To not let DS go to theme park

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Need some perspective on this please...

DS (12) due to go to a large 'attraction' tomorrow with a group of 6 friends for a 13th birthday treat. I was always under the impression that both parents were going in with them, however With less than 12 hours before they set off it appears that one parent is staying at home and whilst the other (flaky) parent will drive them, is not actually going in.

I am furious that
A) they didn't run it passed us
B) they would even consider leaving other people's children alone.

One of the mums's has already said her DS won't be going but DH thinks i am totally overacting.

For perspective we all live in a small rural village and just going into the local town independently is a big deal, let alone a huge theme park.

How does your DC feel? The NSPCC guidelines on leaving home alone very much talk about the confidence of the child. Are they okay with the thought of fending for themselves, buying food, how they would get help etc? If not then it would be a definite no from me. I actually can’t envisage it anyway being a yes. They would seem too young for hours away from a known adult to me.

What is your concern . I am assuming 12/13 not 1112

I know in schools they take yr 7s and yr 8s and just let them go off and do their own thing with the understanding that they meet back at a certain time and they know where to find teachers/help if they need it.
So long as the parent is in the carpark or getting a coffee and they can contact them if needed then i wouldnt have a problem.

I don't see the problem.

Why on earth would 12/13 year olds want to walk around a theme park with parents. They're there with their friends; let them have fun.

Totally appreciated lots of posters think IABU but equally like others have have said why not just sit in a cafe and read etc

They should have let you know but it sounds ok to me.

When I was 12/13 on a school trip to a theme park my friend was assaulted in a queue.
It's events like this where adults are needed to be contactable and quickly available. Although, saying that we didn't have access to mobile phones and the teachers weren't physically with us but we found them pretty quickly using the systems they had put in place.

I wouldn't be happy with this arrangement, so I would call up the parents to explain and find out what their plan is.

I think I'd be happy if the parent was near by and easily contactable.

One if my D.C. went last year aged 12yo...the other parent went in, and so did I...

I'd say 14 would be OK alone, and my DC are pretty streetwise and sensible.

It’s really not an issue at all

Go with your gut, OP, but you may need to take your child yourself to avoid upset.

Can you go along with them them? if you have jellies vouchers you'll be free

but equally like others have have said why not just sit in a cafe and read etc

Because there's no need! They're twelve - they can manage perfectly well without adult supervision.

Regardless if it is OK or not to let the 12 year olds go in on their own, the parents should have made it clear that this was the plan. They are minors after all; I'm not sure if they are actually allowed to be there alone without an adult....?

OP I was at a theme park a few months ago. My 15 year old was off with friends and I was with my younger ones but the coffee shop was jam packed with parents sitting with coffees/ kindles and laptops. I think 12 is too young to have no adult on site, I really do

How far do you live from the theme park? If it’s fairly local, I think it’s less of an issue as a parent could get there quickly.

Rural village family here too! It does make a difference with these things, doesn't it? I'd be unsure...depends on the children he's going to be with, are they responsible and mature enough to manage on their own? Do they know who to go to if there's any trouble of any kind? Presumably they'll have phones by this age which would ease my mind a bit.

We live approx 3 hours from the venue so no one would be close by

But I'm speaking as someone who hasn't been in a big theme park for around 20 years. I don't like them!

13th birthday parties at the local theme park was the rite of passage around here - it was a chance to be independent and free of adult interference whilst actually being massively monitored in an enclosed environment . I don’t quite get why people are getting into such conniptions about it and I was quite strict and careful.

DD is 12, I would allow her to go, provided the parent remained in the car park and was contactable. They take no nonsense in theme parks. They could not get up to much apart from having fun!

I'd be annoyed too. Especially if the flaky parent was driving them there. I'd like to know a parent was staying in the park somewhere.

If you’re three hours away, does that mean the adult is driving there, driving back home, driving there again and driving back (12hr driving?)

Or driving there and staying somewhere nearby but out of the venue itself (so as not to pay for another adult ticket?)

I don’t think you are BU . I agree a responsible adult should be on site. It’s not what the party boys are likely to do but the behaviour of older lads and adults I’d worry about. Plus there is the ever present risk of injury cause by mechanical failure.
I’d ascertain if flakey parent was returning home or hanging around. If not making themselves available I say no.. Maybe your could arrange an alternative outing for your DS and boys not going

If you live 3 hrs from the venue , is that the same distance as the parents hosting (or not ) the trip out ? Why on earth would they drive 3 hrs somewhere , drop off the kids , drive home and then drive 3 hrs back to collect them ? Are you sure they are not going to be near by somewhere ?

So the flaky parent is driving 3 hours to drop them at the park? then driving home? Then picking them up again? Yeah right.

Will the parents really drive 3hours home and then back again?