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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Fly cross country as an unaccompanied minor with airline was a big one for our kids. They always seemed to come back matured from the experience.  It worked. By 13 our oldest was returning solo from an international trip he was invited on with a friend’s family (the family had a summer home and stayed for the whole summer). This year at age 15, 12 and 8, we flew all three kids cross country to California without registering them as unaccompanied minors. The oldest was in charge.

Lots of other things already covered here. DH is big on giving the kids a budget for family needs and DH will split the savings with the kids on whatever they end up buying. Gives kids an incentive to save money. [/quote]

We haven’t had a reason to do this yet, but my 13 year old would be fine doing this. That is because we travel a lot and she is totally used to navigating airports. I will say that my little sister flew by herself at age 4 in 1983. I’m sure that the flight attendants kept an eye on her (or whatever they did back in those days). But looking back, I think my parents were wackadoodle.[/quote]

Yeah my kid also hasn't done this and probably won't until she's a teen because there's no reason, but I don't worry about it because she's traveled so much. Airplane travel is so regimented as well -- it's actually somewhat hard to screw up because the process is so controlled.

I think road trips and visiting a city where she doesn't know anyone are bigger milestones. Road trips on your own or with friends require planning and maturity, mapping out routes, making sure you know where gas or charging stations are or where to stop for food, plus there are many situations where you need to be self-aware and cautious when traveling in more rural locations, especially as a woman alone or in a group of women.

And I remember traveling to another city where I didn't know anyone and stayed in a hotel on my own and navigated the city totally on my own, for the first time in college. It was pretty thrilling, but again requires a certain skill set. I think back on some of the mistakes I made and cringe now. I had zero prep on this from my parents, we didn't travel much in general and I don't think it ever occurred to them that there were things I needed to know. So it was all trial and error on my own. Though that's a good way to learn quickly![/quote]

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