Underage drinking in Aruba

[Andy]

WE had a great time in Aruba but I wouldn't recommend it as a place for families with kids 15-17 years of age. Aruba's dirty little secret is that the 18 year old drinking age is very "squishy". Translation:
Hardly enforced. What do kids of this age want to do between the hours of 7PM -Midnight? Hang out with their parents in the hotel room? Hell no! Down to the tiki bars on the beach in the high rise district they love to go. It is exceedinly difficult to se t limits on the kids when there are so many kids in this age group. Can you reasonably expect the hotels to serve them only soft drinks? Sure.It doesn't happen. As aresult excessive drinking is rampant. And by the way, re: Carlos and Charlies. That tourist trap, hell hole is no place for families nor 16 year olds travelling in groups. WE had an incident in there with our 16 year old which would make your hair stand up. Aruba: a great place to vacation., a
lousy place for families with teenagers.

[Wes]

Sounds like a very sad case of poor parenting to me.

If teenagers choose to imbibe in Aruba, do you think they have been as pure as the driven snow in the good old US of A?

Get real.

[MFC]

I agree with you. We were there from Feb. 20 to Feb.27. There were many drunk, affluent teenagers about 15 years of age, boys and girls, at the Hyatt Beach Bar. Then they all left at about 11:00 to go to the Holiday Inn. There were about 100 of them! I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it with my own eyes! And the girls were skimpily clad!

[tony]

Are you living in another world? What do you think happens in the USA?
Its all in how you bring up your kids in the USA, the more you tell them not to do something the more they want to do it!
If you live in Europe you dont have these type of problems because its not a big deal to drink at as a teenager, the more you hold them back the more they want to do it!
What do you think happens in Cancun? THe drinking age is 18 also!

I will be going down for my 12 time this April and my son who is 19 will be going with his 2 friends and i KNOW for a fact that I WILL NOT have a problem with a drinking issue. Why you ask? Its because he does not think its a big deal to drink a beer or glass of wine! Do you remeber when you were a kid? When your parents said you could not do something is when you wanted to do it, so loosen up, this is 2005!

[andrea]

here is an observation from a parent of a now 19 yr old.

when he was 14-15-16-17-18 he visted aruba with us on many occassions. to the best of our knowledge he did not drink or partake in illegal activities.

quite often we also allowed him to bring a friend with him on vacation.

there was ample opportunity for these kids to drink.....they did not.

evenings while husband and i were in casinos the 2 of them were either hanging with some kids their own age on resort property, downtown at the movies, playing pool at holiday inn or lacabana.

these 2 were real tired of hearing the non drinking lecture. we did our parenting and expected the kids to behave and they did behave. we were pleased.

these 2 also spent days horseback riding windsurfing and scuba diving, so there were quite a few evenings when they were dead tired and were in bed by 10pm.

aruba a great vacation spot for families and for TRUSTWORTHY teenagers.

[Connie]

Aruba is much safer for teens than Cancun. I would rather bring my teens to Aruba anyday!!!!

[teen]

maybe louzy for the parents ,but not for the teenagers

[Chris from CT]

No offense Andy but if you had control over your child maybe he wouldnt drink. Just cause he is 16 and theres a large group doesnt mean you cant keep your eye on him. Granted kids will do what they wanted to do but if you had any respect from your child or disciplined him properly in his life he would respect the fact that you dont want him not to drink and not do it.

I am only 21 and at 16 I wasnt drinking at 16. I repsected my parents and eventhough peer pressure was strong and I was a typical 16 yr old, i respected what my parents said and didnt disrespect them in the way your kid did.

So before you knock Aruba why not check out your relationshipw ith your kid and the lack of communication and respect you two have going.

My take on things. Take it with a grain of salt for all I care or take it into serious consideration,
Chris

[JIM]

really the first time i've heard this. maybe it's time to sit down and have a talk with your kid(s).

[Lucille]

What kind of parent would take their 16 year old in to Carlos and Charlies?