Anxious about leaving my teenager

[Bups]

OK we have the family trip of a lifetime planned (husband, me, 12 yr old and 17yr old).....to the Far East touring a number of countries and my 17 year old has decided she wants to come back to the UK 1/2 way through to celebrate her 18th birthday with friends by going to a festival in Hungary! OK I understand she is about to become an adult and her 18th birthday is going to be a wild time for her but there is no way I am going to be able to enjoy the second half of our trip without wanting to make sure she is OK by txt/phone every day. I know I can't forbid it but I am having kittens about the whole prospect of being on the other side of the planet while she is gadding about Budapest etc with friends.....advice please!!!!

Not sure what you can do, your DD will be an adult although she needs to understand that you will naturally be anxious.

I don't think it's unreasonable to arrange a daily text or call.

She sounds quite grown up for her age (which is lovely), have a great time yourself and try to relax

Can she not come back and join you?

Thanks so far....you can tell I am losing sleep, probably cause I am too controlloing. She can't really come back and join us because by the time her Hungarian trip is over we are on our way back to UK. I guess I need to grow up as well as her.....

Bups don't be too hard on yourself, I would be worried sick too (DD is 16 and is very adventurous and spirited). I would still let her go of course but would probably age 10 years overnight just thinking about it

Just agree that you'll text every day.

When ds was 15 he went alone to the States for 3 weeks, and when he'd just turned 17we were in the Maldives for a week and left him home alone.

we just texted/emailed once every couple of days to say hi, and he was fine both times.

Budapest is safe as long as you're careful about belongings; I remember following dh onto a tram and there was a pickpocket with his hand in dh's laptop bag who I whacked on the arm and shouted at .

She'll be with her friends, they'll all look after themselves, and remember she'll be off to Uni in a few months, so see this as a practice run.

Enjoy your holiday and chill!

this thread makes my bowels loosen

but she will be fine

bloody teenagers !

< counts grey hairs >

I just don't ever fret about ds being in other countries/us being in other countries without him.

When we went away last time I had a bit of a frettette, and I said what will you do if you fall off your bike on the way to school? His reply was he'd phone, "oooh what was it...9,9, oh, I'll have to phone my mummikins, not sure what to do...."

this year he refuses to come to Tuscany with us so God knows where he'll end up...

I would feel the same, but looking back I went abroad twice when I was 18 with my mates, both hols were 2 weeks long and there were no such things as mobiles then. My mum got a postcard 2 weeks after I arrived home!! I worry about my 18 year old ds all the time, but by the age of 19 I was living with dh, and he worked away most of the time. I am sure your dd will be fine, she sounds very mature and capable, sounds like she is a credit to you x