By MIA FREEDMAN
It’s hard to talk about the death of a 17 year old at Schoolies this week without using cliches such as “every parent’s worst nightmare” because it truly is.
I never went to schoolies, myself. Instead, I celebrated the end of my year 12 exams by going to Hamilton Island with my mother where we huddled around the TV watching the Berlin Wall come down on CNN. Rock and roll. But I had no desire to go anywhere and drink myself stupid. I just didn’t see the point.
Once you reach a certain age and begin identifying more with the worried parents than the wasted kids, you tend to tune out the annual schoolies media coverage – until this year.
With the shocking news about tragedy on the Gold Coast and the near-miss when 18 year old Cameron Cox was photographed sleeping on a balcony ledge 11 floors above the ground – it’s been impossible to ignore.
I’m still a few years off having to deal with my firstborn going to schoolies but I’m going to remember the advice adolescent expert Dr Michael Carr-Gregg has been giving to year 12 parents: bribe your kids not to go. Cash, a car loan, whatever it takes. As has been devastatingly proven this week, the combination of drunk kids and highrise buildings can be lethal.
The full circumstances around this young woman’s death aren’t yet known. But the fact is that someone’s beautiful daughter is dead after going to schoolies. Our thoughts and sympathies are with her family and friends after this senseless tragedy, that can never be undone.
And if there is a sense of anger and frustration amongst parents around what goes on at schoolies? It’s born of deep terror that, just like us at the same age, many teenagers have a frightening inability to foresee, judge and manage the consequences of their actions.
Top Comments
You can't tell your kid what to do. If they want to go on Schoolies, let them, but make sure you warn them about all the dangers first. Schoolies is the best and you have the time of your life, just build them up to be responsible enough to let them go. Put it this way - they are either a) responsible, they will listen to you and not go to crazy b) irresponsible, and are gonna go to Schoolies whatever you tell them. Just give them some faith.
Good on You Mia.I also didn't do the whole School Leavers thing instead going straight into work the minute I left School way back in late 1996.That Coupled with assorted Church Events meant there was no time to waste earning adult wages from the start meant I could get a better holiday than these school leavers which I did just over a year later with a Singapore Trip.Speaking of which We have a family friend whose eldest son Graduated last year and the Grandma gave them all a Big Trip to Europe with a few days in China on the way home for the youngest one getting a scholarship for high school this year and for the older one getting into Medicine for University which he did.It's a small price to pay to save both your kids lives and have something they can remember for years to come.If the kids are family orientated non drinkers and non smokers already working encourage them to keep that lifestyle up and when they can Do their own holidays.