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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Son's passport expiring - family hols in ruins

828 replies

blueshoes · 16/10/2021 21:00

Dh and I were looking forward to our family holiday in Crete, Greece for the October half term. We watched the covid-19/PCR situation closely not realising that my 15 year old son's passport has less than 3 months. Just found out today. This is our first foreign holiday since covid struck.

The government website says that for entry to Greece, your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave Greece, or any other Schengen country.

We leave on 30 October and my son's passport expires just short of 3 months on 22 January 2022. It is too late to renew his passport as we are leaving in less than a week.

Ds cannot come with us, can he? Sad We f_ked up.

Anybody recently travelled to Greece with Ryanair with less than 3 months left on their passport? Is it a bad idea to turn up and chance it or bite the bullet now and plan on the basis ds cannot go.

OP posts:
wewereliars · 17/10/2021 15:19

Clearly all is good at chez blueshoes, so why start the thread?

Original poster
blueshoes · 17/10/2021 15:22

@wewereliars

Clearly all is good at chez blueshoes, so why start the thread?
My OP asked for experiences of people travelling to Greece with less than 3 months to go. Not really looking for a critique of my parenting, but this is mn so it was always going to happen.
OP posts:
SkiRun0077 · 17/10/2021 15:22

My parents left me home alone with our lodger when i was 16 for 6wks as they went to OZ! I did have an older brother who lived 3miles away at the time in his own flat, but I was fine getting myself to school & feeding myself etc. it really depends on the maturity of the son/child and the back up ‘what ifs’ in place. Plus I had no mobile phone then Smile From which you sound like will be covered for a week.

GrandDuchessRomanov · 17/10/2021 15:23

All of you piling on the OP are being very harsh.

I am sure she will bring him 200 Benson's and a bottle of Jack Daniels back to compensate, seeing as he is so grown up etc.

Also very few are commenting on the fact that her DH is happy to this too! Twice as bad.

Original poster
blueshoes · 17/10/2021 15:25

@MissNothing1991

If i knew you personally, quite frankly I'd be ringing social services for their opinion.
No one can stop you picking up the phone for anything but is it really necessary to make a veiled threat on the internet for this situation?

I am beginning to wonder how some people make it through life without frothing at every minor infraction by fellow human beings.

OP posts:
Original poster
blueshoes · 17/10/2021 15:28

@GrandDuchessRomanov

All of you piling on the OP are being very harsh.

I am sure she will bring him 200 Benson's and a bottle of Jack Daniels back to compensate, seeing as he is so grown up etc.

Also very few are commenting on the fact that her DH is happy to this too! Twice as bad.

Good one!
OP posts:
GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 17/10/2021 15:28

My OP asked for experiences of people travelling to Greece with less than 3 months to go.

You will not be allowed onto the plane, let alone into Greece.

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 17/10/2021 15:29

Sorry OP, you're complaining about people being harsh but this is entirely down to you and DH not sorting it out.

Plenty of people have suggested paying for an emergency passport that is you option. Or as you suggested, leaving your son at home.

wewereliars · 17/10/2021 15:31

@blueshoes

Dh and I were looking forward to our family holiday in Crete, Greece for the October half term. We watched the covid-19/PCR situation closely not realising that my 15 year old son's passport has less than 3 months. Just found out today. This is our first foreign holiday since covid struck.

The government website says that for entry to Greece, your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave Greece, or any other Schengen country.

We leave on 30 October and my son's passport expires just short of 3 months on 22 January 2022. It is too late to renew his passport as we are leaving in less than a week.

Ds cannot come with us, can he? Sad We f_ked up.

Anybody recently travelled to Greece with Ryanair with less than 3 months left on their passport? Is it a bad idea to turn up and chance it or bite the bullet now and plan on the basis ds cannot go.

OP have you actually read the title to your own thread?.

" DS cannot come with us, can he...?"

If you don't want people to comment on your parenting maybe don't set out an example of poor parenting on a forum?

MalagaNights · 17/10/2021 15:31

Lots of 15 year olds would LOVE a week witout their parents, hanging out with friends, and having the entire family home to themselves.

(OP he will have people over you know Grin) I'd agree some ground rules for this!! e.g. number allowed and only close mates etc.

My teenagers liked family holidays but this plan would seem more novel and exciting.

OP you sound like a close family, but where independence is expected and and your kids are condfident. And yo sound like you know your kid.

I'd imagine the alternative of you all staying at home together, no one gets a holiday ro freedom with their mates, sounds like the worst outcome for your DS! That would be lose - lose.
Whereas your plan is win - win albeit not the win- win you'd have orginally liked whihc was a family holiday.

I'd love to see social care helpdesk resposne to: a 15 year old is staying with frinds for a week while his parents are out fo country...AND??

