Flying as an unaccompanied minor at age 7

[CrispyClo]

I’m posting on behalf of my sister as she is looking for some external views on the matter.

My niece is 7, birthday was in August. She started a new school in September, which closes for Christmas a week earlier than most state schools. There don’t seem to be a lot of options for childcare during that week as not many schools here close that early so there aren’t any holiday camps.
My sister has booked my niece onto a week long camp abroad for the week. The camp is well reviewed and offers a pick up service for children flying as an unaccompanied minor. My sister initially felt this was a good idea, and booked it.
Now she is having some concerns and is unsure it’s the right choice, mainly as she appreciates 7 is quite young and while the flight isn’t particularly long, they don’t actually have someone sat with them, just cabin crew checking in. She has admitted herself she was fine with it until other people seemed to think it was a reckless parenting choice. I think it will be fine, my sister and I flew as unaccompanied minors often as our dad lived abroad, we were a bit older (maybe 10 the first time) but managed it fine.

AIBU to think my niece will be fine? She’s looking forward to the camp and doesn’t seem phased by the thought of it.

My sister did want other views, that doesn’t mean she has to listen to them, she’s allowed to hear others perspectives and decides she disagrees and to continue as she was, post on AIBU isn’t a legally binding referendum on the subject.

No way would I send a 7 year to a camp abroad nor would I let them catch a flight by themselves. I think most kids would feel very abandoned by their parents. I do wonder what social services would say about your sisters plan to leave her child with strangers for a week just because she cba to figure out childcare or take time off work.

My 15 year old daughter made herself sick when she went on a school trip abroad she missed home that much 😂 and she was surrounded by people she knew.

All perfectly legal this of course and ever so slightly upper class so why would anyone have a problem with it? But god forbid a working class Mum leaves her kids with a babysitter they haven’t met before for the night while she has a rare night out. The school would be inviting her in for a chat to discuss what support they can offer, the WhatsApp groups would be popping off with derision. Just because you can do something and get away with it doesn’t mean that you should.

Unless they're leaving them with some local drunk you dragged in off the street, I don't think anyone cares who anyone has got babysitting?

People seem to get very worked up about leaving their children with 'strangers'. Maybe I'm weird - I've not lost any sleep about the fact I didn't set eyes on my child's current teacher until half way through the school term. They go to various holiday clubs that I've only seen on the people who run it for 30 seconds when I hand them over at the gate. They've been left with agency babysitters on a number of occasions that none of us have met until they turn up at our door.

I had full-scale panic attacks when I went on an overseas school trip aged 15, it was awful. Probably didn't help that I'd never spent one night away from my parents until then apart from a couple of sleepovers at our next-door neighbours.

Whereas my DC have been son overnight trips with Beavers since they were 6 and have been away for 5 nights aged 8 and had the best time. I'm totally in awe of their resilience and confidence. Maybe they're just naturally more confident than I was as a child, maybe it's because they've had the exposure to these opportunities from an earlier age, maybe a bit of both.

I do wonder what social services would say about your sisters plan to leave her child with strangers for a week just because she cba to figure out childcare or take time off work.

The idea that sending a child to an organized camp (a form of organized childcare) would in any way meet the threshold for social services involvement is ridiculous.

What would worry me most is that I personally hadn’t seen the accommodation/facilities at the camp or met the staff.
Which is very different to brownie or cub camps or even boarding school.
it does seem rather extreme. Could your niece not stay with you? Could she not spend days at a school friend’s house? Does your sister know any uni students etc who might be up for covering the days - perhaps taking your niece to a couple of museums or xmassy sctivities?

Are people doing a full facilities inspections when you drop your kids at camps? Do you personally check everyone’s DBS?

No it isn't legally binding but if she has already made her mind up, asking others for their views with no intention of taking them on board is just wasting people's time. I'm guessing the views she wanted were those that applauded her behaviour and this has backfired spectacularly. It takes a special kind of person to wilfully neglect a child, brag about it and expect widespread agreement.

Is this even real? As if anyone would even consider sending their 7 year old to a bunch of strangers for a week let alone abroad! Wtf!

I have a 9 year old who is going on residential with the school for two nights an hour from home .dh and I are hoping to get a cheap travel lodge and stay near by just in case as she never been apart from us. This is the school and all the teachers and children she knows well. No way would I ever consider sending my 9 year old alone with people she doesn't know to a foreign country on a plane. I can't believe anyone think that a 7 year old can do that. It's too young but everyone is different.

Its not safe now a days, like it used to be for a child of 7 to fly unacompanied.

Children can be targeted, and even teenagers are not safe either so a 7 year old would not stand a chance, an adult could easily over power them and the consequences could horrendous.

Is your sister considering getting rid of her daughter for a week in a foreign country on her own because she can’t find childcare for the week she breaks up earlier than everyone else? Completely confused with the premise for this?

Unless your DD has specific needs, being too nervous for a 9yo to stay an hour away from home sounds almost as absurd as sending a 7yo abroad for a week.

What do you think is likely to happen that’s so urgent you couldn’t be an hour away?

What on earth are you talking about?

Hell would freeze over before I let my child do this below the age of 16.

Your DSis is being really irresponsible; she needs to find a babysitter or similar for her daughter for the week.

Abroad is one thing, but sending children as young as 7 away to camp for a week is quite a normal thing in many countries. Just because it's strange to you as its not your experience, doesn't mean its wrong.

Mine went to camp from 5 yo, Belgian coast, Ardennes etc. My employer subsidised it and a shiny brochure arrived twice a year. She had an amazing time, and at 16 did the training to become an animator herself. At 21 she has just completed the qualification to be a camp leader and in August, she ran the Pirate Camp at the coast that she first went to aged 5. This freaked me out a bit. Though not as much as thought of taking 40 kids to Plopsaland for the day. 😱

I don't really see this as particularly crazy thing. Airports and flights companies wouldnt have a process in place for this is it wasn't normal. I know kids that travel alone cause otherwise they wouldn't be able to see their parent/grandparents

Parents just need to ask themselves, would I let my 7 yr old fly as a UM and be met the other end by strangers to take them to a kids camp for a week. Some will say yes, some no and some maybe. I’d be in the no group personally.

If it’s only an hour away do you really need to be staying close by?

@Londonrach1that sounds crazy to me - why would you need to if they’re only an hour away? You won’t be doing them any favours by helicoptering all the time

There's no way I would send any 7 year old child on a flight alone. That's just crazy.

I sent my 9 and 7 year old (they might have been younger) unaccompanied. They are now early 20s/late teens and it’s a favourite memory. They got given all the desserts left and made a fuss if but the stewards. They are very independent. If the company gets good reviews then I would go ahead. What a great experience.

I'd see it differently- they are planning it this way, but using the opportunity to crowdsource opinions to double check there isn't some aspect or risk they haven't originally considered.

It is obvious from this thread that the idea doesn't resonate with UK culture, but many of the reasons are "I wouldn't do it" and "it shouldn't be allowed" or "I haven't seen the place with my eyes and haven't meet the personel". Many are concerned about the quality of the unaccompanied minor services.

They can decide for each topic whether they see it as an issue for them and their child.