Permission

Probably, unless I distrusted my kid or her friend or her friends dad.

ETA: I've been to Vegas a couple of times and in my opinion the strip is an ideal place to entertain teenaged girls. Great shopping malls and super fun stores, sharks, lions, dolphins, amusement rides, performances...

I have been to Vegas many times. There are some age appropriate activities there but for the most part I look at Vegas as an adult destination.

It would depend on the family and how well I knew her and her father. There is a lot of trouble 2 16 years can get into especially if the parent isn't paying attention.

So my answer is it would depend on the dad, his daughter and my daughter. What the arrangements were, who was paying for what and for how long.

ETA 2: THANK YOU, K-Bell!

Depends on a LOT of missing information.

How well do you know this dad (family)? Has your daughter gone on trips with this family before? Do you trust this man to make your daughter's safety and best interests priority?

Another huge question: WHAT are they doing there? Contrary to popular belief and misinformed opinions, there really is a great deal you can do here that doesn't involve gambling and casinos.

Will they be staying with other family members or friends? If so, do you know anything about them? If they are staying in a hotel, do the girls have their own room (I would certainly hope so!)?

I've lived in the Vegas area for years. Yes, real people with real, regular lives and typical families live here and raise our children here. The glitz of the strip and all of the good and bad that can be associated with it is but a small fraction of what is here. Who knows, maybe he has family or friends out here and is coming to visit and allowed his daughter to bring a friend on the trip.
So, maybe they'll be just visiting with family and friends and doing some shopping, swimming and enjoying our beautiful spring weather, going to a few fabulous restaurants? ASK!!!!

That said, and now that I see your SWH, I do think it is a bit weird to fly from FL to Vegas for just a weekend. Usually when people come in from that distance for just the weekend, they have something very specific they're coming to see/do: concert, sporting, event, boxing match, wedding, bachelor/bachelorette parties, etc. I don't see someone flying all the way from FL for a weekend to hike in our beautiful mountains, take a cruise on the lake, visit Hoover Dam or our museums.

[ETA: Of course there are exceptions to what I said just above. We have family in Chicago. One particular cousin (whose spouse works for a major airline) often flies in for the weekend with their teenage son. Just recently during the NCAA finals, they flew in for that weekend plus Monday. Although they were staying at a hotel, they came to our house, had dinner and watched the championship game and then took a red-eye home. They do this several times a year. If asked if son's friend could come to our home, I'd be more than happy to have that friend as a guest here! So, again, could be something like that.]

Is he planning to come for the weekend of the big fight? I don't even know when it is exactly, but it's in a couple of weeks because it's all over the sporting news. If he does come and plans to attend the fight, what will he do with the girls? Tickets in the worst parts of the arena are going for $1000 plus, last I heard.

Bottom line is: it's hard to pose such question without all of this really critical information. The answers to those questions are what would help me make my decision.

J. F.
normal gal, mom, wife, etc., living a pretty nice life here in the desert. : )

Depends on the friend and the dad. Really good friend who you know well and a dad who is attentive? Sure. Friend you aren't really familiar with? Nope.

I find the idea that Vegas is an entirely inappropriate place for teens or even kids to be laughable. Some of these responses make it sound like it's the gate to hell. I know lots of people (including my own family) who have vacationed in Vegas with kids/teens.

We enjoyed the great food, amazing shows, crazy people watching, awesome pools, amusements and rides, natural beauty close by, cool accommodations and just walking around, so many interesting things to see, many entirely free.

Our usual vacations are about nature, culture & relaxing so it's not like we're running off to Vegas all the time. It's just not some evil, degenerate place as some seem to think. I've seen more T&A in the Victoria's Secret window and more drugged out loonies on the streets of SF.

Your question lacks quite a bit of important information but my answer is yes, with the right family I'd let my 16 year old go.

You haven't given us much info to go on.

WHO is the friend, WHY are they going, how WELL do you know the friend and especially her dad, WHO is paying.... the questions are endless.

That said, there are plenty of events that a 16 yr old would enjoy in the Vegas area. Of course they cannot be in the casinos so if the dad is planning to be in the casino, then I would not let 2 16yr olds roam around Vegas.

IF they are going to events that would be appropriate for a 16yr old such as Hoover Dam, Desert events, sightseeing, shopping, some shows, etc then I would consider it ALL depending on how well I know this family.

I would not want my daughter sleeping in the same room with someone else's father either.

You are from FL per your MMP account so I assume they would be flying as well. Do you pay for the airfare, hotel, etc?

You left this question wide open.

Before you make any decision, you must gather as much information as you can so that you can make an informed decision.

