Would you let your rising senior go on an unchaperoned trip to the Bahamas?
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Anonymous
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My DS who will be a rising senior this summer is trying to plan an unsupervised trip with his friends this summer. Initially he wanted to go to Italy, and we put the brakes on that idea. Now he wants to go to stay at a friend's family home in the Bahamas for two weeks with no adult supervision...just him and a couple of girls and guys. All will be age 17 or younger.
My DS is extremely upset that I am not letting him go on this trip. I know at least one other parent who is also against it and there are probably more. The only parent I know for sure is agreeing is the parent with the home in the Bahamas. I even offered to go and chaperone, but he doesn't want any part of that. It's not like he hasn't had chances to be away from home either. For example last summer he spent 3 weeks in a pre college program 7 hours away from us. He is comparing that to his being in the Bahamas with his friends. Somehow I don't see the similarities. Am I being overprotective? I always thought that I might let him do something on his own after his senior year, but this just seems too soon. A lot of maturity comes along in just one year and I feel he will be more ready then. But he obviously feels differently and is very angry that I am not agreeing. |
Anonymous
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Not for us. My kids are late bloomers and naive. I'm sure others would have fun responsibly.
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Anonymous
| You can't "let" him do anything after his senior year if he'll be 18 and an adult so I don't know what that has to do with anything |
Anonymous
| No way!! |
Anonymous
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What are the plans for the stay in the Bahamas? I assume if they are at one house the whole time, a lot of drinking and maybe some time at the beach?
I would say yes to Italy before I would say yes to that. I guess I am picturing in Italy the group would be traveling around to different cities and staying in youth hostels, etc. But I would be less enthusiastic if it would be staying at an unchaperoned house the whole time. My thought would be to say yes to any travel programs with some structure (study/cultural programs, or staying with other families) but no to unstructured vacations until 1) 18 yrs old and 2) paying their own way. |
Anonymous
| Not a chance. |
Anonymous
Can you "let" him support himself? |
Anonymous
This is after junior year. |
Anonymous
| This is crazy, OP. Good that you said no. |
Anonymous
| Does he expect you to pay for this vacation!? Lol. |
Anonymous
| Nope. Not a chance. |
Anonymous
| No. I think you're right to not allow this. |
Anonymous
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Lots of crazy parents out there.
No need to be one of them. |
Anonymous
| Hell to the no. No. Freaking. Way. |
Anonymous
| No way. I let my kid go on international teen tours with travel groups, and on trips with friends if a parent will be chaperoning, but no way would I allow this. |