my g/f, who is now 14, very mature n lives 5miles out from Reading on a main train route is not allowed to get either the train or the bus to Reading town center...her mother insists she is escorted there by her parents! now ok my parents would just rather is was completely independant ready for me to go off to uni n them to know i am ready...but i think what my g/f's mum is doing is almost irresponsible....but my g/f doesn't want me talking to her mum so i dunno what to do....can anyone help me out or just tell me i am being unreasonable or something....please

thanx...
pete

christina xxx

and as for my comment ever since i was about 10 my parents have been doing things to try and make myself independant enough that when i go to uni it won't be a struggle at all.my sister who is 12 already cycles off to her m8s place about 4miles from here on her own on a main road. she is more than capable of that. catchin the bus to town is normal for her and has been for me for a long time and yet my very mature 14 year old g/f ent allowed to..

i wanna hear other peoples opinions please...

oh n i am 14 as off last tuesday (20/07/04)

thanx all
pete

I think I can understand both points of view here. I have 2 teenage daughters of 16 and 14 and, while my youngest is allowed some independence and freedom, my oldest daughter's mother has kept her tied to her apron strings all her life, never allowing her out at all.

The result is that the 14 year old is a lot more sensible and responsible than the 16 year old, which IMO shows that something is clearly wrong!

Both girls now stay with me and I am releasing my oldest daughter gradually as I feel that too much freedom too quickly may see her going off the rails.

I think your girlfriend's parents are being sensible, it's a bad old world out there and a 14 year old, however sensible and mature, is quite an easy target for the weirdos of the world. Take comfort in the fact that she's at least allowed out, the restrictions should ease in time and if you care for her you're just going to have to live with it.

Every parent has their own way of doing things, it just happens that your parents have a completely different view from your girlfiend's parents. Bear in mind too that you're a boy, if I had boys I'd be more prepared to give them some rope as I think, generally, we worry less about boys than girls. I've no doubt some parents of boys will disagree with that sentiment but, as I said, we're all different!!

anyone else?