My daughter has an opportunity to travel to China in April with her school. They going for a week. I cannot decide if this is an offer of a lifetime or else. Money is high as well (1500 GBP inclusive). Here is itinerary:

1. Few days in and around Beijing, visiting the Summer Palace, Tian'anmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Great Wall.
2. Train journey to Xian to see Terracotta Army
3. Spend sometime in a Chinese school

Please comment

Hello Matro - I've been looking on your blog. What a handsome family you are! Your daughter looks very sweet - how could you even think of denying her a chance to go to China with her mates? It'll be the offer of HER lifetime - that's all that matters.

It's a no-brainer - as you well know.

Thanks for your support, dogster! Thanks for reading our blog as well!

It just I'm not sure she will appreciate this trip. She is 14 - old enough to, but still a 6 years old in heart.
In additions, our family wanted to go to Israel during this time and she wants to go too...
Decisions, decisions...

Well why not use this opportunity to teach her some stuff.

Let HER make the decision: family trip to Israel or school trip to China. She'll be safe as houses either way.

That was she learns to choose AND live with the results of her choice. If she's ready to head off to China - she'll let you know. If she's not at that point, she'll know.

What does she want? Everything I suppose - lol - that's the nature of the 14 year old beast.

I'll give her a chance this evening.

But I just found out the dates AND we can fit both trips! Is it too much? I hate to think that we'll be back in America next year (hopeful!) and we will not have this opportunity to explore.

If only Wall street agreed with our decision!

Nothing is too much for a fourteen year old girl. She's capable of taking in everything you throw at her. If she isn't you would know that by now.

Sounds as if you BOTH need a trial run at her independence. Which would be pretty normal at this point. Do both trips. Start the process slowly.

Soon she'll be desperate to vacation separately - may as well enjoy her while you can.

She is quite independent now, making her own plans every weekend, including bigger : summer in Sardinia, holidays in Spain with a friend.

She does not understand this, but she is a very lucky girl. I'm jealous since she just came back from Iceland where we are (me and DH) yet to go!

If she would come and said: I WANT TO GO PLEASE, there would be easier.

Do you think they have enough days? 9 days including flights?

Oh well, if you want her to say THAT - then just tell her she CAN'T go. lol.

Yes, she is a very lucky girl. You obviously adore her. Why stop? She'll have those scales firmly attached to her fourteen year old eyes for some time yet. Ain't nuttin' you can do to pull 'em off. They have to fall naturally. Time.

Nine days. For a fouteeen year old that's enough to consume an entire ancient civilization and still have time for her pals. All these girls will actually do is go have a great time staying up late and giggling. Which is pretty normal.

Their poor teachers and guides will have to force feed some China into 'em. All she needs is different flavors right now, I reckon. Gourmet she ain't.

O.K. Time for some Chinese Take Away. 9 days'll be perfect. She'll go back later for the real deal.

Yes she should go. And I must be the only person that wouldn't focus on the Terracotta warriors in Xi'an. They were okay. But I thought the rest of the city was pretty neat.

Thanks guys!
You are right about staying late ect. That is what is keeps telling us after all her trips!

Food is actually the MOST that she is interested in!
I have to decide today! And give the deposit tomorrow! Oj!

Well...
The decision has been made: she is going! She actually told me she REALLY wanted to go.
10 days all together with the flights.

Bravo Matro!
Bravo family!
Lucky lucky daughter.
I'm glad we could hold your hand through these difficult, difficult hours.

lol.

Thank you for your support!
Best part -- everything is taking care of - visa, hotels, tours, transfers, flights! All we have to do is write a check (!!!) and show up at the school at the appointed hour.

When my daughter was growing up, her dad and I took her to multiple European and US destinations. While in college, she spent a semester in Paris, and since she's been in her 20s I've taken her to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Peru on mother/daughter trips. We're going to Egypt in February. When she was 14, she never said she was lucky. NOW at 27, she has told me many times how lucky she is that she's gotten to see so much of the world. Just wait awhile. I suspect your daughter will realize it, too... maybe not quite yet!
(I'm glad she gets to go!)
Karen

Thanks Karen!
She loves to brag to her American friends about our trips (something like : sorry I was not able to answer you sooner - I was in Paris this weekend).
She told me that she could never marry a person who do not like to travel. We'll see!

Since she is fluent in Spanish she would like to spend a semester in Spain when in High School or college. For now - 2 weeks exchange program near Paris to improve her French.

Wow! I'm jealous of my own DD!

She is back!
Thank you for all your responses!
She is so grateful and happy and delighted that we let her go. The only one minor thing -- we did not give her enough money! She was told that her bargaining skills are the best in her group: she bought a pair of shoes for a 1/3 of the price her friend bought!
Now, she want to go to Japan and other part of Asia! Big ambitions!