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Would you still allow the overseas trip after missed homework and lying?

62 replies

Atatotallossagain · 20/09/2026 14:09

For context our 14 year old ND DD has come a long way both academically and regarding her own personal development within the last year or so. We know that and are so very proud. She also had to have a very big operation at the end of last year which was critical for her physical health and she flew through that raising thousands for charity afterwards doing a physical challenge that many she knows didn't even complete with full health. That got her a lot of recognition not only with the charity but the school and rightly so.

Two months ago she met a boy who's based overseas and they became quite close. They speak most days via WhatsApp and he gave her some jewellery she hasn't removed since he presented it to her when the two families met for the final time on said holiday. He's a nice boy and I like him very much. His presence, even though he's overseas, almost seems to have armed her and given her more confidence as well to just deal with life.

Here's the problem. He has a big family celebration happening during half term and he asked her to go. We can manage it. The finances are no problem and the timing basically works though she would have to have part of the first morning back after half term off. It's a ten hour flight away though, so it's not like us popping to France or something.

We said to her she could go if she achieved certain things in four different areas. She has smashed two (one personal and one sport related), one she's doing ok in (getting what they call stars for academics) and one of which she seems to be flailing in - getting her homework done on time (which equally means she's not getting as many stars as she should as clearly the teachers won't give them for work that's late). In addition, every time something isn't handed in on time it's sanctioned (rightly) by the school.

We asked her if there was any more homework outstanding and she lied saying there wasn't but there is. This means that had we not caught it, that would have been another sanction.

I really want to take her on this trip. But she lied. I said no sanctions was the baseline though I know that everyone makes mistakes and they really push them at the school. It's a number of sets of homework a night. There is also a lot of extra curricular stuff they are expected to do as just part of their development. It's very full on with long days and early starts. But where do I draw the line? I have implied to her that she just won't be able to go now. I don't know if I should reasonably enforce that or not. What would you do?

OP posts:
MyPeachBiscuit · 23/09/2026 07:29

For me the idea of encouraging/allowing a neurodivergent 14 year old girl to have a relationship with a boy living in another country rings alarm bells. I don't think it's healthy for girls of that age to have online relationships or to fly out to meet an overseas boyfriend. That seems like a huge safeguarding risk.

Atatotallossagain · 23/09/2026 07:37

@MyPeachBiscuit we know the family. We don't have any alarm bells. I am not sending her on her own which would clearly be silly. It's a trip overseas that would have meant spending some time with him and a trip away for us.

OP posts:
rookiemere · 23/09/2026 07:40

Were you really going to put a ND 14 year old on a 10 hr flight alone to stay with a group of adults you and she have never met, based on her online relationship with a “boy” who seems nice? If so I am glad for her safety alone that this dubious trip is not happening.

Maybe you were planning to go with her in which case I apologise.

rookiemere · 23/09/2026 07:40

Apologies just saw your update

Atatotallossagain · 23/09/2026 07:42

@rookiemere then apologise

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CarrotJuiceandTurmeric · 23/09/2026 07:44

I find the whole thing a bit odd- 14yo going abroad to stay with the family of a boy you don't really know, wtf? But I'm assuming there is more to it and that side of things is actually ok, you just haven't put all the details here.

I would let her go 100%. She is doing well generally. You think the trip will be a positive for her. I'm ND and really struggled with homework as a teen- it's one of those areas where exec function disorders really make things hard and you can end up "freezing"- just being stuck and unable to function- however much you want to do what's required and however motivated you are. Then lying about it because you can't explain why you haven't done it. Using threats (even gentle ones) really doesn't help- if anything it just makes everything more fraught and difficult, and puts her in position where she feels she has no option but to lie because she can't explain herself. What worked for my son (who has similar issues) is sitting together at homework time, talking through what needs to be done, then I'd get on with some admin while he did the homework. Sitting together really helps with focus and creates a calm helpful atmosphere, whereas threats have the exact opposite effect. (Appreciate that it is not always easy to find the time for this stuff, but I would recommend trying it as a matter of priority.)

