Teens and Road Trips! (legal, allowance, boys, daughter)

[emailvasally]

I think it depends on the teen, their friends, and where they want to go.

I was a pretty responsible older teen (screwed up a lot aroung 14-15) and went on my first road trip at 16 1/2. my bf and I drove from va to ohio to visit her family. we did that several times. It was a blast. I would have never drank while driving though. we also went to the relatives house and stayed there so we had rules. The first real road trip was with my other bf right after graduating and we drove from va to miami and orlando FL. She had a convertible and that was one of the most memorable experiences.
You need to live life while your young. Have a good time, but making right choices along the way.

[maciesmom]

When dd was 16 or so she thought it would be "great fun" for her and a gf to drive from Denver to Disneyland (about a 2-3 day trip through the mountains, the desert and driving into LA). Needless to say that was a "no" even though she is extremely responsible. She has gone with various gfs on several day-trips to places 2-4 hours from home. Now she is over 18 and away at college so I guess technically, she could do what she wanted without my permission....but other than weekend "road trips" to friends houses, other college campuses or camping venues I don't image she has the time or money (or car!) to do that.

[summers19]

I remember how I drove as a teen I can't believe some of the stunts I pulled. I shouldn't be alive today.
Now with two young boys who will someday be teenagers, the thought of them even remotely driving like I used to scares me.
But when they're 18, and depending on their maturity level, I would hope that they could take a road trip. It would be a great experience for them.

[drjones96]

Originally Posted by summers19

I remember how I drove as a teen I can't believe some of the stunts I pulled. I shouldn't be alive today.

Man I sure know that one well. I had many near death experiences in a car at 16...I just never realized it because I never hit anything. My favorite activity was seeing how fast I could get my dad's truck up to before the limiter kicked in. (105mph) I also liked to see how many gears I could squeal the tires in. It was so damned amazing I never got a ticket and I never had an accident. Was it that I was so skilled from playing San Francisco Rush? I don't know.

[Woof Woof Woof!]

I drove like an idiot at that age, and my friends drove worse. I remember when a few kids from school got killed driving like fools down "roller coaster road." Wanted to see if they could get "airborne" over one of the bumps. They did and collided head on with another vehicle.

No road trips for teens, sorry.

[wanderer13]

good for you Brit. i started road tripping before i could drive, hopped on a greyhound bus and off i went. at 13 i took unchaperoned ski trips to the rocky mountains. when i got my driver's license i was gone. i travelled from connecticut along the coast to the hamptons, cape cod, and maine.
i took route 7 to the Berkshires, to route 100 through the green mountains of vermont and to the white mountains to hike and ski tuckerman's ravine.
i flew to san diego once, purchased a car just so i could drive the pacific coast highway through big sur, carmel, monterey, santa cruz, san francisco then over the bridge to muir woods, stinson beach and so on.
while in college i wandered through the adirondacks, down to florida, to wisconsin, new mexico, colorado, arizona, and idaho. the deal was so long as i maintained A's and worked to provide to pay my own way the decisions were mine to make. now i'm 45, married 22 years, own a successful company and have 3 kids who are themselves planning their first road trips. while there are plenty of reasons to worry, for those kids responsible enough to road trip, the rewards cannot be overstated. hats off to Brit! and rest assured that your kids will one day provide good and secure jobs for the kids whose parents live in fear!

[Connecticut Pam]

I don't think it is overprotective to not allow teens to take road trips until they are at least 18. There are way too many strange people out there and can you say "carjacking"?? I raised my son all by myself..his Dad and I divorced when my son was 11. He was NOT a small kid...over six feet by his freshman year in High School and 225 lbs...played football all 4 years. I would NOT let him get into a vehicle full of boys wanting to take off on a road trip until he was 18 and by then he didn't care if he did because he was working and going to college. Just last week, my husband came home telling me that his co-workers daughter a senior in high school had taken off on a road trip with her friends and had ended up almost in Canada and had no clue how to get home...we are in CT! She had her cell phone but how do you now talk your daughter home when she is frantic on the other end of the phone and you really don't know where she is? No way....not in today's world and not until a kid is old enough to understand the way of the world and HOW TO READ A FRIGGIN MAP!

