Kirstie Allsop's 15 Year Old Son

And as young attractive teenage girls on their first holiday without parents, I wanted to be sure they were travelling somewhere suitable, and not where they would be subject to lots of hassle from men.

So how exactly did you find them somewhere suitable where no men would approach them?!?! I'm intrigued!

You do know that men in other countries have seen teenage girls before? And attractive ones too? And you know most 18 year old girls love attention off handsome, tanned Greek men don't you?!

That should read parents of university students.

I will admit that I was having kittens the whole time, and nearly didn’t allow it, but at 13 dd2 and a school friend also 13, did a day trip on their own, SW London to Calais. Train to central London and to Dover, foot passengers on the ferry - day in Calais, and same again back. Their idea - they wanted an ‘adventure’.

This was well before mobile phones, and Calais was a lot safer than it is now. But my name, and the name of the other school mum, were mud with most of the other school mums!

I'm on a Facebook group for university students (the uni my daughter attend) I joined at the recommendation of a friend, it's full of parents micromanaging their kids right up to the end of the third year. Asking what to do about their 20 odd year old being late handing in a paper, reporting being absent and suchlike.

Some parents really need to back off and let their kids learn some independence, I'm sure this boy's parents know his capabilities and have been keeping in touch.

I thought this was normal. Mine did it at 16, and she’s a girl, if it makes any difference,

op parent your own, not other people’s kids

The "poor lad"? "Holiday being discussed on SM"? She's literally just said he went inter-railing round Europe?

There are a lot (too many!) of "celebs" who use their kids for social media and monetising purposes from the minute they're born (the Beckhams and Kardashians being the two main culprits!) and don't think twice about broadcasting every single second of their lives. This was just a pretty normal parent post. And I don't think anyone would even know her son if they passed him on the street!

That's clever of him because you can't stay in a European hostel if you are under 18 unless accompanied by someone who is.

You “allowed” your adult daughters to go abroad? 🤨🤨

My eldest has just got back from interrailling, a couple of his friends were under 18 and they had to have non shared room in the hostels and be accompanied by an over 18.

YABU

Different parents have set up their teens for different experiences and unfortunately imo many have infantised their teens. The outcome is immature teens that are not maturing until they are 19/20 years old. Whereas back in the 1970s a 16 year old would get a flat share when they left home, now they are seen as children that aren't allowed to be left at home when parents go on holiday.

Give your younger children responsibility and they will learn as they grow to take on more tasks and become independent. Its not about robbing them of their childhood but allowing them to flourish as a person

That's very different from allowing!

Yess youth hostels are great but a sixteen year old (at least in the UK) cant stay in one without an eighteen year old companion.

I think that's quite young. It's more of a 17/18 old after finishing A levels kind of activity I think!

Generations past would have done things like this without blinking. If the DC are sensible and risk-averse, they are likely just as capable keeping safe as older young people who have not previously done things on their own. For all you know, he could be in the CCF at school, and very able at adventuring and looking after himself in challenging circumstances.

DD is 18 but went on a totally self-planned and self-organised holiday abroad, with two of her besties, this summer. She is not well (internationally) travelled, but she's very sensible and a natural-born leader, so I didn't worry. They had a ball.

This. The least of his problems would have been having to worry about being short of a bob, or two, no doubt.

I think you know your own child
i wouldn’t of let our oldest at that age but youngest would of been fine

We also sent children down coal mines. Basing any parenting decision on 14 year olds working in strange houses because “most were fine” 100 year ago is bizarre. Most were likely exploited and sexually abused and then forced to marry young.
What a pedestal.

She’ll have posted it to get reaction. He’s just finished his GCSEs. Nothing to see here.

Surely at 18 they are adults, and don't need parental permission?

I have to travel for work a lot around the UK and abroad. I am self-employed and I have to be cost-conscious. I can safely say that for the past 20 years hostels have been my solution. Unlike small B&Bs, they are clean, safe and welcoming. Some of them are former country houses - I am talking about YHA. In the past 20 years I have found that there are more self-employed professionals staying in them, who can't afford, say London hotels and who have to attend for several days. The other week I stayed in London YHA Oxford Street, which was full of French middle class families and YHA St Pancras is always full of Spanish families. The only dodgy hostel with needles I have experienced was Piccadilly Circus one, but it is now a 5 star hotel (it was shut before the London Olympics). Same goes for Geneva for me - safe, clean, and so central. Same goes for the Hague for me too.

My son broached this with me as it's something he would like to do next summer at 16. He is a sensible lad but I did hesitate. Decision was made for us when looking at hotels/hostels that the group needed an 18 year old with them......not sure how Kisties son got around that. I did breathe a sigh of relief, but will really encourage him to go at 18

DD1 went on holiday to Turkey with a friend and her family when she was 16. On return to U.K. (she’s British) she was held up for hours by Immigration who refused to land her as she “couldn’t prove she hadn’t been to Syria.” He wouldn’t call her Dad, who was waiting for her or speak to the friend’s family. Also refused to look at the consent letter from us, and was clearly incapable of differentiating an ISIS bride from someone who had been on a hiking holiday. What he was doing was illegal as well - he can’t refuse to land a British Citizen.

I think its fine. Back in 1989 I went to Salou on a coach holiday ( 31 hours !) with my 2 cousins. Two of us were 16 and the other one 17. No mobile phones, one £2 phonecard between the 3 of us to call home in case of an emergency. 10 days half board, paid for by our grandad as a well done for finishing exams .
We had an absolute ball, the staff kept a discreet eye on us and we were sensible.

Legal age is 18 across Europe.

For that reason it's a no from me.

It's foolish to let under 18's go. Yes, it went well and so on 1000's of other journeys, but I would not risk it.

Good for him! Nice to hear of a teenager who is not wrapped up in cotton wool by their parents, tbh.