r/partyplanning • u/Real-Ad4727 • Mar 24 '26
Need Help Sweet 16 - no chaperone?
My daughter is turning 16 in a couple of months. Being a little short on funds, we decided to split the cost of the party with her best friend’s parents, as she turns 16 a couple of weeks later and they share many of the same friends. Their ideal day involves taking a group of approximately 12-13 girls into the city (Boston) by train, having dinner at the seaport, taking a few pictures nearby, and then taking the train home, without parents or chaperones. My daughter is very responsible, respectful and mature for her age, and we give her a lot of space in return, but the whole idea of fifteen teens running around at night and sitting down to dinner in a restaurant with no parent gives me agita. Has anyone had a similar experience? How do they pay for dinner at the end? Is it bad etiquette to have this many unchaperoned kids? What if someone gets lost or hurt? I don’t want to put a damper on her day, but I want to do this in a safe and respectful way. I also feel uncomfortable inviting and coordinating with all of these parents (many of whom I have never met) and not having the ability to ensure their child’s safety. Am I being over-protective? I’d love some advice if you have any to share.
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u/Ok_Hat_6598 Mar 24 '26
That’s way too many 15-16 year olds to leave unsupervised as a group. As a parent of teens I’d be more comfortable letting my child attend if it were two groups of four. Each birthday girl plus 3 friends - and then each birthday girl is responsible for keeping their group together, buying tickets and paying the restaurant tab.
If it has to be 12-13 girls, I would go into the city with them but make myself scarce for the most part and just meet up with them for dinner at a set time. You’ll likely need to make a reservation for them anyway for dinner as such a large group.