Letting your child go away without you

What you need to know and how to prepare them and you

Children get older and they inevitably want to flex their independence muscles and head away on holidays without you but with their friends and their parents. Some kids will want to travel with their soccer or football teams abroad and again this can fill you with dread although they will be fully supervised. Of course, you don’t want to hold your child back and seeing new places is always a great experience so here are a few tips for when your child wants to head off without you. 
  • Prepare them- If your child is going abroad with their friends they need to be prepared for what they will need to do. Prepare them for any weather event and keep an eye on the forecast, ensure your child has the clothes suitable for the weather and talk to your child about been responsible for their passport or travel documents. 
  • Be aware of the itinerary- As their parent you need to be aware of the plans your child’s friends and family have made. In short you need the hotel number, the parents contact details, flight arrangements and transfer details. At least then you can check their flight path and if there is an emergency you can contact them quickly at their hotel.
  • Be organised- Have the bags ready and have everything your child needs organised days before leaving time to do any last-minute panic buying! 
  • Make it as hassle free as possible- Have your child’s passport available and their documents. Help your kid organise their bag and make sure they have plenty of rest before travelling abroad. Make it easy for your child as it is a big step and they need some guidance from you before they go. 
  • Remind your child of their manners- Your child needs to know how to behave and be mindful of the people they are sharing their getaway with. Your child may not like their friends annoying little sister but you should remind your kid to be respectful and friendly always. 
  • Give them a rundown of dos and don’ts- If there is anything you are worried about jot it down and have it ready to run through before your child leaves. Remember you are still their parent and while they may be away they still need to follow rules like when they are at home. 
  • Make sure they have everything they need- Does your child have plenty of socks, underwear and so forth. Have they got books for the plane and a tablet too for watching movies? Ensure your child has enough money to manage the few days away as it is always nice when they can pay for themselves and buy things they like rather than asking for it. 
  • Say “goodbye” and don’t worry! – Your child will have a ball and all you need to do is say farewell and let them go off to enjoy themselves. Don’t worry they will be back soon and full of cuddles and love! 
Written by Emma Hayes, staff writer at Family Friendly HQ

Emma Hayes

Emma Hayes is a busy mum to two girls aged 17 and 11 and is married to her childhood sweetheart.

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