At what age would you let your child holiday with their friend (and parents)

[trunumber]

As a child my friends always came on holiday with me but I'm beginning to think this might be something that's changed over the years.

DS is an only and DH and I are very responsible (in processional caring jobs)

Say it's the summer holidays, would you allow your kid to come away with us and at what age?

It would be an individual case by case situation for me.
Consideration would be how well I knew the family, what the child wanted and how close friends they actually were, where they were going and what they were doing.

Our youngest and a very good friend had two weeks with her friends parents and a weeks with us every summer and a week at Easter from about age eight. They went to Cornwall with friends parents surfing, cycling, walking and kayaking. We took them to Lakes, walking, swimming etc and to Centre Paris in Europe each Easter.
As we are really good friends with the other parents, it was like going with a cousin.

Ours went alone/with each other to camp in Switzerland from about age 13. Our daughter went alone to work experience in the Middle East at fifteen.

In sixth form they went off all over the place to friends parents places.

It depends on my child and her friends. DD (and we) love visiting historic places which two of DD's close friends don't like doing. So unless we change our holiday plans to choose activiites they like but we don't it is a disaster waiting to happen.

I would go to a short resort trip with one of DD's friends, she is over a lot and knows us for years and not too shy asking if something is not right.

They are both 14 now, so I may actually consider it soon.

Seven or eight. DS was going away with Cubs at seven.

Probably about 11, IF I knew the parents very well. I've taken ds's best pal on holiday with us a couple of times (UK not abroad) but I've known him and his mum since the boys were in nursery and he's stayed over many times and been on numerous days out with us beforehand.
I would be fine with ds going away with them or family, which he has been but I wouldn't let him go away with a family I wasn't close friends with.

I'd say maybe age 10+

My DD (9) was an only child until this year, have taken my niece the same age along with us on UK holidays since she was about 4. She missed one age 7 for logistical reasons and we ended up taking our friends daughter who was the same age as company for DD. The girls were friends because of our original friendship with their parents, so not sure if that changes the dynamic (probably does!)

Yeah I think it does change the dynamic if you're friends with the parents. We don't have any parent friends with children of a similar age.

Thanks for the replies so far, Id be really grateful for any more

Evening bump if anyone one wouldn't mind sharing their views?

I've taken my best friends daughter on holiday with us but I wouldnt let DD go with her as her husband is a dick. Shes come away with us for long weekends from around 7 - we've been very close though since she was born and her and DD are much more like cousins. Think I would only let DD go even now (at 12) if I knew the family really well

DD went on holiday a plane ride away with a friend and her family at age nine - she had a wonderful time!

Maybe 11 and I would have to know the family very well. Maybe Im a bit Over protective?
I went away with a friend and her family on a caravan holiday once, I must've been 12, I think. Our parents knew each other well but not very well.

Thanks everyone - I'm really appreciating the different responses

From about 9 we took our best friends daughter away for a couple of nights with us & our daughter who is the same age. We knew the daughter since she was a bump & she's like a sister/ cousin

School friends have gone away to one families mobile home for a couple of nights since age 11/12

Dd went abroad with a friend whose family we'd known since she was 4 when she was 15.5yrs

Mostly would depend on the invidious children but I’d say 12. My only concern is they’d miss their parents and want to go home.

Nine or ten.

Thanks everyone, seems like it will be quite some time before he has a friend for company on holiday then.

Depending on where you go, holiday park type places are very good for kids making friends. Always loads of kids looking for a pal to play with.

But I'd say 11+ before I'd consider a friend on holiday. Unless it was a cousin or family friend.

My oldest child is nearly 12 and I wouldn't let him go on holiday with any other family. It may not work out and he would be too young to cope with it if, for instance, he and the other child fell out.

About 15 I think. I remember my kids going away with friends' families for a week at that age and we did the same but we did know the parents.

With relatives we often had them to stay, took them away etc, much earlier than that, but it's different within a family. They are like your own children.