My husband has just returned from a 2 week holiday in Bali. With him was our son 17 and 3 of this mates, ranging from 17 - 18 they were there to celebrate schoolies. The only reason they were allowed to go was because there was going to be adult supervision. Before they left we had sit down talks with the other boys parents and my husband told the parents what his rules would be - no scooters, no tattoos, no going out all night getting absolutely trashed. If the boys or the parents didn't agree then they wouldn't be going. He didn't want to be the fun police but they were not going to run amok either.
As this was the other boys first time overseas without their parents, my husband stayed in the same hotel, was around to supervise and made sure that they were respectful at all times and the boys had the best time ever. Over the course of the two weeks there was not one drama at all, they all had the best time, the boys went and did their own thing but always seemed to find my husband at least a couple of times a day to sit and have a chat, a drink and most nights share dinner. They didn't feel like he was there to scrutinise every moment but was there if they needed him. They had their first taste of travelling overseas as young men, being responsible for their money, not spending too much, not drinking too much and having a really good time without the need to be rude, obnoxious and feral. Don't get me wrong they are no angels but I am proud of the reports that I got back from people we know that were up in Bali at the same time and said that they were a good group of young men.
We hear so much about the schoolies time of year and I was panic stricken thinking that our boys wanted to go. The only reason they were allowed to go was because there was going to be adult supervision and I think that is the problem with some of the other kids that go on their own, they have no one there to keep them under some sort of control. All of the parents of the boys including us were on the same page in regards to what they were allowed to do and I think in some way the boys were pleased to have some sort of boundaries. I think it is important for kids to be able to experience these things but also have someone there if they need it. My husband only needed to put his angry face on once to pull one of the boys back in line (he laughed once he put him to bed with a bucket next to his bed).
I guess what I am saying is that if some more parents maybe accompanied these kids on schoolies it wouldn't get so out of control with some of them. I know my son and his father gained a new found respect for eachother seeing one another in a new light and sharing the experience with his close friends that he will always remember not just a blurry recollection.