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Original poster

Would you let your 12 year old go to funfair alone?

143 replies

NervouslyWaiting1 · 21/03/2026 12:56

She doesn’t want me to go with her, she’s going with her brother who’s 10. She’s used to taking buses and using Google maps, but this is a 40 min journey and 2 buses. I’m worried that they would get separated or lost , would you let your child go to a funfair alone?

OP posts:
StrawberryElephants · 22/03/2026 09:10

No... too many unsavoury characters at these fun fairs in general. I wouldnt trust them not to be smuggled away into some caravan and raped. Its not worth the risk. You either take her, or she doesnt go would be my response.

catinateacup · 22/03/2026 09:09

No. DD is 13 and I wouldn’t let her do this. I’d drive them and have a coffee nearby while they go around the fair. In fact, I’d be even a bit unhappy about leaving a 10 y o going around alone at a fair, to be honest, even with an older sibling.

Throwawaygh · 22/03/2026 09:07

No, absolutely not, but because I didn’t trust her but because there is likely to be groups of older teens going about and frankly (and no, not all of them as I’ve met some lovely ones) I just don’t trust groups of teenagers any more. I’d be scared a group would hassle them for fun or god forbid do something worse.

BewleyBear · 21/03/2026 19:40

No chance

Sustainbrain · 21/03/2026 19:35

Have you lost your mind??

Thepeopleversuswork · 21/03/2026 19:30

Nope. My DD is 15 and has only recently started doing this with friends, very locally and she doesn’t have a younger sibling. Too much responsibility, too much to go wrong.

Anon501178 · 21/03/2026 19:29

Abd80 · 21/03/2026 13:24

I wouldn’t let your 12 or 10 year old go at all unless an adult was accompanying them.

I think it's a bit sad at that age that they don't want their mum accompanying them- surely it should be a nice family day out 🤷‍♀️

Whatexcellentboiledpotatoes · 21/03/2026 19:28

Nope.

Maybe with a group of other 12 year olds, but not on their own at 12 and in charge of a 10 year old, with that bus journey.

Definitely not at night without an adult, under any circumstances.

I'd let my 12 year old go with his mates during the day, but our fair is within walking/cycling distance and in an area he knows very well

cocog · 21/03/2026 19:23

Can’t you drive them and stay local during the day I definitely wouldn’t let them go in the dark. Still with Trackers on phone staying together at all times. Every one I’ve been to always had the roughest people in the area causing trouble aggressive, drunks, fighting gangs of teenagers, I wouldn’t let them if they were mine to be honest.

NotThisAgainSunshine · 21/03/2026 19:21

No way.

Ladamesansmerci · 21/03/2026 19:18

No. I would drop them there, linger somewhere, and let them walk round together though if it was a a small fair.

RaininSummer · 21/03/2026 19:15

No. Funfairs can have dodgy characters hanging around and they seem way to young to go without adults especially with the travel factored in.

Wintersgirl · 21/03/2026 19:10

BalloonSlayer · 21/03/2026 14:12

Nope. That monster who murdered poor Sarah Payne had spent the afternoon hanging around fairgrounds looking for children

Yeah, fairgrounds are notorious for shady people hanging about....

Gettingbysomehow · 21/03/2026 19:06

Absolutely not. Under any circumstances.

Goldengirl123 · 21/03/2026 19:04

Absolutely not

TheatreTraveller · 21/03/2026 18:24

Absolutely not.

Catcatcatcatcat · 21/03/2026 18:22

Absolutely not. And in sole charge of a ten year old? No way.

Sartre · 21/03/2026 18:21

I think I would be more inclined if she was going with a group of friends the same age. For me it’s the fact she’s going with a younger sibling which I personally think is way too much responsibility at 12. Fairgrounds are super busy places generally and it’s easy to get lost, I’d hate to think of them getting separated and struggling to find one another for example.

Ladybyrd · 21/03/2026 18:15

In the next town, a drunken woman actually put her hands on a toddler at a fairground and tried to lead them away IN FRONT OF THE PARENTS.

No chance.

firstofallimadelight · 21/03/2026 18:09

I’d drive the 12 year old there and get a drink while she goes round with her friends. I wouldn’t let a 10 year old though.

fussychica · 21/03/2026 18:06

I'm usually in the "yes of course" camp with regard to children being a bit more independent and travelling alone but in this case I'd say definitely not.
I've always considered funfairs to be a bit seedy and slightly dangerous places. Additionally, due to the distance away and the fact your younger child will also be going and require supervision it doesn't seem sensible.

TartanMammy · 21/03/2026 17:42

No absolutely not. I'd take her, stay nearby and arrange to meet her when she's done.

Wolverine23 · 21/03/2026 17:24

FionnulaTheCooler · 21/03/2026 13:28

Probably not. I let my DD go with friends for the first time at the age of 14 and even then one of her friend's parents wasn't happy that I didn't stay to supervise them, I dropped them off and stayed in a cafe about 10 minutes walk away.

14 year olds lol stay and supervise 😂

anyway back to the 10 year and 12 year plus two buses. No, I’d go and supervise them. Mainly because of the 10 year old

Ionlymakejokestodistractmyself · 21/03/2026 17:19

Not in charge of a 10yo, maybe with a bunch of similar aged sensible friends. Depends on the funfair too and the time of day. Some are really rough.

RedToothBrush · 21/03/2026 17:17

Fuck no.