[Momma_bear]

Originally Posted by brit3218

What are some great places for teens to go while on a road trip? Did any of you take an exciting road trip when you were young?

No and no.

Originally Posted by brit3218

If your teen is responsible enough and you as parents set the right rules and boundaries, then I think letting your teen take a safe yet fun road trip with friends you trust would be a great, adventurous and exciting idea!!! Oh the memories!!!

I'm glad you think so. Are you the parent of an actual teen?

Originally Posted by brit3218

Would you let your responsible teen take a road trip with his or her close friends or are you an overprotective lunatic parent who wants to keep your child locked away in a box never to experience any excitement and adventure?

Is there any middle ground? I would not let my teen (yes I am parent to an actual teen) go on a road trip without adults. But I am not an overprotective lunatic either. My son is permitted to do things locally, with his friends. He is permitted to attend overnight camps in the summer. He is allowed to go out. I think there are to many things that could happen on a road trip that a 16 year old is not prepared to handle.

Originally Posted by brit3218

Danger can happen anywhere, even around your own home but you just have to protect yourself and go out and enjoy life! Overprotecting your children is only going to make them resent you more. So I say relax and let them see the world!!!!

Part of protecting your kids means not putting them in a position they are not yet ready to handle. Road trips fall solidly into that camp. My kids have seen plenty of the world. With the family not with other immature 16 year olds.

[afoigrokerkok]

Originally Posted by emailvasally

I think it depends on the teen, their friends, and where they want to go.

I was a pretty responsible older teen (screwed up a lot aroung 14-15) and went on my first road trip at 16 1/2. my bf and I drove from va to ohio to visit her family. we did that several times. It was a blast. I would have never drank while driving though. we also went to the relatives house and stayed there so we had rules. The first real road trip was with my other bf right after graduating and we drove from va to miami and orlando FL. She had a convertible and that was one of the most memorable experiences.
You need to live life while your young. Have a good time, but making right choices along the way.

I hope that "bf" means "best friend" and not "boyfriend." If it means boyfriend, your parents were crazy for two reasons.

[rockinmomma]

Yes, I would allow my son to go, within reason. Depending on his age at the time, I would require specifics like hotels and planned routes. As it stands now, I plan on taking Son to a great beach in the next state for his 16th b-day. He is going to be able to bring a friend if he wants. I will be going b-cause I love this beach, but I am not going to chapperone or babysit him while we're there. I will check on him, because other than freedom in town, this is the first time he will have this kind of freedom in an unfamilliar place. As long as he keeps my trust he'll have this freedom.

Son has friends who live 45ish minutes away, family that lives 3 hours away, we live in an ares where you can go to the coast or mountains in a few hours. I say let the kids have the freedom to be kids. Now, all freedom can be lost due to irresponsible behavior.

My son, when he was 9, was at a friend's house. The friend's momma had a stalker ex-b/f who burst into the house and was beating this woman. My son had enough wits about him to get his friend out and run to the g/parent's house and call me. Once when my son was visiting his elderly aunt at age 11 when she had a heart attack.... he kept a cool head and was able to get the ambulance there. I would allow him to take weekend road trips at age 17ish.... younger if he were going with someone I trust.

My baby brother (now 25) has taken road trips in the past. He's been to mexico and canada. lol, He was detained and had his car confiscated at the canadian border because he has nunchucks in the trunk. It took two days for them to process him, but in the end it all worked out fine. The ting is, it gives the teen a chance to think for themselves.... kinda like training for the real world.

I live in a college town.... you wouldn't buh-leeve some of the things these kids do. Most come from money and have been sheltered and have always had someone to "save" them. Yeah.... I'd love to put a webcam in a common area on one of the off campus apartments. If you don't teach kids to handle freedom while they still have structure from iving at home.... they go buck wild in college.