Ariana Grande dilemma

[coulditbeme2323]

OK we are spending the summer in Florida. Myself, husband, and children. As it is half work half holiday - we are taking our 19 year old niece for the 6 weeks to help out when we are working.

My girl is 15 and we have managed to get Ariana Grande tickets in Atlanta. For information it's about a two hour flight from Orlando.

Now my husband is happy for our 19 year old niece (who is very sensible) to go with our daughter.

I have said it's a big city, and I would rather go. Not to the concert, but just travel with them.

They only plan to be gone 48 hours.

Who is right?

Did they travel around Bangladesh on their own?

It’s not the flight that’s the issue, that’s the easy part.

It’s the travelling around Atlanta, checking into the hotel, getting to the concert and back again etc which I wouldn’t be comfortable with.

They are not going to a different country alone. They are flying from Florida to Georgia- both are in the same region of the same country,

Thank you x

And getting back to the airport/ hotel after the concert. It is always such a crush getting out of those big arenas and trying to find transport.

Millions of women have managed their own children at 19. What makes one who is already providing childcare incapable of travelling with an older, far less dependent than an infant, one?

How does OP know Atlanta? I’ve been to Atlanta multiple times and I don’t agree with her.

Because I have lived there.

They'll be fine.

Not to be rude about Atlanta, but I wouldn't really feel the same about sending a couple of teenagers to any UK city compared to there. The difference is that all UK cities are generally walkable in the city centres and around the major venues at least. And public transport is relatively readily available and safe. This not only means that if the young people were to somehow find themselves stranded or without money/phones (or perhaps more likely decided to try and save money and time by walking or using public transport) they'd likely be safe and able to get themselves home, but also just means there are usually people out and about on the streets including at night. Whereas in a lot of American cities, Atlanta included, everything is done in cars and a lot of the city really isn't safe for young, unstreet-smart woman to walk around particularly at night. I would worry what they'd do if they couldn't get a taxi back from the venue or if they wanted to go and get snacks late at night or something... As I say not necessarily a worry that should stop them from going but I'd definitely want them to agree they'll Uber everywhere, even if this means a wait at times, and make sure they have enough money to do so..

But US flights get cancelled a lot and you don’t just get on the next one. I guess, if like me you’ve been through USA airport hell and know how terrible customer service is when planes are cancelled then you’ll have a different perspective. EasyJet flight from Bristol to Edinburgh would be fine for me to leave 19 and 15 yos to it.

Team DH.

My kids have flown alone from 14 plenty of times. And she’s not even flying alone, she’s with an adult.

I started my first job aged 19, I agree.

The 19 year old isn't the issue.

It's a 19 year old in the US with a 15 year old she's not legally responsible for flying, checking into a hotel and going to a gig including getting to and from the venue.

It's the whole combination not a 19 year old going to the local restaurant with a 15 year old.

Sorry I meant state.

It’s not the flying that I would have an issue with.

It’s the travelling to and from the airport, hotel and venue etc which may cause problems.

I don’t see it’s worth the risk when OP can just travel with them.

No - despite being an American who has been to Florida seven times, I have never heard of this “air conditioning” you speak of. Is it new?

I’m not “pissing in their chips,” I’m just talking. Right now I’m in Minnesota and it’s supposed to reach a high of 31 degrees Celsius (you use Celsius in the UK, right?), so if that’s Minnesota, Florida is going to be sweltering. I hope they have a great time regardless. Once in the ‘90s, my parents and I spent a week in DC that was 38 Celsius all week and it was one of our best trips.

I was flying by myself at the age of 12 so you seem very over protective to me. Airports are incredibly safe places. They have very tight security and are pretty idiot proof.

I’d be more concerned about supporting a concert of someone clearly extremely unwell with anorexia. The videos I’ve seen this week are terrifying and I think an awful thing for impressionable teenagers to see.

You realise 19-year-olds live and travel independently all the time, surely? And she's planning to travel with a 15-year-old, not a toddler. She's not going to have to do any childcare.

What 'life experience' do you think is actually needed to catch a flight and go to a concert? What do you think a 19-year-old can't manage about that? These are very normal things for 19-year-olds to do. And what do you imagine a 15-year-old is going to do that will be difficult for the 19-year-old to manage?

She loves wicked, I don't think she is going to come back with an eating disorder after a two hour concert.

Do 19 year olds travel with children all the time?

I am far from convinced that is true.

At 20 I was responsible for other people's children as a camp counsellor in America. So yes, a 19 year old can take care of one 15 year old she knows well. Assuming both are sensible and have had opportunities to gradually build their travel skills.

Where in Florida? I’ve never lived there, but I’ve been to Orlando, Tampa, Marco Island, Sanibel Island, and Sarasota, and never saw anyone in anything even close to parkas and mittens.

Has anyone even asked the 19 year old? She might not even want the responsibility, which would be understandable.

Normal?

But a 15 year old isn’t really a child. It’s not like she’s going to suddenly run off in the opposite direction or have a tantrum in the middle of the departure lounge.

They can figure out logistics and directions together. They can bond and experience some freedom together. And if they get stuck, they can ask for help or give you a call.

All they are doing is travelling through airports and getting cabs. With everything well sign posted in their own language.