To have DS16 plan day trips for us?

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DS16 has been organising day trips for us since he was about 12. It all started when he wanted to go to Brighton, and I said, fine, we'll go if you organise it all... It was successful, he booked the train etc.

He has just recently planned for us to go to the south coast for 5 days, including a couple of places to visit and had chosen two places to eat. As well as where we're staying, how we're getting there. We give him a budget, and pay for what he decides.

I was chatting to my friend and they think I'm unreasonable to "expect my child" to do this.

I think it's good for him to be able to do this kind of thing. We did a trip to the new forest, and he didn't think about what to have for lunch. So we prompted him. And since then he's good.hes learned things every time.

I know it's unusually, but is it unreasonable?

I thought this would be normal! The only downside I can see is sibling squabbling over who chooses what.
Back in the day some people went backpacking round Europe at 18. At 16 planning a family trip seems both reasonable and a good idea.

Life skill.

This is an awesome idea op! What a brilliant approach to take with family trips with older children. Bet he thoroughly enjoys planning it, and probably gives him an extremely great sense of pride and self worth when he plans a good trip where everyone has a great time. What a fantastic idea to help boost self esteem, and give a great opportunity for safe responsibility. Will 100% be stealing this idea for when my kids are older... (Don't think entrusting my 5 & 3 year olds with this task would produce quite the right results just yet... think we'd probably just end up with week long trips to Peppa pig world on repeat 🥴)

@Love51 in my family while I planned them we all took it strictly in turns (parents and my siblings) to choose destinations

YANBU

It works for your family so carry on doing it.

I would’ve loved it at that age fwiw!

I think this sounds wonderful. You are clearly raising a competent young man who will not just be a passenger in his life but will make decisions. My 6yo likes choosing where we go, I can well imagine him be happy to plan proper trips when he is this age. Well done your DS.

I think it is a great idea , as PP have said it is a life skill.
When he gets older goes to uni / work / out clubbing you will be safe in the knowledge that he know how to read bus and train time tables so is highly unlikely to get lost or stuck somewhere and need rescuing

What a great idea.
I may ask my Dd (15) to plan a day out for us.

This is brilliant! I'm definitely going to try this with my GodKids - here's budget, you arrange! (Clearly within limits)

Seems unusual but fair play to him

Wow that's amazing. What a great thing to let him do, teaches him so many life skills I'd love to let mine try do this when there older.

He likes it and does it well. Win-win, OP! Hope mine are into this when they're older as I like going on trips but hate organising them!

If he enjoys doing it take no notice of her. X

Sounds pretty cool to me. I used to love doing this kinda thing as a teenager.

We began map reading and directing our parents driving on days out when we were 8 and 9. So parents would show us where we were now, and where we were headed, and we took turns to choose the route. As a PP said, that proved an incredibly useful skill later in life.
We were also taught to use bus timetables, which stood me in great stead for navigating around Europe interrailing before the internet.
All these skills, and being trusted and valued by adults to do 'real' things, are so valuable in building independent, confident adults, and closening family ties at the time.