How to meet an arriving child at the gate - **UNBELIEVEABLE Update Feb. 28th**

[phred52]

Kids will surprise you with how much they can accomplish on their own.

At 16 my DD was flying alone. She was dropped off out front @ MCO. She got herself to the gate and was sitting minding her own business when they made an announcement ... needing volunteers for a bump. Yes, she took the bump!! Boy was she tickled, getting that bump voucher. ((I got a few more grey hairs)) She got herself on the new flight without any problems, arrived home about 6 hours later than planned. Good thing for cell phones!!

DD was thrilled to have that voucher, she knew it meant another adventure would be coming up!

 

[TheresaNY]

For all of you that were kind enough to post replies, suggestions and advice: THANK YOU!! But you will not believe this!! So, last we spoke, the mom was going nuts over how we were going topick up her DD at MCO. She finally agreed to us meeting her at the gate if I could but if not at the tram. Well, about 3 days ago she calls me to tell me that they spoke to their DD and told her of the trip (which is a surprise for my DD HS graduation) and their DD DOESN'T WANT TO GO !!!!!!! She doesn't want to miss a week of baseball!! She is afraid it will let her team down !!!! I cannot believe it but have to accept it - obviously!! I never, in a million years, saw that coming !! Fortunately my DD doesn't know but knowing my luck it will somehow come out and really hurt my DD since they are SUPPOSEDLY best friends !! UGH !!!!!!!

 

[taitai]

I don't think it has anything to do with friendship...I certainly would never cast it that way. I think that is very unfair to the girl. If she is playing on the high school team or a competitive traveling team, missing a week could mean losing her spot on the team. That can have long term consequences and even effect college scholarships and the rest. I totally see her point.

Good luck figuring everything out.

 

[TheresaNY]

I don't think it has anything to do with friendship...I certainly would never cast it that way. I think that is very unfair to the girl. If she is playing on the high school team or a competitive traveling team, missing a week could mean losing her spot on the team. That can have long term consequences and even effect college scholarships and the rest. I totally see her point.

Good luck figuring everything out.

Perhaps you are right, but I spoke to her parents first and they cleared it with her coach so there is no problem for the team. My point really is, I guess, that this whole idea of mine has been a disaster from the start !! I don't really blame the girl; if she doesn't want to go then I rather that she didn't. But this has been an ongoing issue that there are always "scheduling conflicts" and this poor kid never seems to be a kid. I get the scholarship point and some kids are just way over scheduled IMHO. I personally don't know if the girl I refer to is or not, but it is seeming that way. C'est la vie!

 

[msmayor]

Perhaps you are right, but I spoke to her parents first and they cleared it with her coach so there is no problem for the team. My point really is, I guess, that this whole idea of mine has been a disaster from the start !! I don't really blame the girl; if she doesn't want to go then I rather that she didn't. But this has been an ongoing issue that there are always "scheduling conflicts" and this poor kid never seems to be a kid. I get the scholarship point and some kids are just way over scheduled IMHO. I personally don't know if the girl I refer to is or not, but it is seeming that way. C'est la vie!

But did they clear it with her? Just because the coach said it was okay doesn't mean the girl felt it was ok.

I have to admire a young teen for realizing that being a team member sometimes means putting the team first over your own needs. When you accept a place on a team, you are saying "I will do everything I can for the team to succeed."

I think its unfair to characterize it as over-scheduling.

 

[Tink415]

You can meet her as an unattended minor. I did it last October when my son was 15. I had to go to ticketing, tell them my son was flying in alone. They asked his name, checked the flight, then gave me a non-flyer security pass. I went through security and met him at the gate as his plane landed (flying Southwest)

I did the same thing when he left on Southwest. I got the non-flyer pass, went through security with him and sat at the gate with him until he boarded.


You have to have their flight number, name and your license or passport. You have to go through security screening just like any other passenger.

I've also gotten non-flyer security passes when seeing a 16 year old off from MCO. The 16 year old my DD's friend and was going back home from vacation early because she was terribly homesick. At first the agent was only going to give me 1 non-flyer security pass but when I explained that I was not going to leave my DD who was younger(!) he agreed to give me two.

 

[snowbunny]

they spoke to their DD and told her of the trip (which is a surprise for my DD HS graduation) and their DD DOESN'T WANT TO GO !!!!!!! She doesn't want to miss a week of baseball!! She is afraid it will let her team down !!!!

I know you must be disappointed but it was her parents' fault, not your DD's friend. No one asked her whether she wanted to miss her team events or not, it was just assumed. Teens want to be consulted about their lives.

 

[goofy4tink]

You have obviously put a lot of thought and effort into this in order to surprise your dd. I'm really sorry it didn't work out. Is there perhaps another friend who could go instead???
Please, try to step back and look at this situation from another point of view. It is admirable that your dd's friend feels such loyalty to her team...that is a wonderful trait. Try not to look at her choice as a slap in your dd's face. I know that as mother's, we sometimes become mama bears when we feel our child is 'dissed'. Try to move on and continue planning a fun trip for your family.
Sometimes, being a parent isn't so easy, is it? I know...been there, done that.