MrsPnut · 17/10/2021 15:32

@MissNothing1991

If i knew you personally, quite frankly I'd be ringing social services for their opinion.
What exactly do you think social services will do?

Yes, a 15 year old boy is being left with school friends with their parents in charge. That is entirely appropriate and 15 year olds up and down the country will have stayed at a friends house over the weekend.

There is not the capacity to properly oversee the children that really need social services input.

KingdomScrolls · 17/10/2021 15:33

I don't think your fifteen year old will be upset, I think he'll be rubbing his hands together and planning with his friends how they can have a party in your empty house. Pray that doesn't make it to social media OP or you'll have a lot more costs than a change of flight

2lsinllama · 17/10/2021 15:33

@blueshoes
I may have missed it in all the drama going on here but did you initially contact your travel firm/airline and ask for their advice? Surely they must have this situation come up fairly regularly.
Sorry if I missed you covering this in all the hooha

Pbbananabagel · 17/10/2021 15:36

…. have no idea why you’re getting so much shit here OP, you know your kid and that’s what matters here.

Polkadots2021 · 17/10/2021 15:38

@blueshoes

polkadots great you are a sports coach. That is one take on how to develop resilience but not the monopoly.

I am honest. We do not want to miss the family holiday where there is an alternative that is agreeable to ds for his arrangements. As a parent I judge ds to be capable of making his own decisions in this less-than-ideal situation and having those decisions respected and facilitated.

OP you aren't developing resilience, don't think anyone needs to claim a monopoly on developing resilience to see you're NOT doing it GrinGrin

Honestly you don't need to be touchy, I wasn't having a go at you, it's just better to be honest than try to dress something up a particular way to make it sound better.

Original poster
blueshoes · 17/10/2021 15:39

Ds says he does not need to come home, so we will lock it up as normal when we go on holidays with security settings in place. He will have a key just in case he needs access but we will see everything on cameras if he comes back!

PS this is London and we live on burglary-row so we are cautious security-wise and cameras are not that expensive. Not that we have a mansion or anything worth stealing.

OP posts:
fuzzwuss · 17/10/2021 15:39

Quite frankly I find the part where you said that the friends parents would be in touch if they are ok with him staying just downright wrong. If you are intending other people to be in loco parentis while you are abroad, you need to be a lot more proactive and grateful. They are doing you a massive favour, and it is your job to contact them, and make sure they have no questions or issues, and make sure everyone is on the same page about where ds will be where and when. What bothers me about your plans is less the fact that he will be alone, but more the fact that you seem quite hands off about actually organising the week. You made a mistake with the passport that could happen to anyone, you have a plan B that is acceptable to ds, but it is your job to ensure Plan B works, not the job of your ds.

23minutesfromTulseHill · 17/10/2021 15:39

I'd be ringing social services for their opinion
"Our opinion, Mrs X, is that you are a spiteful, nosy besom"

What is the big deal about a 15-y-o staying with friends? The OP has already said she will be in communication with the hosting parents and the number of venues will be cut from seven to one or two. The son is not being 'left alone'. SS wouldn't give a flying fuck, nor should they.

Herecomesthesun70 · 17/10/2021 15:41

@MissNothing1991

If i knew you personally, quite frankly I'd be ringing social services for their opinion.
Oh do fuck up 🙄
Original poster
blueshoes · 17/10/2021 15:41

[quote 2lsinllama]@blueshoes
I may have missed it in all the drama going on here but did you initially contact your travel firm/airline and ask for their advice? Surely they must have this situation come up fairly regularly.
Sorry if I missed you covering this in all the hooha[/quote]
Hi, we found only yesterday. That is dh's task. It is Ryanair so not holding up hope. I am guessing they would love to get ds' seat for free. We booked the hotel on booking.com. DH will call them tomorrow but again re: cancellations, not holding up much hope.

OP posts:
I8toys · 17/10/2021 15:42

Your mistake. Change your holiday. Not the kid's fault but your fuck up!

2lsinllama · 17/10/2021 15:44

@blueshoes
Fair enough but I’d be nagging DH to do it today- the sooner you know what (if any) your options are, the better.

MalagaNights · 17/10/2021 15:45

Ah now I do think YABU.

If you're leaving him behind I'd at least give him some leeway to hang out at home without any parents. That would be half the fun.

I'd limit it to a small group of maybe 5 close mates or so And let them enjoy a house to themselves for a bit.

hotmess19 · 17/10/2021 15:45

We all have different circumstances and my backstory is very different from your sons from what you’ve said OP.
But I was left with friends when my family went on a month long holiday when I was 15. I loved it, granted I basically already lived at my mates so it wasn’t very different but it was brilliant.

DontWantTheRivalry · 17/10/2021 15:47

I can’t believe you’re just going to go and leave him behind Grin

Sounds like it’s worked out well for you OP…. Hmm