Would you let your teen cut short a service trip b/c unhappy?

[Anonymous]

Teens going on “service trips” are complete bullshit. Colleges see through then too. He might as well bring her home. No one is learning anything by making her sit there doing nothing for another few days.

(Teens should not be doing “habitat” type work. They have no actual skills and slow down work or do it sloppy and cost more time and money. Underserved communities and people would be much better served with direct grants that put local people to work or actual professionals donating their time. Kids and church families doing service is just to make themselves feel good and is disgusting.)

[Anonymous]

Wow. As ever, threads quickly revolve into judgmental trolls fighting with one another.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teens going on “service trips” are complete bullshit. Colleges see through then too. He might as well bring her home. No one is learning anything by making her sit there doing nothing for another few days.

(Teens should not be doing “habitat” type work. They have no actual skills and slow down work or do it sloppy and cost more time and money. Underserved communities and people would be much better served with direct grants that put local people to work or actual professionals donating their time. Kids and church families doing service is just to make themselves feel good and is disgusting.)

X a million

Poverty tourism is ugly and harmful

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you bring her home all you are teaching her is that her time and her happiness are more important than the experience of the team, the commitment she made, or the people that she’s serving. It’s not surprising that a teen would have the immature expectation of coming home to her discontent but you needn’t abet this immaturity.

I am the leader of a high school after school activity that requires commitment even through boring parts of the process. That you would dream of bringing her home early is appalling to me. Grit is a buzzword for a reason. She is not in danger. Let her develop some character. She has to tough t out.

+1

[Anonymous]

15 year old girls have the skills to build people houses?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teens going on “service trips” are complete bullshit. Colleges see through then too. He might as well bring her home. No one is learning anything by making her sit there doing nothing for another few days.

(Teens should not be doing “habitat” type work. They have no actual skills and slow down work or do it sloppy and cost more time and money. Underserved communities and people would be much better served with direct grants that put local people to work or actual professionals donating their time. Kids and church families doing service is just to make themselves feel good and is disgusting.)

I work for Habitat for Humanity. This is not true at all- some of our best volunteers are teens.

[Anonymous]

She needs to have a talk with the leader to find out what they will be doing over the next few days. If the answer is "nothing," pick her up. It would be foolish of her to stay.

She could immediately, upon her return home, go volunteer somewhere else where they need a warm body. Food kitchen or food pantry, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She needs to have a talk with the leader to find out what they will be doing over the next few days. If the answer is "nothing," pick her up. It would be foolish of her to stay.

She could immediately, upon her return home, go volunteer somewhere else where they need a warm body. Food kitchen or food pantry, etc.

This. I would have her get confirmation of the rest of the itinerary, or contact the group for it. If they are truly “done” I would have no issue picking her up and telling the organization that my child was there to be doing productive service and since they were not providing the opportunities they said they would, she would be leaving early to find other opportunities. They need to be accountable..

[Anonymous]

Absolutely. Sure. It can do more damage long term then good.
Kids are still not sure how they will take the time away form home and emotions can be very unpredictable and it can be pretty painful experience in all, not everybody is mature enough to handle forced exhale undertooken voluntarily

There will be other opportunities. Your kid needs more home now, not much time left before flying away for good.

Also possible that something bad is happening and kid is not in the position to tell you everything maybe never will but it is possible DC is sending signals. that you don't decode properly. I would get the kid out immediately.

The problem with adults is that adult usually does not put themselves in the position that they can not get out, they also know what they can handle, kid is not so much.. kid can not asses due to lack of experience if kid will manage, and also they can not just pack and leave. So I vote yes, take kid out, if I were that kid I would be very upset and hold resentment for a good while to yo as my mom but hey, maybe I am also bit projecting, I once went to event like that, and my mom did not hesitate to save me from the misery, I was so grateful to her and I had tons other options later of the same kind.

At the end of the day a kid never remember one more or one less camp but knowing you can rely on your parent in a time of need - priceless. That you never forget.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow. As ever, threads quickly revolve into judgmental trolls fighting with one another.

[Anonymous]

I would pick up my child if kids were being mean to her/if she was being bullied. I wouldn’t pick her up if she was just bored.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No right or wrong answer here! Use your parenting instinct.

Or defer to dh's decision.

[Anonymous]

Sure. Pick her up early but make sure she includes that in her college essay about the rewarding, eye opening, ung, humbling service experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The lesson is that people can waste your valuable time? No. She comes home.

Wahybtonraise an entities brat.

No my kid can survive 4 days of discomfort. Everything in life doesnt have to meet your expectations and you can just learn to deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely. Sure. It can do more damage long term then good.
Kids are still not sure how they will take the time away form home and emotions can be very unpredictable and it can be pretty painful experience in all, not everybody is mature enough to handle forced exhale undertooken voluntarily

There will be other opportunities. Your kid needs more home now, not much time left before flying away for good.

Also possible that something bad is happening and kid is not in the position to tell you everything maybe never will but it is possible DC is sending signals. that you don't decode properly. I would get the kid out immediately.

The problem with adults is that adult usually does not put themselves in the position that they can not get out, they also know what they can handle, kid is not so much.. kid can not asses due to lack of experience if kid will manage, and also they can not just pack and leave. So I vote yes, take kid out, if I were that kid I would be very upset and hold resentment for a good while to yo as my mom but hey, maybe I am also bit projecting, I once went to event like that, and my mom did not hesitate to save me from the misery, I was so grateful to her and I had tons other options later of the same kind.

At the end of the day a kid never remember one more or one less camp but knowing you can rely on your parent in a time of need - priceless. That you never forget.

The natural response of a helicopter/lawnmower parent, who is surely raising an emotionally stunted adult with no confidence or self esteem