Yes I would (and have) let my kids travel with other people, people I know and trust obviously.
Your realize at 16 they aren't old enough to go into any casinos or bars right? They will be hanging out in the hotel room, pool, shopping center, etc. Just like any other city.
The dad probably wants his daughter to have a friend to keep her company while he does his thing.
Do you have a reason not to trust your daughter or her friend and dad? I don't get why you're so suspicious.

Much more info needed. How well do you know family? Dad going on business? Sleeping arrangements? Who is paying? Does he have things planned for the girls? If this is for his pleasure, what will girls do?

depends on the 16 year old. and the reason for going. and the time frame. and the lodging arrangements. and the friend. and the dad.
khairete
S.
ETA giggling a little at the 'den of iniquity' assumptions. we took our 15 year old there as the starting point to a driving vacation out west and we stayed on the strip and had a blast. if all you can find to do in vegas is drink and gamble and look at titties, you're not paying attention. :)

Depends. If I knew the parents very well and knew the dad was pretty responsible then yes. Other parents probably not.

Depending on who the friend was yes. My daughter is now 17 and has had a lot of wonderful travel experiences that haven't always included me.

As long as I knew the dad, sure. Two teens and an adult sounds fine to me.

E.

Welcome to mamapedia!

There is not enough information to answer this question.

1. WHY are they going to Las Vegas.
2. WHO is paying for it?
3. HOW long are they going for?
4. WHAT is the sleeping arrangements?
5. Is the "friend" a male or female?

Can't really answer until I know the answers to the above questions.

It depends. There are plenty of healthy and wholesome activities for teens. They're not going to be in casinos sucking down the free drinks for the high rollers, right?

So, if the dad is responsible and not going to be setting the teens loose while he's playing roulette, and if they're going to enjoy the sun and pool and a show like Donny & Marie (or Celine Dion or whatever), and if they're in a hotel with a suite or a separate but connecting room to the father (so he's next door and not on another floor), I don't see the harm. That's assuming you know the father's supervisory philosophy and that you've talked to him about not letting the girls be on their own getting picked up by men up to no good.

But if your Mom radar tells you none of this is the case, then the answer has to be "no".

I would never willingly assist anyone to go to Las Vegas who wasn't a fully-formed adult.

What's with all the exclamation points? You're the mom. Make your own decision,,,, personally, you couldn't pay me enough to go there, but that's just me.

No. I would not.

Yes if I knew and trusted the dad.

No. If the mother were going, I would consider it. But where would they stay? Two 16 year old girls in a hotel room by themselves? The father in another room? They wouldn't all 3 stay in the same room. If the mother went, she could stay in a room with the 2 girls.

Anyway, I would guess that the father wants someone to stay with his daughter while he does his business, but it would be better if he didn't take his daughter.

Never. What kind of a parent take his daughter and her friend to Vegas for a weekend? This is about the dad wanting to go to Vegas and having someone keep his duaghter company while he gambles - since 16 yr olds aren't allowed in the casinos. A dad who is interested in his daughter's best interests would take her daughter and friend to an amusement park, a national park, a big city, etc. And besides, what would the sleeping arrangement be? It's either your teenage girl sharing a room with her friend and her friend's dad - or they are in their own room - or if they're lucky a suite with their own room. Regardless it's just strange. No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

Vegas isn't really a place I'd think of when I wanted to take a couple of 16 year old girls, as a dad.

Can I please suggest you ask him for an itinerary of what he's planning on doing the whole time?

Each venue, each place they intend to go to. That way you can see what they have planned.

I would not accept it if they put "we're going to the water park" every single day or anything like that. I'd want to see an adventure, fun, exciting things to do.

If they have it well thought out and it's a sound plan then sure, let her go. If it's a sorry plan and isn't something you'd want her to experience then say no.

Idk...my first instinct is no...no real concrete reason just my first thought. My boyfriend's daughter is 16...I can't EVER foresee him allowing his dtr to do this or even take his own dtr with her friend. I'm not judging the dad yknow, whatdo I care...but I think it's weird. I think most would. My boyfriend has his daughters full time and I can guarantee this wouldn't fly with him and he wouldn't do it...

I would have to say no to this one. There is too much info missing and the reservations or staying in hotels and how and with whom are missing?

Yes, there is a real Las Vegas outside of the strip but I don't think that is where they will be. I would not want my 16 year old daughter "walking the strip" without me there to keep the screwballs away. I lived there and know what it is like.

If she wants to go when she is 21 fine, I would go just for the fun of watching how she responds to the place but not before that. I know Circus Circus used to have an upstairs area that was kid friendly with face painting and such but it may have changed.

How well do you know the dad? I just don't see it happening in a good light.

the other S.