re: Hypothetical spring break trip for teenagers

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I’m a male but we did Panama Spring Break with no adults at 17 and 18. And Cancun at 18.

I wouldn’t mind a camping trip like that, but the 500 miles would be a concern. You’re talking about 8 hours.

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I think we are talking about high schoolers here, right?

I can't imagine 3 17 year old, not 18 by spring break in college.

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I went to Cancun at 17 without parents on a senior trip.

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As has been pointed out here, you’re a dude.

Also, I’m trying to say this gently but would you really want a daughter to experience everything (gender appropriate) that you did at 17?

I sure wouldn’t have wanted mine to have been as “bad” as I was.

Depends somewhat on the individual. For most it would seem not appropriate, but some could handle things by that age. I thought I would be a controlling parent but my daughter basically had early onset adulthood and was mature beyond her years. I said here before that she started going to classes at a university at age 11. By 16 she was flying to Europe by herself and went to school in France for six weeks, with trips to Amsterdam, Vienna, Nice, Paris, and Barcelona. She could speak French and Spanish. Of course I worried about her safety from the moment she was born, but she had always demonstrated exceptionally mature judgment and was very open with me on all issues she ran into.

Guys. No problem. Girls? Needs a chaperone.

Hiking? let em go. Coddling kids has proven to be a disaster. and 17 isn't even a kid anymore.

Absolutely not. Tell them to get a job.

Just ask Natalee Holloway's parents if they'd OK that trip to Aruba their daughter took after graduating high school if given a 2nd chance to make that decision.


And that's just one of many similar stories over the years that didn't end well.

I'm torn on this because we were allowed to grow up pretty fast in the 90's. We drove ourselves from BR to Ft. Walton for spring break starting junior year in high school. Now there was a "chaperone" of sorts in another condo (like somebody's older cousin). I also started LSU at 17 and moved into the dorm with zero oversight.

I don't love the idea of the two girls going by themselves though, and to a national park. If they had a larger group to include some guy friends, it would probably be okay. This is very dependent on the child, as well.

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would you allow her and fellow barely 17 year old female classmate drive over 500 miles and 3 states away to go camping and hiking at a National Forest in West Virginia all by themselves?

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Not no, but hell no.

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17 year old female classmate drive over 500 miles and 3 states away to go camping and hiking at a National Forest in West Virginia all by themselves?

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So where are they really going?