You've got yourself into a corner on all this but you're an adult and can get out again. Talk to her about what she's been doing well. Register that the homework has been harder and suggest some new strategies to try (like the above). She commits to seeing whether the new strategy works and talking to you (rather than lying) when things get harder. (I'll say it again- if you want her to talk openly to you about her struggles rather than lie, please don't attach threats to any of it!) If she agrees to try, she goes on the trip.

Nocameltoeleggingsplease · 23/09/2026 07:46

Atatotallossagain · 23/09/2026 07:10

@CloudyWithAChanceOfCustard No because of the time zone differences the last days means we miss half a day of term. I said that in my OP. I just checked. It’s right there! Therefore the school can say she can’t go and I am not pretending she’s ill so she can go.

School have refused permission because they are not allowed to give permission. They can’t actually stop you and they won’t fine you for half a day. They just aren’t allowed to say it is ok so it goes down as unauthorised.

I’d take her and actually I’d praise her for taking the rejection well. I’d say you need a plan for homework and for her to agree that she doesn’t have her phone while she does it, if that’s possible.

SoThatsTheWayItIs · 23/09/2026 07:48

Atatotallossagain · 23/09/2026 07:42

@rookiemere then apologise

Are you ND yourself OP? You appear quite rigid in your thinking and your responses are quite abrasive a rude.

I would take her on the trip anyway. No need to lie to school just say you are going. There will be no consequences for missing half a day.

Your approach was wrong from the start and set her up to fail. Don’t do that again.

Atatotallossagain · 23/09/2026 07:54

@Nocameltoeleggingsplease Yes of course they can't physically frogmarch her to the school but it would still be unauthorised. There are situations where children miss school with their blessing for various things (they have matches one evening they are expected to attend and saturday school for example and a child might be authorised to not attend for this or that). In this situation they are not doing that so I won't go against them. Why would I cause extra angst with them in the case of a future situation?

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Atatotallossagain · 23/09/2026 07:56

@SoThatsTheWayItIs No I gave her the criteria because I knew it would be what the school would look at. I was trying to give her guidance regarding what she needed to be careful of. I would also add that I would not have asked the school for permission had I not wanted her to go. I was hoping they would see it in the round but they didn't.

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labradorservant · 23/09/2026 08:00

Dear school. X is missing half a day of term. I assume this will be an unauthorised absence. Thank you!
You don’t need to ask permission. Just accept the consequences. My children have missed the odd day. Have been transparent. They’ve still achieved great results.
Sounds like she’ll get more out of the trip confidence wise than 3 lessons at school.

SoThatsTheWayItIs · 23/09/2026 08:04

They really won’t give a crap about half a day. There is no future angst here but your own. Chill!

Atatotallossagain · 23/09/2026 08:07

@SoThatsTheWayItIs Oh they do. The email response I got was 3 paragraphs long and full of concern.

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LIZS · 23/09/2026 08:15

It really is odd to travel so far to visit someone you barely know. You say you have met and like him, if presumably only virtually, but you would be putting both your dd and yourself at risk of things not being as he has promised. Have you spoken to his wider family? Do you know the country/area? School saying no may prove a blessing and buy more time to plan a trip less hastily. It is good for your dd to have a positive influence in her life but encourage her to take it more slowly.

labradorservant · 23/09/2026 08:16

From what you’ve said I assume she’s at a private school. What are they going to do if she turns up late. I assume your fees are worth more to them..
Life is too short. If it’s good for her mental health, confidence, will help her at school in the long run I’d go. As long as she’s hitting approx 96% attendance overall this won’t impact her.

Atatotallossagain · 23/09/2026 08:18

@LIZS i said they were based overseas. At no point did I say we only knew them virtually.

