Teenager wants to go to reading music festival

[Reynolia]

My 16yr daughter wants to go to Reading music festival with a small group of her friends in the summer. Apart from the cost (£200) I am uncomfortable with the idea of her being there without any adult supervision. She thinks I'm being unreasonable and tells me loads of girls from her school go each year and to quote her ' have the best time of their lives'. I have voiced my concerns about drunkenness , drugs, sex and she scoffs at me and says she doesn't get involved with this sort of thing. I do trust her in this respect, but still very worried as i am fully aware that this sort of thing goes on.Does anyone have any experience of their children going to music festivals (especially Reading) at this age. I'd really like some input.

I started going to festivals at 15. I thought Reading is pretty much full of 16 year olds celebrating their GCSE’s - isn’t it a rite of passage?

Yes @Windingstreams. My issue is that DS took a shed load of drugs at a (different) festival last year, so I'm a bit more cautious this year.

That’s what (some) teenagers do and have done throughout time!

I'd let her go, it's great fun and if you feel she is sensible and will stay with friends etc then why not? I'd ask for a text update just to let you know shes ok!

Just tell her that however hot it is, stay out of the river. I went to reading festival at 17 but never returned in subsequent years because someone from our town drowned there. The river is full of very thick reeds. The other concerns are just the daily ones a parent has with teenagers and festivals are tightly controlled these days.

I live close to where the Reading festival is held. It does seem quite a young crowd - loads and loads of young teens of around 16 go.

Let her go!
As a teenager, festivals and weekends away from parents are important. She only has a few more years at home and she will hate you in the back of her mind for every moment of them if you ruin this. I get it, festivals can be stressful but I made the mistake of saying no with my oldest and would never do that again. For something that did not have any effect on me and was the only thing she had ever asked me for, it was not worth her upset and anger... especially because the middle and youngest both just came home a little muddy and tired, but swear it was the best weekend of their lives. My oldest still reminds me of how I ruined her last weekend with many of her friends from school and now it too late :/

Really old thread... but relevant still ! I have to say that we are about to embark on the Reading adventure ... two 40 something mums, with our 4 girls plus one of their boyfriends..aged 17,,16, 16, 14 and 14.... I am a massive music and festival fan and know how these things go so wanted to be with them for the first time camping at a festival. I have taken the to other festivals as day visitors so they know what it can get like, drugs, rowdy lads etc.. but that does become very different at night and if you are camping in the wilder bits ! I know many friends who are Reading regulars and felt after talking to them that the weren't ready to go it alone. We are staying in Pink Moon , which is a good distance away from the main rowdiness and they can have a bit of freedom (although the 14 yr olds will be with us all the time). At least they can have a safe space to come back to. In addition to feeling a bit safer about the whole thing, there is no way I am missing out on going to this festival for all my own reasons...plus the lineup is fab this year ! Will update on the experience .. I am sure there will be some tales to tell :)