When to let your teen go on holiday without you

EXPERTS REVEAL THE BEST AGE FOR A FIRST VACATION WITHOUT PARENTS - AND HOW TO REDUCE PARENTAL WORRIES WHILE YOUR YOUNG ONE'S AWAY. BY LISA SALMON

- BY LISA SALMON

GOING on holiday without the folks is a rite of passage for many teens - and a week or two of anxiety for many parents.

Mums and dads are often concerned their child isn’t old enough to cope with potential holiday dangers - from too much alcohol, drugs, and balcony falls, to too much sun.

But how old is old enough to go on holiday safely without your parents?

It's a question frequently discussed on Mumsnet, and the parenting site’s founder and CEO Justine Roberts says that for their users, “whether or not a teen is ready to go on holiday without their parents has less to do with age and more to do with how responsible they are.”

She adds: “Most parents seem to agree that 17 or 18 is about the right age for a first trip with friends. Some think 16 is OK in certain situations - especially if the teen is very mature and going with a sensible older group - but the general consensus is that 17 is the preferred minimum.”

Justine also points out that turning 18 means travel comes with fewer legal and practical complications, which can make things easier.

Meanwhile, Tanith Carey, author of What's My Teenager Thinking? (Dorling Kindersley, £16.99), has a suggestion for parents, saying: “Instead of seeing their upcoming getaway as a painful period of endless worrying for you, think about what they'll learn about themselves, and the memories they'll make.

“They're probably at no more risk of serious accidents abroad than they are at home, and probably won't get up to much more than they would at the average teenage party or on a night out in a city centre in the UK.”

Parents are still bound to worry but there are steps you can take to perhaps ease this a little...

1. Agree communication methods