Daughter invited to holiday abroad

[Itshouldntbethisway]

My daughter has been invited to go on holiday abroad with her best friend from school. Apart from sleepovers she's never been away from home and never been on holiday with another family. She's 11 years old, and too young in my view. Her friend is lovely but I don't know the family well, it's been a term at her new secondary school and parents don't meet up often. Once she's older and more confident I wouldn't mind. Am I being unreasonable? Your thoughts/advice would be welcome.

I allowed my DS at 13 - he then did a UK trip with same family at 14. I didn't know Dad (DP had met him on pick ups/drop offs, and FS had a sleep over in primary) and SM, who he went with, but had known child's DM through primary school, and it felt fine. I had taken friend on numerous days out in primary. All went well. I did worry, but more due to DS's social anxiety and limited diet.
At 11,I would need to know the family, and DC would have to be confident and really keen to go.

At 11 I definitely wouldn’t let my child go on holiday with a family I didn’t know that well.

I’ve taken several 11yos from Italy to GB in groups of 3 plus my own BUT I cherry-picked the kids and made sure the parents knew I was there exclusively for them, not to have a grownups’ holiday.

The kids loved it and it was a test of their survival skills in a safe environment. I genuinely like that age, too.

One of the mums said her son burst into tears when he got home “Nothing will ever be as good!”. Another mum said every second sentence was “When we were on Sgtmajormummy’s trip…” It was hard work for me but very rewarding. I also had to go to the police station with the parents to get authorization, arrange insurance, rent a larger car etc,

That’s the sort of trip I’d want for my 11yo. If you suspect she’s been invited as some sort of travelling companion to keep their daughter entertained, or doesn’t have the skills to travel abroad, maybe wait a year or so.

Nope.

Absolute no if it were me. Wouldnt even consider it

It’s not the age that worries me but that you don’t really know the parents. What if they’re party animals and get hammered / don’t supervise. I wouldn’t trust a stranger, in another country with my 11 year old non

This. They likely want company for their daughter. They hardly know my daughter, have met her just twice.