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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that young children shouldn't go to Glastonbury.

210 replies

waterducksback · 27/06/2014 19:39

Am I wrong to think that it's not fair to drag very young (6 years and under) children around Glastonbury?
It's not fair on the children and its definitely not fair on the other festival goers.
People pay HUGE amounts for their tickets and I'm sure they want to be able to drink, swear, let their hair down and enjoy themselves as much as possible. Surely having young children around spoils that 'atmosphere?'

OP posts:
TheLovelyBoots · 27/06/2014 20:09

Hipster parents taking E and snorting coke while their poor children struggle to sleep in a grim tent. Book a sitter and leave them home. Enough already.

Toofertaffer · 27/06/2014 20:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsWinnibago · 27/06/2014 20:10

YABU. There is a family field, there are LOADS of family activities and kids adore live music. You don't need to take a three year old to the front when it's Saturday night but they can still have a good time as can their parents.

Toofertaffer · 27/06/2014 20:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ICanHearYou · 27/06/2014 20:12

Definitely two types of people on this thread...

those who have been to Glastonbury and those who haven't.

Pobblewhohasnotoes · 27/06/2014 20:12

Hipster parents taking E and snorting coke while their poor children struggle to sleep in a grim tent. Book a sitter and leave them home. Enough already

Take it you haven't been either?

My thoughts exactly.

TheLovelyBoots · 27/06/2014 20:12

I've been to Glastonbury, it's been a while. (old)

OP posts:
bettybyebye · 27/06/2014 20:13

So easy to tell who has never been! If you have never been to Glastonbury, you can't understand how huge and family friendly is, full of stuff to do. The bands on the main stages are such a small part of it...YABU op

Pobblewhohasnotoes · 27/06/2014 20:14

The best part of Glastonbury is just wandering around seeing what you can find.

Original poster
waterducksback · 27/06/2014 20:15

TheLovelyBoots - One person that agrees!

OP posts:
ravenAK · 27/06/2014 20:16

'Hipster parents taking E and snorting coke' - it's in Somerset, not 1989.

TheWickerWoman · 27/06/2014 20:18

I think my favourite bit was savaging a bag of hot donuts after days of too much drinking, too much mud and crappy sleep. They were heaven! Perked me right up

Original poster
waterducksback · 27/06/2014 20:18

I can understand parents taking older children, I just don't understand the need to drag a toddler or baby around these things - why not get a babysitter?

OP posts:
HelpMeGetOutOfHere · 27/06/2014 20:20

We've taken the dc several times. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Completely different to going alone and getting wasted in cider, but still a great weekend. Only reason we've not gone this year is eldest is 17 next week and it's his first time with mates and as huge as the festival is we didn't want to cramp his style.

Original poster
waterducksback · 27/06/2014 20:22

Just to clarify:-

My topic heading is Should you take YOUNG children - not all children.
(I would imagine that older children would LOVE IT!)

(but, NOT babies and toddlers - that's just wrong)

OP posts:
Azurea · 27/06/2014 20:22

I grew up being "dragged" around festivals, I bloody loved it! It was amazing the best memories of my entire childhood. My parents and all their friends would put all the tents and caravans in a big circle and all adults would have a few beers round the fire in the middle while the kids had sleep overs in each other's tents and caravans. Now I'm a mum and do the same with my friends and I love it and the kids seem to aswell. Since when were festivals for adults? It's Glastonbury, it's always been a family friendly event.

TheLovelyBoots · 27/06/2014 20:23

'Hipster parents taking E and snorting coke' - it's in Somerset, not 1989.

Smile I'm not that old!

I went in the early noughties and I think the kids' stuff was rather fledgling at that time, but it was the parents who were having them dance in a field in the middle of the night that left a lasting impression on me. It was then that I coined a mediocre phrase: "for the price of three grams of coke you can leave them with a sitter".

curiousuze · 27/06/2014 20:24

OP hasn't ever been to any festival and is just here being goady for some untold reason. Are you one of those 'childfree' folks, OP?

Original poster
waterducksback · 27/06/2014 20:25

;)

OP posts:
Azurea · 27/06/2014 20:26

I was taken to festivals as a baby and have taken mine from a baby. Never had any problems. Never been neglected or neglected my daughter.

Joysmum · 27/06/2014 20:28

I love it when the OP refuses to answer a question that has been asked over and over again because they realise they are mistaken and don't know what they're on about!

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO GLASTONBURY BEFORE?

Those who have been have explained that kids are positively encouraged as under 12's go for free and there are lots of things for kids to do there. So there's your answer, the organisers encourage and cater for kids. If you don't like it, don't go but don't bitch about it.

JohnnyBarthes · 27/06/2014 20:29

There probably are hipster parents snorting coke and whatnot these days (it's been a while) just as there were hippy parents getting stoned and whatnot back when I was a child in the 70s /early 80s.

It's not universal though, by any means.

And yes, it's massive - it's like a small city. Saying it's not fit for children is like saying Bath isn't suitable for kids. Confused

ikeaismylocal · 27/06/2014 20:30

Yabu.

I went to Glastonbury quite a few times as a child, it was fantastic! The kid's field was lots of fun, but we went to watch acts at the pyramid stage aswell and it was fab, I remember sitting on some random guest shoulders watching the cure, I was about 5. We also went to see Sinead O'Connor and van Morrison.

It was lots of fun going to Glastonbury as a teenager, I had quite alot of freedom but it was nice to have my mum there.

Lots of my mums and their kids went to Glastonbury so there was always a little gang of us, we were left in the kids field sometimes and we just stayed up late watching bands.

Yes there was swearing, drinking and some herbal cigarettes drugs but there was no aggression or drama, it was a lovely atmosphere.

It is up to the parents what they choose to do with their children, all the children I grew up with have turned into relatively normal adults despite being taken to festivals.

Glastonbury is a pretty tame festival, we also used to go to nudist/crystal healing festivals, I wouldn't choose to take my child to them but I would take him to Glastonbury.

ICanHearYou · 27/06/2014 20:32

I reckon there are hipster parents taking drugs in any city the size of Glastonbury