AIBU to be befuddled by friends of mine who still go clubbing?

[user1477282676]

And I mean clubbing...with glitter on their faces, drugs in their pockets...or bras...or wherever they keep them?

These are the same age as me...early 40s...we were part of the "rave scene" and when we were 19 or so spent our lives waiting for the weekend when we could go to one of the many Manchester or Liverpool clubs, get off our heads and dance all night and part of the morning too.

How the feck have they got the energy? Or the desire? They post about their Ibiza plans on FB and put pics of last year's escapades too...isn't it a bit sad?

Or am I a miserable old cow? I suppose if they love it then all good...but the drugs! They've got kids! These are professional people too...teachers and the like.

I love the chance to go out to pubs and clubs, the ones I go to do not involve people having sex in the corner, Crikey U2 the mind boggles, I don't think because I have a child and I'm over 30 I should stop enjoying myself! I can't understand people that think once you've had children you should don your cardy and slippers and be in bed at 9pm.

I started going to a club on wednesdays with a group of friends in my mid/late 30's

It was local, small and did tribute nights so it was different clientele than the youngsters in the 20's who tended to go on a friday and saturday nights

We always had a good laugh, all mums. Got home by 1.30am. School run and then back home to chill

I stopped at about 40/41. And the club shut down a year or two later

Christ U2, you must have been to some dodgy clubs.

I like to think this will be me in my dotage:

metro.co.uk/2016/06/07/elderly-polish-couple-who-raved-all-night-at-fabric-send-dj-the-best-letter-5928862/

U2, the clubs I went to/my friends go to, it's all about the music. The odd gropey chatty up type gets very short shrift indeed.

I'm mid 30s and I still go to clubs although not as often as I'd like.

It'd be a boring world if we all liked the same thing.

I was never into the rave scene, i went to a few but the music wasn't my cup of tea, i certainly couldn't listen to that type of music and dance all night without drugs. I'm nearly 40 and would only do it if drugs were available - which they aren't, so I'm much more white wine at play dates now.

I remember my dad asking me when I was going to grow up after I showed him some photos of me and my dc at a rock festival - I was 40 and recently divorced. I pointed out that I'd been to uni, got a good degree, had a good job, was a home-owner, had brought up two dc who were then in their early to mid teens and were doing great in school and activities. I asked him which bit of that wasn't 'grown up'?
Raves aren't my thing nor are stamp-collecting, dog shows, Star Trek conventions or a bunch of other things adult people get involved with in their free time with their disposable income because they enjoy doing those things. Who is anyone else to judge or say they should grow up or get a life?. They have a life and what they do with it is their choice as long; as they're not abandoning minor children with a stale crust and a bucket to catch rainwater in for a fortnight or embezzling from their job to fund it - who fucking cares?
Now, I'm a lot older than 40, I'm still going to rock festivals, concerts, clubs with my DH (who I met at a show) and in the last 12 -13 years, with our dc now adults and no longer at home, we've travelled all over Europe and the USA following a few of our favourite bands and seen amazing places, met fantastic people, rocked out and had a lot of fun along the way. Living in the past? Move on? No. We're living NOW, we work hard and this is how we choose to spend our leisure time so the only moving on we're doing is on to the next show.
OP, I can guarantee the people you're judging have learned that one of the best things about being grown up is that they can have fun and they don't have to care what anyone else thinks.

The clubs I go to are chilled out, all ages of people, generally drinking and chatting and a bit of dancing, mostly like minded people who are all quite up and together, no one shagging on the furniture or barfing on the floor, just people not ready for bed at pub closing time.

European 👍🏻😀**

A big part of my life must be missing.

I have never been to a club. I have been to several full moon parties in Thailand in the early 90s if that counts?

It's not a big part of your life missing Mind, it's doing what you enjoy and not being judged for it! Why shouldn't a mother/father enjoy a nightclub? As long as the children are safe and well what's the issue?

They are all at it round here, raves in london where they leave to get there at 9.30pm when im thinking of going to sleep.
I think the 40s / 50s crowd are the only ones with any money to do this maybe? Its not cheap and i am told the clubs are full of older people !

I'm not judging.

I'm 26 and can't think of anything worse than going clubbing

I last stepped into a club when I was 23, was mistaken for a fresher, had a drink spilled on me and ended up on the 11.30pm bus home with a McDonalds!

YABU, you're never too old to go out and enjoy yourself!

Doesn't it make you a bit tired and useless the next day?

You clubbers must have understanding child carers who will watch your kids for a day and a half.

I don't necessarily mean you mind, just some thinking it's bad form.

Mindtrope I'm a single parent so don't get to go out much. The time I went to a rave my mum kindly had him for me. She has him every few months so I get a break but that was the only time I've been out like thay. Tbf once a year is enough for me for a night like that now. Next time maybe his other parent will have him shock horror!!

Mine were at school mind

If I go out wth my friends then obviously my husband stays in and vice versa, if it's a big occasion which is once every 3 years (😂) then mine or his parents look after our son. The next day we are fine, it's not as if we drink until we are in a&e, we are adults and we can handle a hang over!

YABU. We all enjoy different things.

About the drug taking, it's like YelloDraw said:
Do you drink alcohol?
Do you eat sugar?
Do you do at least 30 mins of cardio a day?
Do you eat processed red meat?

Cos, you really should do everything you can to look after yourself.

Mind, I'd count full moon parties, only thing you missed was stale indoor air!!!

I'm playing devil's advocate here, because I can't help thinking good luck to anyone who is still enjoying themselves whatever their age, but:

Do you drink alcohol?
Do you eat sugar?
Do you do at least 30 mins of cardio a day?
Do you eat processed red meat?

Cos, you really should do everything you can to look after yourself.

It's not really the same, is it. For a start, sugar, alcohol and red meat can't land you with a criminal record just for being in possession of them, with the potential to affect your employability and travel destinations.
Secondly, the above need to be consumed regularly as part of an overall lifestyle to have consequences for your health. One single dose of illegal street drugs - which are not quality controlled and tested and the composition largely unknown - can and does kill people. Rarely, when it comes to recreational drugs TBH, but certainly possible in a way that sugar etc just doesn't.

Just to clarify when I go out I drink alcohol and smoke the odd cigarette I don't do drugs, if people do so be it but I don't and wouldn't now I have a child. But it's still up to them if they do.

I didn't before either.