<p>Mine is not coming home, but the grandkitten is. Momma Cat is doing Habitat in another state. We get to kitty sit and listen to our 17lb monster and her 7lb baby hiss and growl for a week. What fun. I *think *they are playing when they have their mouths at eachother’s throats - no blood or gore. But the hissing is tiresome. </p>
<p>(grandkitten is an actual feline, not a human btw)</p>
<p>Thank you for the advice toledo, I will be sure to add that to my list for the mandatory parental safety lecture; beware of pickpockets was right up there - Aspies can be far too trusting and vulnerable around strangers and easily miss the signals that would alert the rest of us to be more cautious.</p>
<p>Pickpockets are the least of my fears. At the risk of getting flamed, I so resent the change of the drinking age to 21. I of course think there should be severe penalties for drinking while intoxicated, but I really dont see anything wrong with a drink. All this has done, IMHO, has driven parties underground where there are no adults around should anything go wrong. I would much rather the kids be going to Florida or Texas.</p>
<p>Why is it that college students think they deserve a spring break trip to Florida or Mexico or wherever? And why do parents encourage it? I will not finance such a thing and if my child has that kind of extra money he should be applying it toward his education.</p>
<p>
Really? Severe penalties for drinking while intoxicated sounds a bit harsh. I might fall foul of that.</p>
<p>Ok, Ok, I obviosuly meant dwi.</p>
<p>Oldfort:</p>
<p>I love it… I’m sticking that one in the back pocket for future use!!!</p>
<p>A good friend of my daughter in HS told her that he was going to Amsterdam to see a concert by himself. The kid was 17, I was surprised the parents would allow it. My D1 went on about how I was just too strict, maybe I could be more like her friend’s parents. I then found out later the father happened to have a business trip at the same time the son was going to the concert. They flew on the same flight (father in business and son in economy), didn’t stay at the same hotel even though the father offered to pay for the son’s stay at the more expensive hotel. The son was able to tell all of his friends he went to the concert by himself, and the parents had a peace of mind.</p>
<p>Scansman - maybe you should think about taking a vacation at Costa Rica.</p>
<p>My nephew spent his junior year in high school in France and at 16 traveled all over Europe with his friends. You can only imagine how my kids used that as the new standard!</p>
<p>I suppose if my kids had never gone overseas or on any special vacations, I can imagine them wanting to do something “exotic” and I might not begrudge them a trip but since they have been lucky to have had special holidays every year since they were born, I do feel a week’s spring break to anywhere is a waste of money, whether its mine or theirs.</p>
<p>natmicstef–OP stated that her son is paying for it himself. </p>
<p>I place great “value” on travel. IMO, a trip to Central America *sans parents *for a 21 y.o. on his own nickel and to a place of his own chosing, for a week (I guess up to 9 nights depending on how its booked) is not “wasted money.”</p>
<p>The travel experiences I gave my S in the past won’t provide the same lessons and experiences as those trips he plans and pays for.</p>
<p>A week of total debauchery on a beach sure does provide a different set of lessons. I also place great value on travel and would definitely support and even pay for any of my kids to go on a trip where there was some real educational value. Going to Cancun to party it up because they “earned it” doesn’t cut it in my book.</p>
<p>I guess we live in a different world than most on CC. Our kids will come home for Spring break, put in a week of work and earn some extra spending money. We own a small business and they’re a big help in the store when they’re here.</p>
<p>I never went anywhere for spring break (did stay at school for theater rehearsal one year) for 4 years of college. With the sacrifices my parents were making to send me to college, I would never have considered asking them for money to travel. Any money I earned went to my spending money for the year and books. </p>
<p>I think my kids know better than to suggest some kind of trip, although a trip to do community service/charitable work would be something different. </p>
<p>S2 informed us at the end of Christmas break that he was not going to come home for spring break. I had looked forward to it because he has the same break as ours, and it would have been great to have him home. However, he said coming home was too disruptive to his practice schedule right in the middle of the semester. We suggested then that we would come visit him for a couple of days during break (thank you, Southwest, for free tickets!). </p>
<p>Now he says can we come some other time and fit it in to his schedule when he can afford to take time off? We’re glad to do it, but it’s one more tug and my apron is about to fall off.</p>
<p>07DAD; I appreciate the value you place on travel for your son but I was talking about my views as they relate to my kids.</p>
<p>After checking out cost of cruise or Mexico or beach in Florida, freshman D decided it would be more cost effective for her to come home to Bay Area (she knew it would be on her nickel). Oh, yeah, and by the way, did we mind if she brought two, no, three, no, four, no five friends home with her! (She stopped at five friends, since Our Car she plans on driving that week would hold no more). Not sure where they are all going to sleep—but should be an adventure for all!</p>
<p>I did remind D that March in SF is normally about 50 degrees. She replied that it’s about 50 degrees warmer that school has been lately—and the price is right!</p>