Amen, CAPH52.

Not quite sure why this split into two threads as it's still possible to post on this one.

why did someone else start a Part 2 of this thread?

intrepid1 -

"Gee, what about all those priests, guidance counselors. teachers, etc., who don"t have kids...?"

Gee, intrepid1, do you suppose there's a difference between asking a doctor or people on this forum for medical advice?

"Like saying you have to have cancer to know it is bad..."

No, it isn't. And yours is not a terribly profound statement. The point I was trying so rudely to make that you missed is "sure, send your kids to Europe" is a comment that is easy to make if you have no skin in the game. Read the posts: how many people said, "sure send yours but I wouldn't send mine."

Katteaux, I'm guessing you'll pursue a career in law . . . as in "never ask a question without knowing something about the types of answers you're likely to get." So, you do a little sneaky research so that you'll be well armed when you ask your parents if you can go . . .

Be careful.

Snoopy, I am still curious why you think it is OK to send your sons but not your daughters. Tad old fashioned thinking?

Katteaux,

If you are one of the potential backpackers and I were your mom, I wouldn't care to know what a bunch of strangers think you should be allowed to do. Frankly, we don't know you or your situation, and we won't live with the consequences of your trip, whether they are wonderful or tragic.

Likewise, Katteaux, if you are the mom, I think all the responses, however interesting in revealing how different parents (and children) think around the world, have very little value in your decision. I have an 18 year old daughter, and my husband and I jointly consider financial and safety issues when it comes to our daughter; as she gets older, there are certain decisions that are hers to make and hers to live with. For us, the downside risk of a tragic consequence if we are too laissez faire greatly outweighs the potential positives in some cases. No one else could help us in that. One thing I note is how different her decisions are when she has to work for/pay for something she desires...There are many ways to grow in wisdom, travel being only one of them. That being said, the fact that young people may have a "blast" traveling on their parents' eruo and live to tell the tale might not be the most important growth experience. At the same time, there are opportunities in that area that we can give her that we never had and some of those we will offer when the time is right. For example, a semester abroad in college might be an option --a chance to master a language, really get to know another culture and pursue her education.

Good luck, Katteaux!

Son A -- 6'3" 240 pounds -- has a 2nd degree black belt in Kenpo, Son B -- 6'2" 230 pounds -- has a 1st degree black belt in Kenpo . . . yes, I know, that doesn't guarantee their safety. And my remarks were about MY kids.

But you MUST be joking. Of course I'd be more concerned about my daughters than my sons. That's not "old fashioned", that's practical. I'm not worried about the thoughts, and ideas, and impressions they'd be exposed to. I'm worried about things that happen to women at a far greater rate than happen to men. And I believe it's foolish to think that they are equally safe in the US or Europe when travelling by themselves.

Well put victoria_reynolds.

In the late 60's I went to England with a US soccer team and two of the older boys sneaked out of the hotel when we were in London . . . my 14 year old buddy and I followed them. He fell from the balcony and broke his arm. His parents were livid that he wasn't more carefully chaperoned. They were dopes. He was always getting in trouble at home. What did they expect would happen?

I spent my the first semester of my junior year in college at the Sorbonne. I was 19 and I went berserk and almost flunked out of school. How did that add to my growth? I learned how much I could drink before throwing up. But I was an immature fool (yes, ha ha, some things never change) and I think my parents knew that. But I paid my way and my parents would never have given me the money to waste like that. My room mate at the Sorbonne (actually at Mme Knecht's home near the school), on the other hand, had tons of money that his parents gave him, they paid his way and he studied hard, became fluent in French, traveled on the weekends . . . go figure.

Well, finally found the original thread.

I still say this question is unanswerable, since it is actually multiple questions. But thanks to Katteaux, I was motivated to look up the following:

FWIW, the age of majority is commonly, but not universally, 18 years in the US and Canada.

In 4 Canadian provinces (BC, NS, NB, Nfld) ; also Yukon, Nunavut, and the NWT, the age of majority is 19, not 18.

In Nebraska, it's 19; in California, Nevada, Wisconsin, and Kentucky, 19 if the person has not yet graduated (high) school, otherwise 18; in Mississippi, Puerto Rico, it's 21 (unless the person is married and self-supporting); also in Oregon it's 21 if the person is still in school half time or more; in DC it's 21.

Without getting into what is a suitable age for majority, there can be practical issues with respect to travel and the age of majority. One cannot enter into binding contracts until one is legally of age (a factor to be considered when booking hotels and air tix in places where the AofM might be greater than one thought); also, as someone else has pointed out, one must be able to make decisions regarding one's health or at least have a person with power of attorney who can.

There are also legal issues with respect to the parents involved. If Katteaux lives in Mississippi, for example, her parents are legally responsible for her (no matter where her travel destination ) until she is 21. (It wasn't all that long ago that 21 was commonly the age of majority in the remaining states, provinces, and for that matter in Europe.)

So, depending where, exactly, Katteaux comes from, it really could be a matter of 'allow' given the possible legal liabilities involved.