Would you let your teenager go to Europe alone?

stacynikki

As in alone with a friend? 

DH and I watched Taken this weekend and at the beginning when they are trying to get Liam Neeson to sign the consent form I told DH there was no way I would let my 17 yr old DD run off to Europe without adult supervision. 

I went backpacking across Europe when I was 24 but I had already graduated college and had a steady stable job and had been in the "real world' long enough to feel that I knew the dangers of traveling alone.  But for the first time I can completely relate to how my parents must have felt about me going out of the country.  My mom was a wreck and made me promise to call her when we arrived in a new destination and before we left for a new one. 

 

AnnapolisLari

I went to Paris for a month when I was 17, but I was in a group run by my aunt.

My mom wouldn't have let me go if her sister hadn't been immediately in charge of our group. Alone with a friend, never.

kevschickee2

ummm hell no I can say I will never allow this

pincushions

DH's parents did.

He said HELL NO for our kids. I agree.

Rebekah1021

No and No. Ever since the Natalee Holloway thing - I am super paranoid about stuff like that.

EliseB0323

Depends on the kid. I went to Europe when I was 17 and hung out with a friend who lived there. We traveled with her mom some of the time, but were on our own for several weeks too. I think it would be LESS scary now with ATMs making it easier to get money and internet access everywhere.

kylara111

No way.

Brewster

No way.  we watched that movie fri night too

august0605bride

No. ?But I would let my college kid do it, I think

Zenya

A group of us went.  I can't remember how old we were, now.  17 maybe?  I lived in ireland at the time.  we traveled all around.  fantastic.  I'd let my kid go if they seemed ready.

cristiana

Depending on maturity level, maybe. I was crossing the border into Mexico when I was 18, and I'd much prefer my kids to go to Europe instead.

REOM

I went to Ireland for a month as part of a group. I don't think my parents would have let me go with just a friend though.

DandelionMom

The area highschools all seem to have some kind of Europe trip.  I hope my kids will go but only as part of a well organized school trip. 

WBs_Bride

On a school- or group-sponsored trip, yes. Just with a pal for an unchaperoned vacation? No way. In college, maybe, but definitely not high school.

emilykristene2006

Nope. We watched it Saturday. I told DH if Emily comes to us and says, "Hey some friends invited me to Italy (or where ever) for the summer. Can I go?" My response would be, "What a coincidence, your dad and I have planned a trip to Italy also!"

I'd really want her to go, but you bet your ass it won't be alone or with a 17 year old slutty friend! Sorry, this movie really upset me.

Purrrfect433

We watched that movie this weekend, too, and added that to the list of things we won't let them do

DevonPow

I backpacked all over Europe by myself when I was 19 - I was living in Denmark for my year abroad in college at the time. I don't think it is a big deal at that age. At 17, I supposed it would depend on the maturity level of the teenager in question, but I certainly wouldn't auomatically rule it out.

After all, I went to college at 17 - 3000 miles from home.

emilykristene2006

To all those that say probably, do you know what the movie Taken is about? Just curious.

 

DevonPow

Yes, I know what it is about but haven't seen it. It still wouldn't change my mind about allowing DS to do something like that if he is a responsible teenager.

shopgirl_07

Maybe. I graduated from high school when I was 17. I also got pregnant and had my son so I think if I was old enough to be a mother I would have been old enough to go to Europe.

My son is 17 now and is super responsible. We also live in a large city and he is very comfortable taking public transpotation and generally going wherever he pleases. If he really wanted to go to Europe next summer after he graduates high school then I'd consider it. It depends on the child and the circumstances I think.

penguingrrl

I will encourage my kids to go on a chaperoned school trip to Europe if they're interested.  DH and I both did that and it was a wonderful experience!  There will be no unchaperoned trips for my children until they're at least 18, international or domestic.  I see no need for a teenager to go off with a group without a chaperone and honestly see only bad coming from it.  When I was 19 and DH was a senior in HS (I'm a year older) some friends invited us to Wildwood (a resort town on the Jersey shore about an hour south of home) for the weekend after prom, including my BF (whose mother has long been my mother's BF) and my mother said no.  At the time I was so mad at her and considered going anyway (hey, I was 19 she couldn't really stop me).  Now I realize why she said no and I would say the same thing to my kid.

r9stedt

emilykristene2006:

To all those that say probably, do you know what the movie Taken is about? Just curious.

 

I haven't answered (hell no), but this sounds like a movie I should rent. What is the plot?

pookie2005

NO!

That movie was sooooooo dumb.  I thought the exact same thing.  My dh loved all the throat-chopping.

I went to Europe when I was 17 but it was a very strictly guided educational tour and I was with my teachers.

cristiana

emilykristene2006:

To all those that say probably, do you know what the movie Taken is about? Just curious.

 

 

Haven't seen it, but I do know what it's about, and I don't think it's a very likely scenario.

emilykristene2006

r9stedt:

emilykristene2006:

To all those that say probably, do you know what the movie Taken is about? Just curious.

 

I haven't answered (hell no), but this sounds like a movie I should rent. What is the plot?

You have a pm.