Graduation Trip Safety – Tips to Save Your Sanity
Your child is going on a graduation trip without you! AAAAHHH! Of course, you’re going to be nervous, but there are a few ways you can increase the safety factor and feel better about your child being out in the world without you.
A Graduation Trip Doesn’t Have to Make Your Hair Fall Out
You don’t want to be a nervous wreck while your child is off in the great big world on their graduation trip. You want to feel good about your child having a great time. You don’t want to be eaten alive with fear!
Cell Phone
If for some reason your child doesn’t have a cell phone, get them one. With a cell phone, your child is only a phone call away, no matter where their graduation trip takes them. It’s a great way to stay connected. It’s also a great way for you to feel safe because of that connection. If they don’t have their own line yet, then you might give them one of the family cell phones for the weekend or the few days they are away.
Remember, it’s wonderful to be connected, but don’t call your child every 10 minutes. Limit the calls to a few times a day to check in. That lets you know that your child is safe without making them feel suffocated.
Itinerary
This goes hand in hand with the cell phone. Know your child’s itinerary. That way you’ll always have at least a general idea about where they are and what they’re doing while they’re on their graduation trip. Knowing their itinerary also lets you limit the number of phone calls. A graduation trip is all about finding their independence, and you don’t want to ruin that for them.
Get Those Phone Numbers
Get the phone number of every adult going on the graduation trip. ALL of them. Get the numbers of the chaperones and the other adults going on the trip. If you personally know any of the other students going on your child’s graduation trip, get their numbers as well. With all of those numbers, you’re sure to be able to get in touch with your child or with someone who can get in touch with them in case of an emergency.
Be a Chaperone
This is the nuclear option if you just aren’t comfortable with your child going on a graduation trip without you. If it’s too much for you to bear, just be a chaperone. If there’s an opening, being a chaperone is a great way to keep an eye on your child. You might even have some fun yourself!