always be known by a responsible adult;

Insist he calls you at home (at about 11pm?) to let you know he is ok - if he fails to do this, you should ground him the next weekend. This will ensure he doesnt repeatedly ‘’forget’ to call you. For my kids, they were only allowed out till 9pm if I didnt now where they were. For safety reasons, If they wanted to be out later, then they would have to tell me where they were going to be and who with. They also had to give me phone numbers of any houses they were at. I didnt ever tell them where they could and couldnt go, because I didnt want them to lie to me. If I would ever had found them not to be where they said they were gonna be, they would have got a talking to and got grounded for a week. It may help yout son to know that this has nothing to do with you not trusting him- its a common courtesy to keep family members informed as to your whereabouts- particularly at night time. Imagine if he never knew where you were - imagine if you fled out the door at 6 without a word to anyone, and didnt come back till midnight!!

the thing that I love about my parents is that they fully trust me! I am 17 years old and I can come back home anytime I want! this started when I was 14 and I never got into a trouble because my mom and dad thought me how to be and what to do or not! and I was smart enough to learn! so again im 17 years old I come home anytime I want and my parents are never worried and I dont even call them to let them know where I am! you might think that I dont have good parents. but you are wrong I was raised in a really good family that comes with a great background and there is no such as thing called being GROUNDED in my house! so im loving my life I have A’s at school I work 30 hours a week and I do what I have to do! so trusting your kids and teaching them the good and bad I think is enough! Shawn from Arizona

aww poor bloodwayne =(

you should trust your son because if you dont trust him hes proberbly gonna do bad things try letting him out a bit longer graduily let him out for longer it will get easier

Hi, I am 16 at the moment and 17 in about 2 weeks, my parents wont let me into town past 7pm and im only allowed to stay out round my nieberhood/ friends house till about 9.30pm, and weeknends make no acception. I have been invited to an xmas party next week and I have no 6th form the day after, it starts at 9pm and ends at 1am, I tried to be mature and told my parents the truth, but the only way im allowed to go is if my dad drops me off right outside, dead on 9pm and I have to be b picked up at 11pm. After this offer, I am now not going because im paying for the ticket with my own hard earned cash, and im only allowed to stay for half the time, and it also embaraces me that my m8s ar allowed out longer and I have to go back early like a twleve year old and get picked up by my dad. I dont see my self as a weakling I am actually rather a big guy in stature and I do boxing and go gym reguraly, I just cant see the problem about keeping me safe or something. This whole situation is very frustrating, I have a job and I feel wayyy to old to be dealing with this petty situation that is boring me to the back teeth…but not allowed to stay out or go anywhere decent..that is not fair?

im 16 my curfew is between 8 and 9 oclock and im juss sicc of it

i say midnight… that’s my curfew… and i’ve never been out past then… trust him.. im sure he deserves it.

my big brother is 15 and he comes in at 11:15pm on sunday to thursday and on friday and saturday nights he is allowed out until midnight.

if he is at a party he is allowed out until 1 hr after the party is due to finish.

im 15 and my curfew is 7:00 no later…is that fair and im a teen girl

12:00 midnight or 1:00am, im a month or 2 from turning 15 and mine is midnight

I’m 16 and I can’t go out if my parents don’t know where I am or I’m with, and when my school had a ball and a party afterwards until 3am, I had to go home at 12 before the fun. If you don’t allow kids to do things till they’re old or leave home, they’re much more likely to do it more excessively when older and are able to do it.

Guess what my curfew is? well I dont have one! that souns great doesnt it? its really bad I am 16 and a junior and I dont get to hang out and if I do I have to be home by 6. and on school days theres no hanging out at all. I get invited from 20-30 parties a year and from all of thos ei get to go to one if I am lucky.

Well, I’m 14 and I have to be home for 9:30 ! I find it really unfair even if I’m at a friends house 9:30, the latest I’ve been out till was like 10:30 and that was an exeption, my mom said she’d give exeptions sometimes, but I havent seen one since ! My friends are alloud out till 10:30-11:00. They aren’t out getting drunk or smoking weed. They’ re going to watch movies or hang out at the mall or hang at a friends house. The next day I have to hear how fun it was, while I was home watching a movie by myself or watching TV -.-

As long as you know where your son is, and who he is hanging out with I’d say its pretty fair to let him out as late as he wants. I have been allowed out as late as I’ve wanted for as long as I can remember as long as I just tell my parents where I am and who I am with. I’ve been on spring break and last night was the only night that I have actually been in before 12. Give your son his space and he is a lot less likely to do stupid things. I’m not saying he wont but he is less likely.

I’m 16 and I’m told that I’ve to be in for 1am if I don’t have school the next day but only if I’m at a party/someones house. It’s about 11/midnight if I’m in town or just out and about. But I always have to wake my Mum up when I get in if she has went to bed, but she trusts me as I know I don’t drink/smoke/etc.

Im 15, 16 in 2months. I Have To be in at 8.30 on school nights and 9.00 at weekends, it really annoys me because all my friends are allowed out til like 11. it stresses me out, my parents dont trust me.

ermm like 9 or half 9 on week days and 11 on weekends sometimes exeptions thouu :) and im only 13

I’m 16, my curfew is midnight, My mom learned from my sister, if you Try to hold you kids back and shelter them all there life they are going to rebel, My mom allows me to be out untill 1:30, I get home before then, Im a partyer And Love to hang with my friend’s, My mom is a nurse and works odd hours, I don’t Rebel on her, or smoke weed and cause trouble, I think You should tell Him doors Are locked before so and so, as my mother does often, nothing happens by 10 come on!!,

I say he should be in bed by 8 pm kids are too young to stay out late.. the drunkies come out at 9 or later…I make sure my 17 yr old son is home by dusk which is around 730 where I live…When I was 17 yr I had the same curfew and I had plenty of fun playing bored games and such

IM 16 AND I HAVE TO COME IN AT 10 CLOCK, I CAME IN 20 MINS LATE AN GOT GROUNDED IS THAT FAIR ?

hmm im 16 i get til 10ish on weekdays then on a friday and saturday night i get til about 11.30 :) x

Im 13 & my curfew is 10:00.. I thought this was unfair because all my friends got to stay out untill 11:00, WHAT DO YOU THINK??

crazywith6kids, 17 year olds these days dont enjoy playing bored game, what can you even do on a friday night before 7:30?

well 4 am

11:30 or Midnight, but only if they act in a responsible manner, good grades, no smoking or drinking etc… If they don’t do what they are supposed to do, then the time should be decreased… Be fair, but be tough, set the expectation and make them stick to it, don’t give in just because you want to be a cool adult, be a parent first, you are in charge and know what is best for a 16 year old, it is your job to make solid responsible decisions and not give in to the pressure of a 16or 17 year old kid… When they learn to be responsible and make good choices, then and only then should you make adjustments in their favor…

When I was 16 my mom used to tell me be home by eleven or don’t come back until the morning. At the time I loved it but thinking back now being out all night wasn’t the best thing for me.

My grandson is only 12 years old and has a 9-10pm curfew. Is that to late? This is only on the weekends and is home during the week when school is in session. 12 years old compared to 16 is a big difference. what do you think?