My 16.5 yr old wants 2 was holiday w pals to Aiya Napa

[Melanie1971]

My daughter will b 17 when she wants to go away w 9 pals to Aiya Napa from Scotland. Am I being over protective by wanting her to go for just one week as this is a first break abroad on her own and is this destination safe? I thought Magaluf might be better but am being told its worse? Help appreciated...I have a meeting w other parents tomorrow

YBAD, in my own son's case, it was never going to happen anyway: he had no income and no savings, and there was no way I was going to pay, so "I'll wait til I'm 18 when I can have a better time" was just a face-saving excuse I think.

A week would be enough but I don't think you should fund it, I went on a similar girls holiday when I was 18 but I paid for it all myself - if she can't pay I dont think she's mature enough to go

At 16 you can apply for a passport without parental consent so taking her passport isn't valid really

Re underage drinking my line is: "you can't drink without risking somebody else's livelihood; if there is a clampdown you will be fine but the bar owner will lose his licence"

Cory-nice one, will be borrowing that line

Absolutely don't fund it, if she can't then I agree she's not mature enough to go.

Oh what a dilemma.

When I was 18 I went to San Antonio in Ibiza - this was 1986 - things weren't quite as 'wild'' as they are now, but still would have shocked my mother.

I was relatively sensible, as were the 2 friends I went with. Nothing too bad happened, apart from loads and loads of drinking and unprotected sex ): Oh, and I ended up with quite bad sunstroke, rode around on mopeds.

In the end it was fine. I paid forit myself as was working then.

I am now the parent of DS - aged 15. I can see him wanting to do , these holidays in a couple of years which is slightly concerning.

Why Ayia Napa? Majorca or mainland Spain would be closer.
And would one week be a compromise?

My DS17 went to Malia in July with 12 mates. A week is definitely enough, don't think our boys could have survived for two! All came home ill and exhausted - no sleep, crap food and endless alcohol take their toll quickly! Having said that they all had an amazing time and are already planning next years trip. Four of the 13 (thankfully not DS) also came back with tattoos and/or piercings despite being warned against this!! Most of them paid for themselves, I gave DS some spending money but wouldn't have paid for the whole thing especially since he also came away on our family holiday to Turkey for two weeks. Btw they can drink legally at 17 in Greece and Cyprus.