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Original poster

Daughter wants to go to Reading?????

72 replies

user1492624207 · 19/04/2017 19:23

Hello,

My 16 year old daughter is currently doing her GCSE's and will be going to Reading festival in the summer- Ex husband bought her the ticket as a birthday gift Hmm - and I am in two minds about her attending the festival. My son went to V fest post GCSE and had a great time, however, I think Reading is slightly different than V(?), and after reading some articles of teenagers being rushed to medical tent after "nearly overdosing", has me slightly worried.

She is a very sensible girl and has a nice group of friends going with her, she told me not to worry and that she wont even be allowed to buy alcohol or anything like that at the festival as they're under 18; I am not all too fooled by that though,as I know my son still managed to get pretty wasted and god knows what else at V, down to friends who had managed to smuggle some in.

Her father will be lending her a tent and she is in a good campsite, we -as a family- have been camping plenty of times before and I shall be making sure that she has had a good chat with me beforehand and is well equipped. I still have various worries and wondered if anyone could share any experiences of their own and any tips you have.

This may sound very overprotective but I am only looking out for my daughter... Any advice would be much appreciated!!

Thanks Confused Hmm Shock Smile

OP posts:
malificent7 · 19/04/2017 19:27

Let her go. I first went to Glastonbury at 16. Dd is 8 and gas been with me 3 times already. She will be fine. Just make her aware of the obvious but dont lecture.
Perhaps make up a little festival survival kit with medicine ( ibuorofen), phone charger, hand sanitiser, torch etc.

LettuceMash · 19/04/2017 19:28

All the 16 yo around here go. It's a post GCSE treat.

Crankycunt · 19/04/2017 19:29

I live in Reading, the festival is full of teens. Lots of people around, stewards and the like. Crime low, she'll be fine.

malificent7 · 19/04/2017 19:29

I would also add that when i was 16 Glastonbury was much wilder and awash with drugs... i hardly took anything ( drink loads ) but never ended up hospitalised.
Why should her bro go and not her.

Allthebestnamesareused · 19/04/2017 19:30

Reading Festival is absolutely fine for a 16 year old.

AlcoholicsUnanimous · 19/04/2017 19:33

I started going to festivals, including Reading, at 16. I'm sure she'll be fine. If anything Reading is more appropriate for teens, if feel old there now whereas V is full of 30 somethings. Surely that means security are more aware? She sounds very sensible, and the idea of a festival survival kit is a good one. Having said all that I'm sure I'll worry once my DD is old enough to go to festivals alone.

Tiredbutfuckingfine · 19/04/2017 19:35

I went when I was 14, back in the day. Have been back more recently too, and prefer the atmosphere to V... much more laid back and agreeable for teens I think. V feels like a lads holiday in sunny beach. Reading feels like a 6th form disco.

TessTube · 19/04/2017 19:36

I went when I was 16 I think it's totally fine.

SpeckledyHen · 19/04/2017 19:37

Reading Festival is a young one . The kids here pick up their GCSE results in the morning and go straight to the festival to celebrate or cry .

wheresthel1ght · 19/04/2017 19:37

It is no different to V in terms of level of drink/drugs so if you were happy for your DS to go I don't think you are fair or right to prevent your daughter.

My friends were all going from 16 and it is still something they love doing.

Isitjustmeorisiteveryoneelse · 19/04/2017 19:39

I went to Reading when I was 16. It was 30 years ago though....

Orange80 · 19/04/2017 19:40

I went at 16 too. But I have a feeling my friend and I snuck in as it was for over 18s (unaccompanied) then..? Maybe not. It was a looong time ago! (So the festival probably isn't the same anymore!)

We were fine. It was a lot of fun. I also went to Glastonbury, V and T in the Park when I was in my late teens. You don't have to get wasted at festivals, I really didn't! Wasn't my thing. I went for the music and the atmosphere.

I also say let her go!

SpeckledyHen · 19/04/2017 19:40

Add baby wipes and loo roll / box of tissues to her survival pack .

Ellisandra · 19/04/2017 19:43

I had my own flat at 16 and didn't have to ask my mum's permission.

Why on earth wouldn't you let her?

Why is your XH getting the Hmm for buying her a ticket, when your son went to V at the same age? How is he supposed to know what is good for one is not for the other?

spidey66 · 19/04/2017 19:46

Also rather than a smart phone, it might be worth her gettinga Tesco Value with some top up. OK no internet or FB or camera but rather that than a lost or damaged expensive one.

HarryDresdensLeatherDuster · 19/04/2017 19:49

DS2 is going too, in very similar circumstances (his dad bought him the ticket etc!).

I am not 100% about it either as DD went after GCSEs and was assaulted in a mosh pit! Came home with claw marks on her face and neck which looked as if someone had tried to gouge her eyes out!

I shall let him go, however, and sit with car keys in hand all weekend in case I need to do an emergency run...

Matilde18 · 19/04/2017 19:52

Only because of some of the things I found out my son had been up to during his weekend at V, 2 years back.. I am quite happy for her to go, but this weekend during a friends dinner (they all have teens the same age), some of the mums were acting like I was out of my mind letting her go which kind of shocked me..

I am letting her go, as she already has the ticket, I just had some worries...

HabbyHadno · 19/04/2017 19:56

I worked at Reading for a few years as a campsite assistant, she'll be fine. There's lots of very visible people around to ask for help if she ever needs it.

NeedABumChange · 19/04/2017 19:56

I went to reading at 15. It was fun, yes we got drunk but no one did anything outrageous. We avoided the last day riot and hung out with some cool neighbours. I don't think you're even allowed fires anymore so that's half the problems gone!

exWifebeginsat40 · 19/04/2017 19:58

really warm clothes for sleeping in. don't take anything you can't afford to lose. all valuables in the bottom of your sleeping bag when you go to bed. something to pee in to avoid the horror of getting out of warm sleeping bag, finding boots and then a turdis in the middle of the night. take a lot of hats. drink enough water and eat hot food once a day. poncho. don't try and get weed in. don't buy any drugs once you're in. if you buy drugs, the rules are No Powders, No Pills. if you need medical assistance, get it - worry about getting in trouble afterwards. no abandoning of drunk friends. don't put phone or money in your back pocket. work out how you will find each other in a crowd if someone goes off for food/drinks/loo. don't take a smartphone - a burner will do and won't need endless recharging.

and for goodness' sake - USE YOUR GUY ROPES. nothing will be funny if your tent blows away.

festivals can be awesome if you are prepared!

NeedABumChange · 19/04/2017 19:58

V is very druggy as well anyway just different drugs.

HotelEuphoria · 19/04/2017 20:06

Everyone goes goes to the leedsfest round here at 16 which is the sister festival of Reading. I felt your nerves though. The worst that happened to mine us they came home stinking and went down with strep threat after. Festival flu and then Uni tours hit my teens big style.

HotelEuphoria · 19/04/2017 20:06

*Strepthroat

monkeytoad35 · 19/04/2017 20:12

I went to Reading Festival when I was 16, along with my 16 year old friend and her 14 (😮) year old sister! Your daughter will be fine if she is with her friends.

Violetcharlotte · 19/04/2017 20:13

She'll be absolutely fine. I went at 16 and had a ball! I also went a couple of years ago and it was full of teens that age. I've also been to V and out of the two I felt much safer at Reading.