Spring Break! Have they asked? Will you agree?

Parent Cafe
1

<p>OK, so the time is fast approaching when many seniors will approach parents in hopes of obtaining a nod of approval for a Spring Break trip on their own. My son has already made his case. The trip has been planned, several other studenst are going…and there will be no adults. The trip requires a plane ticket (which he already has a voucher for due to a previously canceleld trip) and they’ll be staying at the vacation home belonging to the parents of one of the students at school. I’m going to say yes…but haven’t yet. I’ve also indicated that I need to speak wihtthe parents to ensure that they know this is the plan (using their home).</p>

<p>Has anyone else’s student approached them about Spring Break and a trip?</p>

2

<p>I got the “I’m not even asking because I already know the answer”. And she is right!</p>

3

<p>Yes, my son and 7 other freinds that are part of his school’s EMS program have rented a condo in Fl. I figure if I let him run loose in New Orleans, there is no more to worry about in Fl. Or perhaps that is just wishful thinking!</p>

<p>PS. At least they all know CPR</p>

4

<p>Hmm. That particular cup passed us by. With due diligence questions along the lines of who, how, when, how much, etc., the answer would have been “Yes.” As far as I’m concerned, the results would have been part of our graduation exam as parents. I <em>think</em> we brought up a responsible, thoughtful young adult and eventually you have to test the process (and accept scores of less than 100 percent!).</p>

<p>At college, D has already gone off on her own into NYC and has a solo trip to Boston planned and a group trip to Montreal.</p>

5

<p>Haven’t been approached by the spring break trip. I offered to give her and the friends one of my time share weeks so that she could have a getaway, but she is looking forward to coming home. </p>

<p>She said she wants to go see her grand parents because she says she did miss them while she has been at school (they are getting old- her words). She also wants to see her great grandmother who recently turned 99 and can’t wait to see her dog.</p>

<p>I am with mom60, as a highschooler, I did not allow her to stay at anyone’s house where there were going to be no parent supervision, so she didn’t ask because she knew what the answer was.</p>

6

<p>D can’t go anywhere during spring break b/c she’s taking a college-level dance class that will be meeting that week. :frowning: S has done several “roadtrips” in college–from going as far north as San Francisco to as far south as Mexico and west to Catalina Island. This spring break, he’ll be visiting relatives, especially his grandmother and one first cousin who’s the same age, in the Philippines. He planned it all himself and bought his ticket with his savings.</p>

7

<p>i go to Florida every year for Spring break. I leave this saturday morning, and will get back sunday night of the following week… so i’ll be gone for 9 days. I go with habitat for humanity, and we build a house. It’s a lot of fun. $100 for the trip.</p>

8

<p>For a college freshman, I wouldn’t have a problem. I had a great time in Ft. Lauderdale spring break freshman year.</p>

<p>But for a high school senior, yes I was recently asked, and my answer was no. The trip was to a Caribbean hotel; no adult supervision. I told him “next year”.</p>

9

<p>We’ve usurped our highschoolers’ spring break this year by planning a family trip to Hawaii (our first, and likely our last trip together as a family), where my brother and his wife will be meeting us for the week. Neither son seems sad about it.</p>

<p>Graduating Senior has, however, begun prepping us for the “end-of-summer road trip to the opposite coast with a couple friends who are also relocating there for college” discussion that he expects to have with us in May after decisions are in. Anyone dealt with that one yet?</p>

10

<p>As far as I’m concerned, the results would have been part of our graduation exam as parents.</p>

<p>LOL The Dad. That’s how I see it. His summer plans include a much more exotic experience for a much longer period of time (working on a Caribbean island at an Eco Tourism resort). Thus, I don’t see the point in pulling on the reins 2 months shy of that departure. I think I’m passing my “parent graduation” exams pretty well so far. We’ll see how I handle the “bonus” questions when they come up.</p>

<p>Mootmom, I haven’t been asked about a “drop off at college” road trip. But, my Son and his best friend have been planning an “end of summer” trip to South America…I forget exactly where. They have it all mapped out because his friends has done the trip once already. There’s a particular village they want to visit. I’ll ask him about it again when he gets home…which will probably remind him that I owe him an answer on that one. I’m willing to bet that college plans will preempt the South America deal for this year.</p>

11

<p>DD#2, the high school senior, has the same spring break as her best friend from elementary school who is now a college freshman at UCSB. Last summer the two of them flew from here NC to Orlando(spent the week at disneyworld, beaches) then back to San Fran, where she now lives with her family. DD’s friend flew here first and then they did the trip. DD flew back alone. It was DD’s friend’s graduation present from her parents (included my DD).</p>

