The end of Leaving Cert exams spells excitement for students – but it also leaves parents nervous about what their children might do on post-exam holidays. 

One mother told Parenting on Moncrieff she allowed her daughter to book a Leaving Cert holiday months ago – and now she isn’t sure if she should go. 

“Over the last six months, she's become a nightmare,” she said. 

“She stopped caring about the exams and performed quite poorly in her mocks. 

“She got very drunk at a friend's 18th birthday party numerous times, and we're also worried she's taken drugs at one or two of them, judging by her behaviour when she got home in the early hours of the morning.” 

She said she isn’t sure her daughter will get the Leaving Cert grades she “should have” - and she is worried about her upcoming post-exam holiday to Ibiza. 

“We now think she doesn't have the cop on to mind herself, and she could get into all sorts of trouble,” she said. 

Family psychotherapist Joanna Fortune said the parents should consider why their daughter might have changed in the last six months. 

“Might they consider her emotionally a late developer?” she said. “That she has hit what we call this kind of risk-taking, boundary-pushing phase of development a bit later?” 

The parents should have been flagging to her in the past few months that her behaviour will affect the freedoms she has – including her upcoming holiday. 

“Don't assume she's joining those dots herself, because I would say she's not,” she said. 

'Risk-taking behaviour'

Joanna said the parent’s concern for their daughter’s “risk-taking behaviour” has changed dramatically and that needs to be addressed if they want to trust her on a holiday with friends. 

“You can say there’s been changes,” she said. “It may not be realistic to forbid it, because, first of all, I imagine it's already paid for with three or four weeks to go. 

“And second of all, she's 18 years old, if it's paid for and she wants to go, she can go. 

“You might be better off sitting with her, sharing your concerns with her.” 

Leaving Cert holiday

The daughter needs to be aware of people who “seek to prey on young women who might be vulnerable” so she and her friends can “keep an eye out for each other”. 

“Don't drink excessively, don't accept drink or drugs from people she doesn't know well, like the really kind of basics that you were going to have to cover with her,” she said. 

The parents should tell their daughter if she is ever concerned for her safety on holiday, she should ring her parents and stay on the phone until she reaches a police station or other safe place, according to Joanne. 

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