AIBU to not see music festivals as a teenage rite of passage?

I think you need to focus on what the definition of "rite of passage" is to make sense of it. Quote: a rite of passage is a ritual, ceremony, or significant event that marks a person's transition from one stage of life or social status to another.

Hopefully after reading that you understand why its a rite of passage. U can't go before you are 16 alone to Reading. U can when u have done your gcses. Lots of teenagers want to go and have a fabulous free experience with their mates without their parents and its kind of a controlled environment to do that in. Some kids dont want to and that's OK. Notintending to be rude but kind of seems like your own DC said they wanted to go, as its a rite of passage, and you dont get what a rite of passage means exactly ? Hope this helps and if they want to to - let them. They are not all drunk to enjoy it . It's a great life experience and if it sucks they can come home 🏡

Best memories of my life from festivals but I started going at 23! I probably couldn’t have handled one at 16-18

I went to Glastonbury in 1999 aged 16, so its not a new thing.

Yes I think it’s broader now as we do more varied things.

I used to go to V festival (showing my age) with a big group of friends, male & female, we had a great time, we liked our music, not all my friends drank even then, I always felt safe. A bit older I started going Glastonbury which I actually regret not doing younger. I’ve been to Leeds for the day purely to see the headliner really and I did feel old as the majority of people there were young, 18-21 maybe.
I still go and watch bands a lot to this day, have always felt safe.
so for me I would encourage younger people to go. I don’t feel it’s any less safe than a night out up town.
id go Glastonbury again but my current physical fitness puts me off and I have never enjoyed camping but you never know, I might go back. Glastonbury is very much multi age

It's also interesting that you don't/won't explain what it is that you find confusing about it, other than it apparently to boiling down to "this is outside my direct sphere of experience as I didn't go to a festival when I left school, and therefore I cannot comprehend that, several decades down the line, other people view/do things differently".

As I asked earlier, in what sense does a teenager's first weekend away with their peers and without parental supervision not fit the literal definition of "a ritual or action which indicates a transition from one stage of life to another"?

It’s a funny phase I agree. I’ve heard it used about things like first heart break or first car crash. I guess it’s a thing that you do for the first time while a you are young person that develops you.

I’d just turned 15 when I went to my first festival, and went to a Donington Monsters of Rock that summer too. God knows what my parents were thinking. I went with my boyfriend who was 4 years older and his friend. It was great! I went the following year too. I take Ds11 to smaller local rock festivals now.

DS did similar at Glastonbury when he was at university and just after, he said the camping areas are better, he didn't get paid but the shifts were mainly before it started so then you were free to watch the stuff that was on, so quite a saving as Glastonbury is expensive. He also did it at a couple of smaller festivals, I think you do have to be 18 though and he had to get there a day or so earlier iirc. I think if you have done it one year, its easier to get further years, hope your DD has a good time.

It is for some, it isn’t for others. Newsflash! People of all ages are different and have different interests.

For one of my sons, music is a huge part of his life and he has just come back from a festival. My other son is sporty, hates music and likes a comfy bed. Unless he changes radically in the next couple of years, I can’t see him ever going.

I’d have hated it as a teen and certainly how

my DS bloody lives for them

Do you?

You understand that kids, teens, adults all like different things?

My DD (16) has just been to Reading with a group of friends and had the best time - she said she felt very safe. She didn’t drink and had lots of fun still. Loads of kids at her school went for post GCSEs and we live hours away.

I think it’s seen as a bit of a rite of passage - this summer in general has been a big step in independence with friend trips to big cities and organising own social life etc. compared to previous years.

Yes

Oh dear.

So one of mine does a particular sport that has rites of passage into the team - only she and the others that play the sport will do those (mad) activities/ rites of passage. Those that don’t play the sport will miss out (and be glad to) so don’t see the issue! They do different stuff. For some a festival is definitely a rite of passage.

Calm down

Depends on the teen I guess. My brother loved them but I never went. I like an early night, so all that noise and not being able to get home to a quiet bed to sleep when I’d had enough was not for me. Not into drugs either. I like day festivals I can go home from, but that’s all and only did that later in life as an adult.