quick, give me all of your parenting tips (I'm not pg)

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H's 2 nieces (14 and 16) are coming to visit next week and they're staying with us for 2 weeks. I'm a freaking out a little since I don't know them well and H is going on a short business trip while they're here, so it means I really am responsible for keeping them alive by myself. 

They live in Salt Lake City and they've never left the US before, so we're staggering our time off a bit to make sure they're ok. There will be a few days when they're on their own though. Oh and the other thing, they earned all of the money to get here on their own, so I really want to make sure they're having a good time and feel like the money was well spent. 

I already have tickets to a few plays, the Harry Pottery experience, afternoon tea and a few other little things like that booked. 

Their mom is totally like, ah they can wander around alone as long as they both come home alive and unharmed. This makes me nervous since they've never used public transport and stuff like that before. 

Ugh, please give me your parenting tips on how to handle 2 teen girls. Or lots of wine. 

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Are they remotely nerdy? I would send them to the British museum - that can happily take up a whole day! And the touristy things like London tower and tower bridge.

Can you get them some kind of cheap British burners so that when they're on their own, they have an easy way to call you if needed? I hadn't ever really taken public transportation other than 2 days in Paris in high school on a school trip by the time I went to London in college and found the Tube so easy to navigate that I wouldn't worry too much.

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Apr 29, 2015 12:34:14 GMT -5 @ksta said:

Are they remotely nerdy? I would send them to the British museum - that can happily take up a whole day! And the touristy things like London tower and tower bridge.

Can you get them some kind of cheap British burners so that when they're on their own, they have an easy way to call you if needed? I hadn't ever really taken public transportation other than 2 days in Paris in high school on a school trip by the time I went to London in college and found the Tube so easy to navigate that I wouldn't worry too much.

Yep, they're a little nerdy, so we're definitely sending them to the museums and stuff.

I'm going to give them my phone in case anything happens. I guess I just don't know how much freedom to give them.

Like h even wants to hide our alcohol before they come. Like I know nothing serious will happen,but I'm just afraid of them getting pick pocketed and little things like that.

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Apr 29, 2015 13:57:51 GMT -5 @uwhuskygirl said:

Apr 29, 2015 12:34:14 GMT -5 @ksta said:

Are they remotely nerdy? I would send them to the British museum - that can happily take up a whole day! And the touristy things like London tower and tower bridge.

Can you get them some kind of cheap British burners so that when they're on their own, they have an easy way to call you if needed? I hadn't ever really taken public transportation other than 2 days in Paris in high school on a school trip by the time I went to London in college and found the Tube so easy to navigate that I wouldn't worry too much.

Yep, they're a little nerdy, so we're definitely sending them to the museums and stuff.

I'm going to give them my phone in case anything happens. I guess I just don't know how much freedom to give them.

Like h even wants to hide our alcohol before they come. Like I know nothing serious will happen,but I'm just afraid of them getting pick pocketed and little things like that.

Well, take them through the general steps and rules like don't wear a backpack (its too hard to notice deft fingers). Don't let them carry a lot of money. I don't think anything too bad can really happen and hey, it will be a story about the time they took the wrong tube stop or whatever.

I don't think you need to worry about hiding the alcohol unless you KNOW they are problem children which it hasn't sounded like they are. 

As far as freedom - just set some easy parameters: curfews, on days they're on their own, give them check in times (call in at lunch time, call if you are going to be late with status, etc).

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Apr 29, 2015 14:19:50 GMT -5 @ksta said:

Apr 29, 2015 13:57:51 GMT -5 @uwhuskygirl said:

Yep, they're a little nerdy, so we're definitely sending them to the museums and stuff.

I'm going to give them my phone in case anything happens. I guess I just don't know how much freedom to give them.

Like h even wants to hide our alcohol before they come. Like I know nothing serious will happen,but I'm just afraid of them getting pick pocketed and little things like that.

Well, take them through the general steps and rules like don't wear a backpack (its too hard to notice deft fingers). Don't let them carry a lot of money. I don't think anything too bad can really happen and hey, it will be a story about the time they took the wrong tube stop or whatever.

I don't think you need to worry about hiding the alcohol unless you KNOW they are problem children which it hasn't sounded like they are. 

As far as freedom - just set some easy parameters: curfews, on days they're on their own, give them check in times (call in at lunch time, call if you are going to be late with status, etc).

Ooh yes, this is a very good idea. I didn't even think about that!

My parents were pretty over protective, so I don't want to smother the girls, but I also don't want them to feel like we've left them floundering either.