Our family has always taken a vacation for a week at Christmas. This year, my daughter (a senior) doesn’t want to go. I think she would rather spend the time with her friends. We know that she will be leaving for college soon, and want to spend as much time with her as possible. Should we make her go, or will she just be miserable the whole time?
First of all, you should know that this is an argument that other children and parents have had many times before. Look at the trip you have planned. Is it a simple, three or four-day trip that will give your child ample time to spend with her friends for the rest of break, or is it a multi-week excursion that would mean she might possibly miss celebrating New Year’s Eve in town with her friends? Is the trip to a location she usually would enjoy, or is it something she usually wouldn’t enjoy anyways (i.e. it’s to a ski lodge and she hates skiing)? Having been dragged on a vacation we didn’t want to go on ourselves by our parents, we can honestly say that the pledge we made to act miserable the entire time was simply impossible to uphold (not to say your daughter won’t do it for part of the time.) If it is a simple, fairly short trip to a destination she would typically enjoy, we suggest you go ahead and make her go along. Otherwise, we would take her thoughts and feelings into consideration this time and let her pass. Another viable option you could consider (although extra plain tickets might cost a lot at this point) would be allowing her to bring a friend along. Either way, you know your daughter and her feelings better than anyone.
Answered by Episcopal High School students.
By: Staff on Tue, Dec 23, 2008
Dear Teenager