Post HS Graduation trip?

[ORMom2Four]

Did you take one? Did your teen take one?

DD will be a Senior this year. Her friend asked her if she wanted to go to Australia with her and another friend next summer after they graduate. All three girls are good friends.

I never took one. Became a mom right out of HS, got married at 19 and have been a wife & mom ever since. Soooo, I would like DD to go (on her own dime!) and experience the world while she is young. I am nervous about everything that could go wrong while she's out on her own, but I bet that would happen if she were in Australia or down the street!

Any tips? Suggestions?

 

[Disneyland Princess]

Yep I went on two trips when I graduated this year, I had to pay for one and the other was a present from my parents.
My first trip was to Disneyland with my best friend we both had been saveing up sense freshman year and had a blast!
The second one was a trip to Vegas with my mom, it was also a lot of fun!

Im sure your daughter will have a lot of fun and makeing her pay for the trip will realy let her apreciate how much it costes to do a trip.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Nope for me. DD did take a trip to go see her BF in TX, if that counts.

That sounds awesome for your dd!!!

 

[disykat]

No, I didn't go on one. No, my child won't be going on one. All my money went towards my college fund (except for a small amount of spending money, of course) and I expect my kids to do the same. Unless it's something they can fund out of their spending money (like a short camping trip. etc.), my kids won't be vacationing other than being included in family vacations until they are financially independent.

I was a few years out of college before I could afford anything other than visiting family, camping, or a weekend close by. (I graduated in the 80's and all my friends were in the same position.) At that point, I spent 5 weeks in Europe.

 

[heimlichfan]

Yes, I actually got a trip every time I "graduated."

For HS graduation I actually spent a month away from home - two weeks in Germany and two weeks in Turkey. During my senior year my family hosted an exchange student, and when she went home I went with her! I then went on vacation with her family hence why I was in two very different places.

 

[etoiles]

Yes, I went on a trip to Cancun with some friends after graduation. I had a lot of fun and I paid for it myself. My family rarely went on vacation so it was a real treat for me!

 

[browneyes106]

I didn't take one because I had to save up for college and living expenses but a few my friends took trips. Three of my friends went to a Grad Night at Disneyland and three other friends went on a roadtrip to see an Ozzfest show.

 

[Longsx3]

DD will be in 8th grade and has lived in both Europe and Asia, I imagine that there will be a trip after graduation just not sure if it will be with us or without us.

 

[aprilgail2]

I went to Canada with some friends after graduation. It was tough though since I was only 17 and couldn't get in the places and drink and party as easily as they did (drinking age awas 18 back then)- eventually we always found places that would not proof me but it would take some doing. But it was a great trip to kick off the end of childhood!

 

[Breezy_Carol]

DH and I didn't take trips and neither did DD after high school or college, or DS after high school. Around here people go to the beach for a week after high school but they both had jobs to start for the summer before college in the fall.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I was working the summer after my senior year and getting ready for college. My parents did not have the money for abig graduation gift or trip which was fine by me. I did end up taking a week off to go on a houseboat on Lake Powell (8 hours drive to get there) with my boyfriend and his family. They had already paid for a slot for his younger brother (splittting cost per person of a big house boat with extended family) and then the brother ended up having to go to summer school and miss the trip. It was not a planned trip or anything that cost me or my family money and i helped a lot babysitting their toddler. I also had already lived a year in Spain (as an exchange student) before I graduated high school.

DH did not take a raduation trip either. He did spend 6 weeks backpacking across Europe the summer before he graduated college and had to join the "real world" He went with his sister--I was not sleeping in train stations

If money allowed I would not object to DD or DS taking such trips when they graduate. DD has already gone for up to 6 weeks to visit relatives in another state and both kids handle trains and planes on tehir own just fine. I think if htey are old enough to live on their own and attend university (or work full time or get married. ...) then they should be able to handle a trip. I would not encourage a trip with lots of teens that seemed focused on partying and drinking though.

My suggestions would be just make sure she is prepared to handle a trip. Is she comfortable in airports and mass transit situations? Does she have the life skills necessary to find help if needed abroad? That kind if thing. If she has never taken the bus alone and gone shopping downtown she is probably not ready to go to Australia. If she is pretty independent already, she probably is. I would suggest getting travel insurance for the trip (with good medical coverage).

 

[lspst8]

I graduated in 1997 --- a few friends and I went camping about an hour away from home. I did go to Italy on a school trip after my junior year of high school.

My family went to Disney World after I finished law school in 2004. I actually skipped the graduation ceremony to go.

 

[MichelleinMaine]

Went to the Bavarian Alps not long after graduation, but then again I graduated in Germany (and it was a family trip, lol.) No one I knew did any sort of non family trip. We did do a senior trip to Spain during Spring Break, but that was a $300 event. Definately not a big deal.

While I do want my children to "see the world" (they already have seen parts), I would not personally be crazy about spending the money to go to Australia "just because" when there was college to pay for. I'd not object to a less expensive trip.

I would encourage them to look at a study abroad program for junior year.

 

[Octoberbride03]

I went to Disney World after my HS and College graduation. Stayed off property for the HS trip. Had a blast. Most of my senior class went to OCNJ. I spent less money and had a better time than any of them. And made more than a few kids jealous. They hadn't thought of going, just did what everybody else did

 

[SC Minnie]

Back in the olden day (mid 80's ) around here everybody left for Myrtle Beach graduation night for a week. Everyone from our HS stayed at the same place. It was a long standing tradition. Not sure if they do it anymore.

My junior year I went to France for a week and that was an early graduation present- my parents said they would pay for that or for the senior cruise the school put together the next year. I chose France figuring I would have another opportunity to cruise.

DH and I are already planning DD's graduation trip. The year she graduates will be our 20th anniversary. We are thinking about a 2 week trip- 1 week at Disneyland then a 7 day cruise off the west coast.

 

[MrsPete]

When I graduated from high school I could've chosen to go to a movie OR dinner with friends -- money just wasn't there . . . a trip to the other side of the world just wasn't a possibility. Unless there's plenty of money set aside for college, I wouldn't consider this.

 

[Camicar]

I had never heard of such a thing until recently, so apparently my home area and everywhere I've lived are graduation-vacation-free.

I can tell you that even if it had been a custom, it wouldn't have happened for me. I was working for money for college, so I wouldn't have been able to afford a vacation OR to take time off. (My parents did go on vacation as always right after school let out, but I was told to stay home and work.)

OTOH, I have already offered dd a trip (with me) to NYC or LA for her graduation.

 

[Deb in IA]

We did a family vacation to Hawaii (Oahu) after our DD graduated this past spring.

 

[geffric]

DS just graduated from HS and went right to work..he needed the money to pay for college..

 

[Ekon]

I went to Disneyland for my senior trip, i never went to Australia or anywhere like that, that place is too dangerous for me. I watch too much discovery channel.