My son has a friend that lives in Kimberly WI. He is 20 years old and is taking two weeks vacation to go their to hang out and play video games with a gamer he knew from school. Both my wife and I are concerned that he will drive alone 1,021 miles on a route he has never taken. We have offered to pay for his plane ticket, but he is taking 3 suitcases full of game platforms and his gaming lap top, and would rather drive. We want to plan the trip with him and get hotels before he leaves and not let him decide he is tired and then look for a hotel. Is this a safe area where he is going? Looks like a town of about 2,600 residents. Crazy thoughts run through my mind of him get robbed, or killed on this trip.
Last year the two of us drove 1300 miles one way from FLA to NJ, he did all the driving.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: rtquig,

He is an adult. The sooner you treat him like one the sooner he will act like one.

Sorry, But I am a bit tired of parents of adult offspring acting/treating them like they are still kids.

Hopefully he has plans other than hanging out and playing vid games for the two weeks.

One of my Exs was from Neenah, which is in the same area. Pretty decent. Only real crime is up around Green Bay and not much there either.
2 weeks gaming? Order more Doritos!

Has/had a paper mill......blue collar industrial town

Very low crime rate. I suppose you could get into trouble but it would be hard. The biggest issue would be along the way. I was pretty street wise at that age having grown up in Chicago. If he is from an urban area he should have these skills.

I would not hang around rest stops on the interstate and be careful about where he stays at on the route.

He is 20.

In 1943, my 19 year-old father-in-law was driving a B-26 hundreds of miles across the Med to drop bombs on Nazis while they shot at him.

Your son can make it to Wisconsin.

I'd be more concerned with a 20 year old who wants to do nothing but gaming for 2 weeks. Not saying he's a bad kid but that wouldn't fly with me.

Old enough to be deployed. If you're worried, make sure his car is mechanically sound. And count your blessings. At 18 my youngest daughter spent 2 weeks on a mission trip in rural Guatemala, the next year a similar trip to trhe Dominican Republic.

At 17, I travelled alone across the length and breadth of India; by air, bus and rail.
At 18 I flew to Africa from India.
At 19 I flew from West Africa to New York City, alone, with just one suitcase to my name.

At 21, still sans parents, I went to College in Wisconsin. I had a blast, made lifelong friends and drank enough beer to float your average South American Navy.

At 17 my daughter went to Spain (school trip). At 18 she moved out of the house and got her own apartment, three jobs and started college, which she paid for by herself.
Since then she's travelled all over the USA and several other countries.
She went to London for a week just to see the last Harry Potter play.

Time to let go, bro.
He has to be out on his own soon. This would be a good experience for him. Apart from the bigger cities of Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin is great.

I'd be more afraid for him driving through New Jersey than anywhere in small town Wisconsin. He will find that people will go out of their way to help him out if he gets in trouble.

The only advice that I can give him is not to speed on Wisconsin's highways. Some jurisdictions will insist on payment on the spot for a speeding ticket and can hold you in jail till it is paid for.

quote:

Originally posted by lastmanstanding:
I'd be more concerned with a 20 year old who wants to do nothing but gaming for 2 weeks. Not saying he's a bad kid but that wouldn't fly with me.

Nothing wrong with gaming with a friend.

When I was his age, we did things like drinking, riding around in cars and chasing women. All of which were probably worse than playing video games.

quote:

Time to let go, bro.
He has to be out on his own soon. This would be a good experience for him.

I concur. Tell him to have fun, make good decisions, and let him take care of the rest.

At 20 yrs old I was living on my own and my parents had no idea what I was doing. I moved out @ 18.

I don't know but he's 20 and should be able to handle himself...

Helicopter parents are the new thing ?

quote:

Originally posted by PR64:
Helicopter parents are the new thing ?

No. (Thread drift) They are so 10 years ago. Lawnmower parents are where it's at

(not referring to the OP)

That is a suburb of Appleton. He is fine. No worse than any other American town. If you can find some Green and Yellow hoodie, he will fit right in. Be warned though, the speeding tickets up here are not cheap. The state is $220 or so? The local ones are $120 or so.

On a serious note, I'd be happy to give you my name and number in the event he gets into any sort of issue in Wisconsin, I am a few hours away but I know a few people in the area. Send me an email.

It's the toilet paper capital of the world. He should be pretty safe up there.

At 20 years old I was living in Hollywood FLA, but he is behind for his age. He grew up with developmental problems but has been finally getting more mature. His social skills are rough at best. He is too naïve and too trusting. It is time he cuts loose, he worked all summer starting work at 0400 and working to 1300 hours without missing a day, so he is due his vacation.

quote:

At 20 years old I was living in Hollywood FLA, but he is behind for his age. He grew up with developmental problems but has been finally getting more mature. His social skills are rough at best. He is too naïve and too trusting. It is time he cuts loose, he worked all summer starting work at 0400 and working to 1300 hours without missing a day, so he is due his vacation.

Given the additional information I would structure the drive portion of the trip. Wisconsin is a pretty safe place where people talk to strangers and help them out.

quote:

Originally posted by lastmanstanding:
I'd be more concerned with a 20 year old who wants to do nothing but gaming for 2 weeks. Not saying he's a bad kid but that wouldn't fly with me.

He works hard, doesn't drink or smoke. I am not into video games but for him it is a social outlet which he really needs.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:

quote:

At 20 years old I was living in Hollywood FLA, but he is behind for his age. He grew up with developmental problems but has been finally getting more mature. His social skills are rough at best. He is too naïve and too trusting. It is time he cuts loose, he worked all summer starting work at 0400 and working to 1300 hours without missing a day, so he is due his vacation.

Given the additional information I would structure the drive portion of the trip. Wisconsin is a pretty safe place where people talk to strangers and help them out.

I had a talk with him after work today and he still wants to drive but thought it was a good idea to go over the route and pick a hotel now and not while he is on the road. I'm leery of him stopping in Pittsburg and Chicago.

It's a good spot. In Southeast WI in lake Geneva is where D&D started if he likes those kind of games too. I grew up near there. If he's going to be near Appleton then a day trip up to Door County to see Green Bay and/or Lake Michigan is worth the trip, weather permitting. At his age I would feel fine with it. That's a day, day and a half trip for me. I've done WI to CO in a day a few times. Get a good nights rest, good tunes, lots of water/beverages and snacks. Maybe a tow cable/jumpers and a basic emergency pack.

His car is in good shape, I will go over it before he leaves. He has an emergency kit (cables, compressor, etc) I want him to pack his 3 piece military sleeping bag and some snacks in case of bad weather.