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

[waterducksback]

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?'

I'm quoting from the official programme here:

"Glastonbury Festival observes the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 31: "The right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts"
It is for this reason that ALL children of 12 and under enter the Festival for free."

Ooh that Glastonbury, I remember when it was all fields ...

I took DS when he was 5 weeks old. Had a lovely time up in the green fields, wandering from tent to tent, BFing and blathering to all sorts of lovely people. I don't think he's missed a year since.

He's all grown up now and is there this weekend, working in the kids' field doing facepainting

I still love a good festie but Glasto is just too big for my tastes now.

Most of the head line acts finish at 10/11 you can still watch the band's, just stand way way back

Kids don't shrivel up if they're up past 11pm when they can lay in, and they do surprisingly well with dirt also

CuttedUpPear I love that! I am a teacher, so Glastonbury is impossible until I retire (at which time...). I don't see a problem with taking a child of any age. DD had her independent festival experience last year at Reading, and I suspect that is not suitable, but Glastonbury?
As a point of information I have going to a festival on my bucket list and intend to go to Latitude next year with an old school friend! (I will be 50 by then - I'm a late starter, got my first tattoo at Christmas...)

I went last year when I was pregnant, so stone cold sober all weekend. I never thought I would take kids to Glastonbury because it was my little escape. That being said it gave me the opportunity to look at it from a different perspective. I went to the family fields to see what it was like. The place is huge. There is ALOT of stuff aimed at kids. You wouldn't even need to venture into the more adult bits.
It would just be a completely different experience. I think if I was to go with a partner and maybe go off one night by myself while my partner looked after the kids and then vice versa. You could spend your whole day doing child oriented things. Like I say, it would just be a completely different experience but one I am certain thekids would enjoy.
Wouldn't fancy it too much with kids if it was a wet Glastonbury though.

CuttedupPear. Children can do all that without being dragged to a music festival. My dd has been twice & she said the toilet facilities are disgusting.

I once skipped into Glastonbury with the aid of a very tall ladder.

I am old enough to remember when they would open it right up for free on a Sunday.

Children were always welcome. But in those days it was usually crusty families with children who were used to freewheeling round these sort if events.

I wouldn't take young children myself - my memories are of dancing til dawn and bring young enough not yo sleep fir three days.

These days it's all abit 'barbecue-and-bugaboo' and although would have loved to see Arcade Fire, would rather be lazing by my pool in Majorca reading Wolf Hall

My dh has gone to Glastonbury nearly every year of his life, he's there having his last wild one this year and then we will be going as a family from next year. Dc will be 5 and 2.

One of my friends has taken her 16 yr old daughter there this year, she was born at glastonury!

dragged to a music festival.

What does this even mean?!

"Glastonbury Festival observes the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 31: "The right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts"

Ha ha as long as their parents pony up
£xxx - how much is it these days?

I just think having you children there looks like such hard work. I'd love to take my daughters when they are older - but little ones - it would a constant litany of 'I need a wee/poo/hungry/thirsty/hot/cold/tired/bored etc

Surely everyone goes to festivals for different things - if you want the getting pissed and watching bands then that's fab and what I would do - after which I loved sitting at a camp fire getting more merry and chatting to new people till the early hours - I would not take dc. But there are other things going on and other people take pleasure in other things which is what makes it such an amazing experience - there is loads going on.

This is quite a funny and relevant AIBU for me. My Dad has just posted a picture on Facebook. It is a picture of me sitting on his shoulders watching TroubleFunk at Glastonbury 1987 (I was 3).

This is my earliest memory. It was awesome. I grew up going to festivals and had a fucking amazing childhood

One of my best friends has been about 18x in her 24 years. First one as a 6 month old. I personally have never been as it looks like my idea of hell, but surely each to their own?? Therefore YABU.

I've taken my DD to loads of festivals since she was 3 yo (now 9) and we've had awesome times giving us some incredible memories. We've been fortunate to have had access to VIP facilities so I couldn't comment on what it would be like to camp there with a very young child, but still the atmosphere is wonderful, people very friendly etc. You just have to go to the right festival and Glastonbury/Latitude/Bestival are amongst those that are good for kids IMO.

Glastonbury is a load of bollocks, always has been, but if people want to take their children there, good luck to them. Probably not a great idea to take them to Metallica but I'm sure there's plenty of other stuff there for them to see and do.

WOMAD is great for kids also, I've been to that loads of times.

TucsonGirl 'Glastonbury is a load of bollocks, always has been' - What makes it bollocks in your opinion?

The whole faux leftie stuff that surrounds the festival. Go to see the bands, get drunk, take drugs, get laid, etc etc, fine. Just don't try to pretend its got anything to do with overthrowing capitalism when it cost over £200 just to get in.

I dunno, I just think it's selfish to take young children to what is essentially an adult thing. - let's be honest. how many 4 year olds have an interest in popular music? - or maybe my dc are at a disadvantage because they haven't seen arcade fire play live. But yeah, each to their own, but I'm glad I took my kids to centre parcs. ( & they still know everything there is to know about music )

Kids at festivals that have kids / family activities fine. Kids at "adult" festivals like Reading or download, not fine.

It's not an adult thing though, it's really not.

I can't see how it is selfish to take children to something they will really enjoy.

People are on this thread both saying their children enjoy it AND that they enjoyed it when they were children

I don't associate Glastonbury with overthrowing capitalism
I associate it with music and a good time...

I LOVED going to festivals. My parents used to be involved with putting them on in the 70s. They were the ultimate dope-smoking, bell bottom wearing, establishment hating hippies....

Love them both dearly, amazing people and amazing parents. My Dad chronicled one of the days of Glastonbury by just following me around....he let me lead him and took photos...

It is an adult thing. Any event where there are people getting drunk/high is by definition an adult event. People frequently die at Glastonbury. It's not somewhere I would want to take my child.

People die in any city the size of Glastonbury!

Are weddings not places for children then? People get drunk there?