Flying as an unaccompanied minor at age 7

Is this some very high end boarding school type of camp thing?

My initial reaction is that it’s too young, but it might actually just be ‘normal’ in some circles…?

7 year olds can go to boarding school yes, and isn’t that just awful?! And no way in hell would I have sent either of mine abroad with strangers at the age of 7. Jesus.

Yes I just said upthread exDH went to board at prep school at 6, and was a full time boarder until 16.

It is a big part of the reason he is exDH, sadly. Just could not manage a normal family life.

Residential camps for children that young are pretty rare in the UK. Very few people will use them.
Boarding school is a different thing, it’s a settled home from home. Even then the numbers will be fairly low.

They've obviously got lots of money to throw at the problem, so I find it hard to believe they couldn't come up with a solution that means she can stay at home that week.

It’s certainly not usual to go to boarding school age 7!! My mother went at 8 and she is in her 70s. She’s still affected by it all these years later. Really odd decision by your sister no wonder she’s getting the reactions she is getting.

Absolutely not a chance. I am in disbelief anyone would even consider this.

I did this at 11, thanks international banking dad, “teacher” mum… it was shit and horrible. Indicative of parents who didn’t actually care about their kids, but wanted to show their coolness and compassion.,,🙄

It's not a thing in the UK. Residentials as a child are a couple of nights with cubs or brownies when that young. Driving distance to home and with people they know. Once theyre about 9 or 10 sometimes up to 5 days with scouting etc or school or sports teams. But always people the parents have met and know. If it's abroad there's different safeguarding in place does your sister know any of the people running the camp. Has the child met any of them.

Boarding school isn’t great but is different. It’s their school - their home away from home which they would have got to know and feel comfortable with

although 7 is far too young for boarding school anyway

your niece is being shipped off to another country to spend time with randoms she doesn’t know for a week. It’s absolutely crazy

I would also say, working with kids and specialising in safeguarding- 1 adult to 1 small child is not an appropriate ratio and I would not be happy with that. People don't generally lone work young kids of that age for good reason and while yes, an airport is public, its also very busy and she'd need brought to the toilet etc. It's just not well thought out to me.

Yeah, just because they can, doesn't mean they should.

I think this is a wind up.

I think you’ll be hard pressed to find many working / middle class British parents who are happy with sending children overseas for camp at that age, OP. It’s just not the norm.

I wouldn’t send my sensible 9 year old on that flight. Or to a camp. Too much can go wrong.

FWIW exDH, who isn’t an especially sentimental chap, was a full time boarder from age 6, and he’s MUCH more anxious about sending DS on overnights with cubs/ school etc than I am- which sort of tells me everything I need to know.

Can’t she hire a nanny for a week? Is the child at boarding school and used to being away?

Seven?! Absolutely not. Sorry but that seems extremely young.

I’m pretty relaxed but 7!!! What on earth is she thinking? The “other people do it must be fine” is the weakest justification ever.

Is this a joke?! It must be surely

my DC is around the same age and no way would I do this. I could never dream of it.

• the airport will be a busy place
• the plane could be scary for her or what if she is next to someone odd. Who does she tell?
• and who on earth is she then being picked up by on the other side?
• and what if someone is weird in the camp - the poor little girl would be all alone.

Doesn't mean it’s ok though

I went to camps as a child but not at that age. I also work with kids and I wouldn't be taking 7 yos on a week long camp abroad either. An overnight, two at the most is already a lot for that age group to navigate. Im all for giving kids experiences and opportunities to be more independent but this very much sounds like it's more about the convenience for the parents than what's in the child's best interests.

Surely there are options for childcare locally or leave or flexible working that could be arranged. What are the other parents of children at the school doing? Is it a boarding school or do her classmates live in the area?

Id say I’m fairly relaxed but it’s not wrapping someone in cotton wool thinking it’s crazy sending a 7 year old away like that.

I think it’s a fairly unusual choice for an average uk family. It must be costing a fortune for a start. 7 is very little to be sent abroad alone to stay with strangers. A child travelling at that age needs a designated 1:1 adult. Will she be getting that?
I’m finding it hard to believe that there was no other more suitable options closer to home. I presume this is an independent school. All the independent schools locally finish a week earlier. There is holiday club provision. Surely someone within a sensible driving distance was doing something??

Putting a 7 year old, alone, on a plane to spend a week at an overseas camp. Setting aside the flying alone part, have they spent a week away from home by themselves before? I mean, it would be a cold day in hell before I did this. Can't she hire a nanny for the week?