19 year old son going on holiday yikes!!!

[Mollylegs]

Hi I know people will probably think I'm soft but my son is going on holiday to Zante in July. A bit of back story. My son is 19 and a half. Quiet lad has only just started going out drinking in the last 6 months. In fact he's only been out 6 times in total. He is a quiet lad who hhas spent most of his time talking to friends onlune from his bedroom. He has a friend he's had since school who goes to college with a few other lads, my son has become friends with these lads online and has been out for drinks a few times with them. So my worry is they have booked to go on holiday in August and I am totally freaking out,he's not a big drinker at all, and hasn't had years of being out and how people can act when they're out drinking. Please don't tell me to get over and it as I am struggling. My husband decided he'd rather be somewhere else, this was when my son started going out drinking, trying to blank all the shit out. So i'm just asking for advice on the kind of things I can put in place/tell him. I need advice on things like money, does he takw cash or card? How I can keep in touch with him, is there a weekly change he can make in his phone contract? I haven't been abroad in donkeys years. So just some basic advice on ways to make sure he has a fab holiday but hopefully a safe one. I am pooping bricks and it's still May.

I went on holiday with friends from 18 yr old and I loved it!

You sound like me, I have just had the same worries about my son, but he's back in one piece! My son doesn't drink much either. I disagree with people saying to cut the apron strings. It's natural to worry and there's nothing wrong with having a conversation with him before I goes.

I told my son about the dangers of quad bikes and mopeds, especially if he's never been on one... someone was actually killed while he was there. I'd also talk to him about the dangers of water and alcohol. Also diving into pools or sea when unsure of depth or what is beneath the surface.

He went all inclusive and took about €350, but came back with a lot of it.

I'd check his phone is set up for roaming abroad, we're all on BT and I had to do this and set a bill limit.

Also, I definitely worried more before he went, than I did when he was there, I thought I was going to be a nervous wreck! I just asked him to let me know he was ok every day, even if he just sent me one word!

He sounds a sensible lad, I'm sure he will listen to the advice and have a wonderful time.

Hi, I have been to the vets and came back to all these replies, firstly thanks for all the advice. To the people who said helicopter parent/cut apron strings, I do find the idea of him going away easy to live with. Due to covid my son did spend a lot of time in his room communicating with his friends the only way he could. I didn't want my son to spend all his time in his bedroom online but it couldn't be helped Two of his friends had parents split and they moved just that bit further away so not easy to see them in person. So other than online he couldn't talk to friends. He's my child, my world and I will worry. Thanks for the advice regarding phones and monzo, I am going to look into this today. I'm not expecting to hear from him constantly, just a quick I'm ok every so often. I will have a chat with him regarding things like quad/mopeds and drinking and water. I moved out of home at age 17 and moved from one end of the country to the other. Everyone is different, maybe I am being too soft, I just wantt him to have a safe and really good holiday.

Why do YOU need to look into Monzo and his phone? he's 19, he can do it himself.

This is where all the parenting you've done for the past 19 years comes into play, he will be fine.

Get him to call him phone provider to check he won't get stung for roaming and that it's set up right, and to make sure he's got a debit card that has funds.

Passport. Insurance. Ideally no face tattoos.

He needs to do this, not you. Doing it for him isn't helping him. Tell him to use his loaf and stay with his mates, and he will be fine.

Hi @Unexpecteddrivinginstructor I have other pets at home that I need to be at home for, he is my only child and my husband left me about 8 months ago so it's been a really rubbish time and I want him to have a great time as he deserves it.

My son went to zante and survived. He'll be fine
Can you ask him to activate ' find my iPhone'? I do this with mine just so I know where they are should anything happen.
Provide him with suncream and condoms, and hope for the best!

Thank you @Ducksurprise I'm his mum, and I shouldn't have to hidde that I'm worried as it's the first trip abroad, thanks again x

Actually the questions you are asking are fair enough I think

• telephone: look at his contract, and roaming charges. Change if need be, some of them are extremely expensive. You might need to let them know anyway
• Money: he needs some cash with him. And a card. We use starling because it means we can have an account in euro and not pay harpes everything you buy something or want to take cash out.
• passport - he needs to be sure it’s all in date!! And I’d keep a photo of the passport just in case.
• going out: only going out with the money he needs for the night.
• id check he has a travel card insurance too.

You might be surprised. When dc1 went away the first time, I thought it would all be drinking etc.. with his friends. They didn’t (well they did but not crazily). On part because they all had a budget and couldn’t afford it and in part because they were actually much more tame than I anticipated.

As another poster said, you’ve raised him to look after himself and to recognise dangers. Trust that 😃😃