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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

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Original poster

ds going on holiday with pals for the first time....mum needing advice here!!

17 replies

ssd · 22/05/2016 10:10

this is the annual 6th year holiday to Spain (we are in Scotland), there are loads of them going.....for 2 weeks......

can anyone advise me whats the best way to take euros abroad?

ds is pretty bad at losing things, like his dad and they have all had me to pick up after them on holiday....until now when he goes with other scatty teenagers....

is a pre loaded card the best? if he doesnt lose it, or his passport, I'll be amazed happy

any other advice re anything would be great!!

OP posts:

leonardthelemming · 22/05/2016 10:15

Debit card. Can't lose the money. Might lose the card though...

Original poster

ssd · 22/05/2016 10:18

whats the difference between him taking his debit card and a pre loaded card then?

OP posts:

3catsandcounting · 22/05/2016 10:31

I take a pre-loaded Post Office Travel Card. No (or very little) transaction charges when you use it. Last time I used my debit card abroad I racked up £50 worth of transaction charges from using ATMs, paying in restaurants, everything!

If you have a Google, you'll find the best pre-loaded cards. What you want is probably one that gives you at least 2 or even 3 cards, so losing one isn't a disaster.
(unless, like my friends daughter, you keep them all together and lose the lot!)

HSMMaCM · 22/05/2016 10:47

Make sure he has a photocopy of his passport in his suitcase

HSMMaCM · 22/05/2016 10:47

Split money up in lots of different places.

specialsubject · 22/05/2016 14:21

Are there teachers going? So someone will pick up the pieces. Time for him to learn though - you say scatty, everyone else probably has other descriptions...

TheWoollybacksWife · 22/05/2016 14:40

DD1 is away working in Germany at present and took a preloaded Post Office Travel money card with her. She needed more funds so I was able to top it up for her at the Post Office - all you need is the card number.

In terms of him being scatty and losing stuff I would recommend him taking a basic phone that he wouldn't be too worried about losing. If his phone is internet enabled then make sure he switched his roaming off to avoid racking up charges.

Ememem84 · 22/05/2016 14:52

Photocopy of passport. Also take a picture of it and keep on his phone and email a copy to yourself.

Give him multivitamins to take with him. Sounds lame. But I doubt they'll eat any veg. I never did on holidays while I was younger and always suffered.

Make sure he knows where he nearest pharmacy is just in case.

specialsubject · 22/05/2016 15:35

It is two weeks so I doubt scurvy is a risk. Apparently it has happened in the gappie tourists who think they can eat nothing but pot noodles for six months.

AndNowItsSeven · 22/05/2016 15:38

How old is he, 18?

Ememem84 · 22/05/2016 15:53

special I wasn't meaning scurvy as such more to help bad tummy. I only learned this a while ago. A week of heavy drinking plays havoc with my system.

Obviously I know not everyone is the same.

specialsubject · 22/05/2016 15:57

I'd not factored in the compulsory swilling. ... Let him feel ill if he does that. Consequences.

Orac · 22/05/2016 19:24

DS did this and lived to tell the tale not a pretty one.
He wasn't very streetwise and had never been clubbing. Poor lad was expecting to go to the beach and play in the pool but was frustrated that the only thing the others wanted to do was stay in bed all day and go out all night.
He reckons it's one of those things that he's glad he ticked it off but never, ever again.
You can try warning him not to forget sun cream, not to hire bikes / quads / motor bikes. Condoms and The Talk, even though I'm sure you've done it before.

ChopsticksandChilliCrab · 23/05/2016 13:30

When DD went on her Y13 post-exam jolly we talked to some of the other parents and put together a safety list of dos and don'ts eg don't mix alcohol and pools/sea, make sure everyone is back in the evening and you lock up carefully, if you must go on a moped (not advised) wear a helmet. We sent her with cash (flight and villa already paid for) but with instructions to keep it hidden in different places and be careful not to show much cash when in public. It went smoothly mostly, two boys had money stolen from their pockets and the girls learnt to head out with at least one boy, else they got unwanted attention from local youths. They learnt not to do buckets of drink as they were full of rubbish. Stick to bottles and keep an eye on them so nobody can slip anything in them.

Original poster

ssd · 23/05/2016 16:06

thanks everyone, this advice is great, I realize I am a complete rookie and haven't thought of most of these things

OP posts:

Original poster

ssd · 23/05/2016 16:11

I didnt realise you could get a pre loaded card with more than one card incase of loss

OP posts:

specialsubject · 23/05/2016 18:25

might be worth finding out what the plan is...if it is swill-and-spew in Magaluf of similar, that's fine if he's into that and as someone's son on here discovered, horrible if he isn't. The kiddy-drunk resorts don't have anything else to do!

if it is one of those, most of them survive but a few words on the subject of unlimited alcohol and not mixing it with motor transport, tattoos, night swimming or believing he can fly are wise.

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