Going on vacation without our 17 y.o. daughter - GA

[dad in GA]

What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state? GEORGIA

The holidays are coming and I would like to visit my in-laws at Thanksgiving and my parents at Christmas, both would be out-of-state trips.

My troublesome 17 year old daughter decided today that she's not willing to go on either vacation.

I know I can't physically force her into the car because that would be simple assault. But, she insists that we give her a key to the house while we're gone. If I refuse to give her a key and she breaks in to the house while we're on vacation, is that punishable by law? Could I be charged with something for not letting her into the house?

FWIW - We have no other family in town that she could stay with.

How would you handle this situation?

 

[BelizeBreeze]

This is not a legal situation therefore, why would you think posting it on a legal site would get you an answer?

Put her young ass in the seat and if she thinks about taking off call the police. They have a room for her.

 

[dad in GA]

This is not a legal situation therefore, why would you think posting it on a legal site would get you an answer?

My question was based on whether it would be legal for us to leave the state without her and not give her access to the house. And, could she legally break in if we left her without a key.

Put her young ass in the seat and if she thinks about taking off call the police. They have a room for her.

Call the police and tell them what, my daughter refuses to go on vacation? What would they do?

 

[CdwJava]

Chances are the police would not do anything for her breaking in to her own house. Additionally, you could face charges for failing to provide shelter or care for her should you lock her out of the house.

Unfortunately, until she's 18, your options are: take her with you, or let her stay at home or with a friend.

- carl

 

[stealth2]

Just where do you expect her to stay?

 

[dad in GA]

Just where do you expect her to stay?

A friend's house? A hotel? If she refuses to go, it will be her responsibility to find a suitable place to stay.

 

[BelizeBreeze]

A friend's house? A hotel? If she refuses to go, it will be her responsibility to find a suitable place to stay.

And what will your answer be when she gets into trouble and gets picked up by the police and then they come knocking on your door?

You are trying to find an excuse NOT to be a parent. You won't find that here. She is your legal responsibility until the age of 18. Therefore, if she doesn't want to go, you can plant her ass in the car and MAKE her go. Otherwise, it's your ass if she gets into trouble while you're busy abdicating your legal responsibility as a parent.

 

[dad in GA]

And what will your answer be when she gets into trouble and gets picked up by the police and then they come knocking on your door?

In GA, there's a weird major/minor thing going. If she get's picked up for say, felony theft, she's tried as an adult.

You are trying to find an excuse NOT to be a parent.

No, really, I'm not. What I want is a decent vacation with ALL my kids there and behaving. What I may try to do is find a friend here that she can stay with that we can both agree on.

Therefore, if she doesn't want to go, you can plant her ass in the car and MAKE her go. Otherwise, it's your ass if she gets into trouble while you're busy abdicating your legal responsibility as a parent.

No, I can't MAKE her go. If she refuses to get in the car and I force physically force her into the car, I've broken the law, not her. Please tell me how I can "plant her ass in the car" without breaking the law.

 

[CdwJava]

While we may emapthize with your situation, the unfortunate reality is that you are legally obligated to provide for her care until that next birthday. If she will not go with you, and you feel there is no way to coerce her to do so, you will have to make some tough decisions.

Have you tried bribery? Remove priveleges (like going out after school or on weekends), take all of her stuff out of her room (extra clothes, gadgets, goodies, etc.), and generally provide only that which the law allows and then offer to rteturn some of these things for good behavior - such as behaving on the family trip. If she refuses, she can sleep on a mattress on the bare floor of her bare room and stay inside all day until she does decide to be part of the family.

Just a thought.

Lacking some creative thought, you may have to leave her alone or under loose supervision ... or not go at all.

Good luck.

- Carl

 

[stealth2]

A friend's house? A hotel? If she refuses to go, it will be her responsibility to find a suitable place to stay.

Words fail me. YOU are the parent. It is YOUR responsibility to make certain she has a safe place to stay.

 

[dad in GA]

Words fail me. YOU are the parent. It is YOUR responsibility to make certain she has a safe place to stay.

She would be provided with a safe place to stay if she chose to go on vacation with the rest of the family.

 

[stealth2]

Yes, but you do not get to shrug your shoulders and tell her that she's on her own (and lock her out of the house) should she choose not to and you choose to go anyway, leaving her home. You're the adult - time for you to act like one.

 

[AHA]

"No, I can't MAKE her go"

I'm confused, who's the parent and who's the kid here??
That's something that shoould have been established during the last 17 years to avoid this. Does she get away with most other things to, and is in charge? If so, why should she change now all of a sudden. Seems she's been used to given waaaaay to much control over her life before she's old enough to be entitled to it.