Worried about your teenager’s upcoming trip? Here’s how to remain calm and avoid catastrophising while they’re off exploring the world
The first night of my daughter’s Interrailing adventure, I slept fitfully. That morning, I’d waved her off cheerfully, with just a tiny twinge of anxiety, as she left for St Pancras for the traditional post-A-levels, month-long backpack around Europe.
That night, in bed, the anxiety had become a roar as I reflected on the fact that, just a few days before, my husband and I were still waiting up for her when she came home from a night out. We’d not yet passed that parental milestone of going to bed without knowing she was home. And now, suddenly, she was in Amsterdam, ranging free, with two friends, getting up to, well, best not to think about it.
At 1am, unable to sleep, I opened my phone and saw that Louisa was still out and about. My mind switched to catastrophe mode and all the awful tales I’ve ever heard about young girls travelling alone. A funny thing: as soon as you tell people your teen is going travelling, human nature seems to compel them to share multiple horror stories about accidents, drink spiking and assault.
Dr Tara Porter is a clinical psychologist and author of You Don’t Understand Me: the Young Woman’s Guide to Life. She points out what a generational shift there has been when it comes to parenting in general.