To refuse to let DD go to Chessington with School

[RachelRagged]

DD has a school trip to the above coming up.

Due to Alton Towers I am already nervous. Now there is talk of attacks in the UK and theme parks would be a good place to cause shit load of damage. Am I being overanxious or would you be the same as Me ?

[LaurieFairyCake]

I would not let a non specific terrorist threat stop me going about my life.

Live without fear as far as possible

[LIZS]

I've had one visit London today and another going to Thorpe Park later in the week. Not sure there is any more risk now than this time last week.

[NoahVale]

If the school feels it is safe, i would let her go. There are always rumbling terrorist attacks - very few actually attack in the UK

[TheoriginalLEM]

its not just the terrorist threat though is it. There is no way id allow my dd to go.

[Fairy13]

You can't not live your life, or the life of your child because of something that is very very unlikely to happen. You'd have to barricade yourself into your house.

YABU.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

kids are more like to be hurt in the way to school or at home than on the school trip.

from what I saw of the news alot if the parks closed or investigated their own rides to make sure they were safe.

I'd let her go

[PotteringAlong]

You are being ridiculously over anxious.

[PHANTOMnamechanger]

how old?

[whois]

No. You are being totally crazy.

[KurriKurri]

I think you are being over anxious. I'd let her go on the trip.
The Alton Towers accident was a fairly unusual occurrance. No real reason to suppose and accident will happen at Chessington.

Yes terrorists might target a theme park. Then again they might target a shopping mall, or a station, or as last week a beach. Who knows? We can lock ourselves in our houses terrified of everything or we can do our best to go about our normal lives with sensibly heightened vigilance.

Don't make your DD miss a fun day out because of your fears.

[haveabreakhaveakitkat]

YABU. Theme park incidents are rare, there's probably never been a safer time to visit. And you simply can't live in fear of terror attacks. She'll have a great time.

[FieldTrip]

The most dangerous bit of the day is still the road trip to get there and that's much safer by coach than it is by car, statistically. Presumably you are still using the car?

[Gatehouse77]

Recent events wouldn't stop me letting my children going on a trip.
We went to BST on Saturday - bloody marvellous.

Shit can happen anytime, anywhere. I refuse to live my life 'under threat'. That said, I grew up in London whilst the IRA were active and was minutes away from 2 separate bomb attacks, and just missed the Broadwater Farm riots. Maybe it's down to perspective and experience...?

[Yarp]

You are being over-anxious.

Actually, the hot weather, and them having to wait in queues, would put me off wanting to send them more. Although I would if they really wanted to

[Hulababy]

My DD is off to Lightwater Valley this week.
She would never forgive me if I refused to let her go because of these reasons.

[ilovesooty]

I imagine we're not talking about a small child here?

Does she want to go?

Personally I think you're being far too anxious.

[CocktailQueen]

The most dangerous part of the trip is the coach travel! I can see why you're anxious but you can't live like that. Accidents at theme parks are vvv rare and I bet all parks have been checking their rides v carefully since the Alton Towers accident. I'd let her go.

[MrsTerryPratchett]

Do you have anxiety? Because if you do, understandable but you nee to find a way of parenting that doesn't impact outcomes for your DD.

If you don't, statistically there is no issue. None. She will be fine.

[mrsdavidbowie]

Yes you are being over anxious.
You could get run over walking to school.

[ASettlerOfCatan]

There have been generic "threats" to the UK made for years and years now. We have had very, very, very, few ever materialise into anything.

There is probably no safer time to visit a theme park. Incidents like the Alton Towers one are incredibly rare (and when they do happen 90% of them just involve people being stuck and cross for a while, very few result in injuries and even less in major ones) but because this has happened currently ALL theme parks will have checked EVERY ride and upped safety if necessary. Staff will ALL be more alert as they always are when something like this happens. It gives them a wakeup call that they need to pay attention.

I would send mine with no worries.

[Kangaroo1]

It's probably safer to visit a theme park now than it ever was- health and safety will have really kicked in

[Ikeameatballs]

YABU and this is exactly the way my mother would have thought when I was young and I felt stifled and angry.

The risk to your daughter of sending her are so tiny as to be theoretical. There is a very real risk of emotional harm to your daughter and damage to your relationship if you don't let her go.

[razmataz]

YABU.

Theme Park rides are incredibly safe. What happened at Alton was appalling, but you are twice as likely to die by being struck by lightning as on a rollercoaster. Your DD is more likely to be injured in the car on the way to school.

As for terrorist attacks, well you might as well avoid any busy public place if that is your fear - but you'll restrict your life around something that is highly unlikely to affect you.

[SolidGoldBrass]

You seriously need to get a grip before you do your DD harm. Growing up with a whiny, panicky, over-protective parent who repeatedly stops you doing things that all your friends are enjoying is miserable for a kid. If you make her miss this trip she will not forget it and may not forgive you.

[pointythings]

You're being overanxious. You can bet that every theme park in the UK will have double checked their rides in the aftermath of what happened at Alton Towers, and you can't live your life around the fear of a terrorist attack, because then you'd have to live in a bunker. Let your DD go, she will have a whale of a time and grow up confident and independent.