OP posts:
Banjas · 23/09/2026 08:23

Dorosomethingbeautiful · 23/09/2026 07:27

Why would you even consider taking a 14 year old on a 10 hours flight to be with her boyfriend for a family celebration?

I wondered that too

Cartouche · 23/09/2026 08:25

Atatotallossagain · 23/09/2026 07:54

@Nocameltoeleggingsplease Yes of course they can't physically frogmarch her to the school but it would still be unauthorised. There are situations where children miss school with their blessing for various things (they have matches one evening they are expected to attend and saturday school for example and a child might be authorised to not attend for this or that). In this situation they are not doing that so I won't go against them. Why would I cause extra angst with them in the case of a future situation?

‘Extra angst’? Are you confused about how schools work? You’re sounding odder and odder about all this, as if you’re letting the school be the family authority figure, and as if you’re afraid of the school. They can’t ‘refuse permission’ for a child to go on holiday at half term, and if there’s a flight delay or cancellation that would mean a child missed a few hours of school the first day back, they’d just have to deal.

If it was always a half term family trip, have you now cancelled it for everyone?

User454545454546565 · 23/09/2026 08:27

Yes you must let her go.

Your conditions were OTT and extremely unreasonable for a 14yo. She's proved herself to be an achiever already. She's probably only lied because she feels she can't meet your standards.

Atatotallossagain · 23/09/2026 08:30

@Cartouche I always work on the principle of working with the school. It has been a very good choice for her and she is undoubtedly in a position now on all aspects of her life because of this cooperation. I don't really want to mess with that and I think that's perfectly reasonable. It's about consistency. We talk things through and come up with a solution and unfortunately as DD has given them grounds for concern I can't then say well it just doesn't matter can I? If DD had had a consistent approach I would clearly tell them not to be so stupid but what I thought would happen, and tried to warn her against has happened. @Banjas cos it's a city I like, we can afford the trip and it's all round nice to be invited

OP posts:
luckylavender · 23/09/2026 08:31

Telecone · 23/09/2026 07:17

Behaviour aside, why are you encouraging your 14yr olds relationship with a lad in a other country? This should be something that fizzles out in a month.

This

BibbityBoppityTwo · 23/09/2026 08:31

I would still take her. I would reply to the school saying that I understand their concerns, but I’m willing to accept what I believe will be the minor academic impacts of missing half a day of school, for the social and confidence benefits that this trip will likely give my neurodivergent child.

It’s not just a fun thing for her, it’s something that could be great for her confidence and happiness based on what you’ve said about the influence of this boy. It sounds to me like she’s done extraordinarily well so far. You’re right that the lying and the sanctions are not good, but I’m not sure denying her something like this is the best way to address that

Justbrieme · 23/09/2026 08:35

Honestly this must be BS absolutely no one parents this way. If they do then they are the problem.

Poppingby · 23/09/2026 08:38

Is it not possible to shorten the trip by a day?

What I would say is that she's doing really well. Life sounds hard. You need to keep her on track and - crucially - have her come out the other end liking herself. Arguably you shouldn't have promised a large reward like this but she has done most of what was asked and presumably has time to get back on track in your eyes even if not the school's. It is a huge punishment for a relatively small slip that you have to help her correct anyway. Where is the motivation for her to correct it? She can't do anything right seemingly.

By the way, teenagers lie. It's just life. If you punish for every lie she's not going to be leaving the house for the next 4 years.

Jackospice · 23/09/2026 08:41

She must be incredibly privileged if you can just afford that trip for this reason, in which case you can afford any fine the school give for being late or missing a day, or surely there are flights back another day, so the reason for a no seems a bit arbitrary. I think you’re setting her up a bit for failure in her needing to 100% overcome difficulties of her ND or she loses out. The punishment just seems a bit disproportionate. Does she get any extra support or coaching for her nd? Though tbh no way I would’ve agreed to this originally so I wouldn’t be sad for a reason to back track

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