Harriette Cole: I think a month in another country is too much for my teen

DEAR HARRIETTE: Our daughter wants to go away for a study-abroad program this summer.

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She is in high school, and her only real experience being away from home is the occasional sleepover and sometimes spending a week with her grandparents.

Yes, my husband and I are very protective of her. Plus, she hasn’t expressed interest in summer camp or other sleepaway activities, so they haven’t happened. Some of her other friends have done these things. She hasn’t talked about it one way or the other. I figured she wasn’t interested in traveling.

I just can’t imagine her exploring a whole new country and being away for over a month!

She’s 16 and really bright, and I recognize why she’s interested. I’m just worried about whether it will be too much for her.

College is just two years away, and I want to wait until then, but I also don’t want to rob her of special experiences either. Any suggestions?

— Too Soon To Travel

DEAR TOO SOON TO TRAVEL: Before you say no, do some research.

Typically, high school study-abroad programs are very well organized. The school works with a program that sets up all of the logistics, and it is normal for one or more of the instructors from the school to travel with the students. Much to the students’ chagrin, their activities are closely monitored from day to night.

While your child could easily get lonely over this extended period of time, the trip itself will surely be exciting and should provide the necessary distraction to keep the loneliness from becoming debilitating.

Talk to your school administrator and parents of students who have participated in the program in the past. Assess as many variables as you can before making a decision.

Most important: Talk to your daughter. Find out why she wants to go, what interests her in the program and what she hopes to gain from the trip. Listen to her to discover her motivation.

Assess all of that data, and then decide. I recommend it.

DEAR HARRIETTE: Regarding the child who hurt his ankle at school: You probably don’t spend time in a classroom and may not be familiar with rules for handling pain and injury.

If a child claims to have pain, it is supposed to be dealt with, both for the child’s immediate welfare and to avoid legal complications in the future. School nurses often have a set of rules for the teacher’s reference to use when deciding whether to send the child to the nurse or handle it in the classroom.

Classrooms frequently have adhesive bandages for small cuts and sometimes have ice packs. Ice packs are also available from the nurse.

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I believe the principal should be told about this incident; the teacher may need a refresher in handling injuries. The medical records will back up what the parent is saying.

— In the Know

DEAR IN THE KNOW: Thank you for this clarification. Hopefully any parents of school-age children who are reading this will take heed.

It is wise to learn the protocols at your school for injury and accidents in general. In this way, you will be informed in case of emergency.

Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to [email protected] or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.