Mum asks advice on allowing her child go to cinema alone… and gets very mixed reactions

We all have different and varied parenting styles.

But saying that, we all have different and varied children. Some can be mature for their age and others, well, not so much. And that's OK, every child matures in their own way. This mum has taken to Mumsnet to ask fellow mothers whether she should allow her 14-year-old daughter go to the cinema alone. She said:

"My 14 year old dd wants to go to the cinema completely by herself - obviously with friends and no adults it’s been fine for a while now, but she wants to go just by herself. "I am not sure about this - what do you think? "I am just worried that being on her own and a young girl, she could be targeted by any weirdos potentially present. I know there probably won’t be any weirdos present, but I feel that she might be vulnerable without the presence of vocal and supportive friends."

The post received mixed reactions, with some telling her that her daughter should sit beside a family to be on the safe side, while others said it's great that her child is so confident. One wrote:

"Tell her to sit near a family/group and/or in an aisle seat if you're worried. Do many people really go to the cinema to target lone girls?"

While another said:

"I can't see a problem with her going alone. The likelihood of any "weirdos" being there will be very slim and there will be other people there in close proximity. It would be good for her independence and self esteem to go somewhere like the cinema alone."

What do you think?