In Reply to: should be 18 posted by roxybon on Tuesday, 6. September 2011 at 12:05 Bali Time:
16/17 year olds will be served alcohol if they ask, everywhere from their hotel, restaurants, circle Ks, beach eskies to night clubs. Therefore the legal age to buy or drink alcohol, which I think may well be 18, is quite beside the point. This is why her mum and I are accompanying my schoolie granddaughter.
Would a hotel in Kuta full of schoolies be my choice? No. Would this be my choice for my daughter in laws first trip out of Aus? No way. That however is the situation as it is so we will deal with it and make the best of it. Was she Happy about it? No but is OK now. Parenting is not a popularity contest.
If anyone reading this is thinking of letting their kids go to Bali unaccompanied for schoolies please give it some serious thought. It is not about how responsible your particular schoolie is. It's about the big picture. What happens if they get sick? Make a bad decision about alcohol. Get attacked in the night club area. Bashed and robbed. The list goes on and on and of course the odds are in favour of them surviving in one piece but what happens if?????????????