GLA Parent Guide: Tips on Spending Time Away from your Teen

Your student’s flights are booked, passport renewed, and bags are packed! Now for the actual hard part.

Logically, you know that your teen is in professional hands (GLA’s 5-Point Safety System, program design and expert staff are second to none), but let’s face it—your baby bird is about to fly the nest and you’re no longer in control. Trust us, the thought makes us want to hug and kiss our own, too!

We understand that parents can feel stress and anxiety during and leading up to programs, so we collected some insider tips from our team and from past GLA parents on how to cope this summer.

Tip #1: Take a deep breath

Your student is in the hands of travel and education professionals. Our advice is to check their session’s program blogs regularly (updated weekly or more often by students themselves), and take comfort in the fact that GLA has led life-changing trips effectively for thousands of teens over the last decade.

Tip #2: Find community with other parents

Join the GLA Parent Facebook Group, which is an exclusive resource for current and prospective parents of GLA teens. We’re all moms and dads who want the best for our kids. Hearing from other parents who also have a student away can help make the waiting more bearable!

Tip #3: To call/text or not to call/text

While throughout the year, we as parents are used to communicating with our kids periodically each day, try to avoid setting a call time schedule or suggesting a daily check-in. Students are there to immerse themselves in their program, and often have long days packed with community service, cultural excursions and leadership activities. Let them have this chance to enjoy their experience and be really present.

Tip #4: No news is good news

Becky, mom of Serena, who traveled with GLA to the Dominican Republic, shares that throughout her daughter’s trip she decided to try to live by this mantra. “If I hadn’t heard anything negative (or anything at all), she must be too busy having too good a time to call me—which is the reason I sent her in the first place. When she comes home, she will have plenty of time to tell me all about her adventure.”

Tip #5: Be prepared for your child to return more grown up

“GLA programs offer kids a chance of a lifetime to experience another culture, interact with the people, and better their communities in a fun and safe environment,” says mom of Nikky,  who traveled with GLA to Guatemala.

“Like most American children, my daughter left home agonizing over if she would have good cell phone reception. She returned with new friends from across the country, incredible stories, fantastic photographs, a desire to make a difference, and an overall newfound maturity that I hadn’t expected. She is a better person for having been a part of the program.”

Communications Norms

Call Upon Arrival 

Your student will call home once he or she has met up with the group at the airport; this can sometimes be up to 4 hours after their scheduled arrival time! It can take time to get through customs, meet up with the group, and pass the phone around to each student. In some locations it makes more sense logistically for students to call once they are on the bus to the Home Base, or when they have reached the Home Base. This phone call is designed to let parents know that they have arrived safely; they are generally shorter calls, so don't be alarmed if you get a quick "Hey mom, I made it!" and not much additional information. Students can sometimes feel self-conscious calling their parents in front of new peers. 

Communicating With Staff

No news is good news! There will not be regular calls home mandated or scheduled, and staff will generally reach out only if there is an issue or major update to the program. Staff phone numbers will be listed on the Staff & Emergency Contact Info page prior to the program start date; however, we strongly recommend reaching out to the 24/7 Hotline as your main point of contact. Our Director and Mentors are fully immersed in the task of making sure that all of our students have a safe, meaningful, and fun experience on their program; this is an all-day, every-day job that doesn't always allow for immediate response to phone calls or emails. 

Communicating Directly with Your Student 

Again, no news is good news. GLA's cell phone policy limits cell phone usage for most of the day; however, there will be portions of the day during which staff will allow students to use their phones. If you send a text, don't expect to get a response back until late in the day. We find that the students who are the most engaged on the program and get the most out of their experience are those who had the least amount of contact with home. Alternatively, some students are more comfortable telling their concerns to their parents instead of the staff directly, but it often comes in the form of a short-hand text that leaves out key information. If you get a text from your student with complaints of ill feelings or discomfort, ("I'm sick" or "I'm not making friends") it is best to direct them to talk with the staff about their concerns instead of stepping in on their behalf from thousands of miles away. Trying to fix the situation from afar can further distance the student from the staff and their peers and hold them back fully experiencing the program.  

The Blog  

GLA's Young Leader Program Blogs are a great way to stay connected! The blog is updated on average twice per week; factors like internet connectivity, program schedules, technological challenges, and even student eagerness to write blog posts can affect the frequency with which the blog is updated. We ask that parents be understanding of these challenges, and thank you in advance for your patience! GLA will email you each time the blog is updated so you're sure to receive the update. 

Common Concerns & How to Combat Them

The Cryptic Text

"I'm sick." 

You get this text from your student on their first day, and then nothing else. Your mom/dad brain goes wild. Is she OK?! Where are the staff?! Why isn't she responding to your frenzied queries?!

Believe it or not, this happens often: student feels sick, texts parents, falls asleep. Don't panic! Upset tummies & minor colds are very common, especially for those who are new to travel. Staff check in with students frequently, however, students need to let staff know if they are not feeling well so that they can be monitored, treated, and brought to a health care facility if needed. Staff may not reach out to parents to report small cuts and bruises, stomach issues that last only one day, or other minor medical issues. They will definitely contact you if your student visits a health center or for more major or ongoing ailments. 

Homesickness

Our staff of professionals are experts at dealing with this common issue. More often than not, homesickness will pass after the first few days, as students grow closer to their fellow participants & staff and begin to feel more comfortable in their new surroundings. Frequent communication with parents or friends back home will often exacerbate homesickness. Giving your student the virtual space they need to make connections on their program is the best way to banish homesickness and support them from afar! 

Other Resources

Please feel free to peruse the resources below! Remember, we are happy to speak with you about any specific concerns you may have. 

Are Helicopter Parents Ruining Summer Camp? - NPR-Ed article on current trends / effects of technology at summer camps and programs abroad in relation to young people's social skills, ability to problem solve, and how they see themselves in the world. 

What to Expect When You're Expecting (...to Travel!) - Advice piece from seasoned staff member and Young Leader blog contributor on how to mentally prepare for your adventure.