taking a teen with disabilities help for my friend

[texasnana]

My friend after hearing about our recent cruise wants to take her 16yr teen daughter. Her daughter is MR but to look at her she looks and seems normal for a 16yr . But mentally she is 12 yr old.MY friend is not if the teen program would be good for her or just sticking with mom. My friend wants to know how safe it would be for her child on the boat. i felt safe on my ship but i am grown up.

 

any help or ideas i could pass on to my friend??

[Lakeman953]

I think she will be fine on the Ship. If you intened to let her go to Cam Carnival I would talk to them and let them know her disabilities. But 16 acting like 12 isn't that big of a problem. I have seen 30 year olds who act like there 15:eek:

[kathy7558]

Your friend knows her daughter probably better than anyone else might - is the teen usually mature for her age? does she usually make good decisions? Just because she is MR doesn't mean she can't make good choices or have fun with other teens. The ship makes sure there is no alcohol at the teen parties. They also have chaperones watching.

 

My sister enjoyed going to some of the teen parties with her daughter and then leaving early so her daughter would get some time away from mom.

 

You say her daughter is about 12 mentally - that's probably old enough to do some things on her own. With any child, I'd want to know where she is and when I can expect to meet up with her again. Lots of parents use walkie-talkies on board to keep in touch, too.

 

It seems to me she could plan for her daughter to try out some of the teen things on her own - maybe with mom watching from not too far away at first - and see how she does. Hope they have a great cruise!:D