<p>Sooooo, this year they are giving the girls (for MY DD’s graduation pesent) 2 week trip to Hawaii. DD’s friend will fly here, pick up DD, fly to Hawaii together, fly back to CA together, spend more time there and then DD will come home. They have always done things unchaperoned since they were in their mid/late teens. They mange their flights, cabs, money, hotels, dinners, outings much better than I ever could.</p>

<p>They figure out what shows they want to see, (they went at Christmas to DC together) what museums they want to see…they plan it all out in advance. DD’s friend has always spent her winter break with us so she can help DD celebrate Christmas (she is jewish) and loves to help!!!</p>

<p>They met up with DD’s friend’s mom in the Orlando airport, she was on her way to Paris and wanted to get a quick lunch with the girls before she headed out. The girls have always spent their breaks with each other since they were little and have been friends even though we have moved at least six times since their inital friendship.</p>

<p>I didn’t think twice aboout letting them go. It was something they have always done. Granted both of them are 18 going on 35, they were born 35. I just wish I could go along for the fun. They always come back with the best stories, pics, gifts and adventures. They always do stuff I don’t know if I would have the guts to do. As that we didn’t have much in the way of money, DD has never felt left out. We don’t have much but what we have we are always ready to share…</p>

<p>So yes, momsdream my senior is going but I don’t know if it will be spring break or as soon as school gets out. They want to go for longer, and see more, so it might be as soon as school gets out for UCSB.</p>

<p>Kat</p>

12

<p>It depends on the kid. Mine wants to go. Can’t let him go. Too many problems–he has a history. Plus we have spent a ton of money on him this last year, and we feel he needs to understand what kind of sweat it is going to take for him to make that kind of money. The travel costs for his auditions and college visits were really high. He will be working spring break and is very unhappy about it. He will be working this summer as well, and we will work out a budget for college. My older ones had a better sense of appreciation and understanding of money. This one does not and has to learn before he goes off on his own.</p>

13

<p>My daughter has gone to Europe (France and London) on her own for spring break the last two years (senior year, freshman year) and will go again this year. I pay airfare (frequent flyer miles), she pays the rest. She spends the time in art museums (she says) and I gather hangs out at the bar at the youth hostel in the evening. Works for me–and I know she’s not driving! Son stayed on campus his freshman year, did a robotics competition his last year of high school–and is planning to stay on campus this year too.</p>

14

<p>This is a high school senior headed to college? A child you consider responsible enough to go to college? Of course say yes. Your days of being in control are over anyway.</p>

15

<p>D (college soph) is doing the Texas beach thing with her bf and some other kids from Rice. Makes me a little nervous, but she survived last year. After that she and bf will come see us for a couple of days.
S (boarding school) has a long spring break (“too long to be at home- it’s boring…”). He will stay at school with his coach for about 5 days and train, come home for 10 days and then fly back east with us to do some college visits.</p>

16

<p>I don’t really have an answer, but I was so bemused by your question. We’re past that point now, but it was such a non-question in our world that it surprised me a little to read it as if it’s something almost inevitable. Kids in our town just generally don’t have that kind of money, or those kinds of expectations, while still in hs.</p>

<p>I guess if it ever had come up, I’d’ve okay’d the sightseeing/travel type of excursions; however, I don’t care if my kid was about to be in college, I’m not a fan of the beach spring break kind of thing, and I don’t see a reason to ok it when they’re still home, even if it were out of my control later (but truthfully I can’t see either of my kids being into that.)</p>

17

<p>Zagat, you sound like my son. Sorry, I think a trip to another country by a group of around 20 unsupervised 17 and 18 year olds is a recipe for disaster. I have no desire to become acquainted with this country’s legal system. I also thought it was ridiculously extravagant. While I think he is more than ready to go to college, I also think 17 year olds can act like knuckleheads sometimes, and I still have parenting responsibilities.</p>

<p>Plan B is now being cooked up by the same group (the other parents all had the same reaction I did). The latest I heard it involves a weekend trip to a classmate’s beach house, roughly 2 hours away. I’m more open to this and I’m listening.</p>

<p>The post above describing a daughter’s spring break trip to sightsee in Europe sounded appealing to me!</p>

18

<p>A group of 20 unspervised 17 and 18 year olds can be a recipie for disaster here as if they go to Virginia or Myrtle beach they actually have lock down for visiters under 18 where you are not with an adult over 21 you have to be off of their streets at 10 p.m.</p>

19

<p>In high school, our answer was always a resounding “No.” Now that she’s in college, the answer, after getting the specifics (including her agreement to pay a substantial chunk of the price) was “Yes.”</p>

20

<p>Agreed! It’s not Virginia/Myrtle Beach. As I said, I’m listening. We’ll see what the parents with the beach house have to say about it. I think one of the the biggest problems is the size of this group.</p>