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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

WIBU to book Ariana Grande tickets for a school night for ds2 (9)?

33 replies

theduchessstill · 27/12/2018 11:09

He desperately wants to go, but despite checking her website daily for the past few months for the tour to be announced, he stopped doing so a few weeks ago and noticed on Chrstmas Eve that a few UK dates were announced earlier this month for next year.

I told him wasn't looking until today and of course there are hardly any left. I can't justify spending more than £250, and that's ridiculous as it is - he knows it will be his main birthday present (July birthday and the dates are in Septmeber). I have found tickets for £195 (price for 2) on a Sunday night about an hour's drive from us, meaning he won't be in bed much before 1am I suppose. There are tickets for the Saturday but they're £50 more and restricted view. The other UK dates are no good to us for other reasons.

He woukld have to up by 7am for school, and his teacher has apparently commented on him looking tired in the past (not to me) as, despite going to bed at a reasonable time he stays awake reading, which I can't do much about.

AIBU to book the tickets -assuming they're still there.

OP posts:
halcyondays · 27/12/2018 11:10

I'm sure it will be fine for a one off.

bridgetreilly · 27/12/2018 11:12

I wouldn't, tbh. I'm perfectly okay with kids not always getting things they want, and I think being awake at school is more important. But ymmv.

HolesinTheSoles · 27/12/2018 11:12

I would as a one off.

Sirzy · 27/12/2018 11:12

I would book them.

However I would also disagree you can’t stop him reading. You need a proper bedtime routine and I would be tempted to make doing on the proviso that he starts following a proper bedtime routine

AGHHHH · 27/12/2018 11:13

Yanbu, it's a one off. It's hardly during his GCSEs, don't worry at all.

Justkeepsmiling12 · 27/12/2018 11:14

do it.... But tell him he has to go to bed early the night after.

SaucyJack · 27/12/2018 11:14

I’m sure it’s fine as a one-off.

And yes- you can do something about him staying up reading if you wanted to.

Original poster
theduchessstill · 27/12/2018 11:24

How do you make children sleep? We have a routine, but the problem is there are two of them and since ex moving out (4 years ago) they like to sleep in the same room/bed, as they do at his as there is no choice there. There is no routine there, and despite now only being there three times a fortnight (used to be more) it seems to impact on how they are with me.

I have tried to improve address this but, as it doesn't seem to cause major problems and yet does cause huge conflict if I try, I haven't succeeded.

I'll try and get the tickets but could maybe tell him I'll resell if he doesn't put lights out earlier?

OP posts:
BlueSuffragette · 27/12/2018 11:27

Yes its a treat..

TeddybearBaby · 27/12/2018 11:30

Defo do it!! He’ll remember that concert forever. That’s what life is all about for me!

TeddybearBaby · 27/12/2018 11:32

Oh and re the routine I’d go in and take the book and turn the light off I think......

TeddybearBaby · 27/12/2018 11:33

I wouldn’t take the book if he put it down when I asked and went to sleep!

brizzledrizzle · 27/12/2018 11:34

No. It's a school night and it's too late.

ShawshanksRedemption · 27/12/2018 11:35

Yes, I'd let him go as a one off.

As for being tired at school, are you able to discuss this with your ex so that he can sort a routine out?

What I said to mine is that if they were tired in the morning they'd have to go to bed earlier....

Heratnumber7 · 27/12/2018 11:46

You could remove the light bulb in the bedroom.

user1511042793 · 27/12/2018 11:49

I have booked mine for a Sunday night. She will be 9 in year five and tired for a day. No issue.

continuallychargingmyphone · 27/12/2018 11:51

I’d probably let him have the morning off the next day.

Hulloa · 27/12/2018 11:53

Definitely do it. In twenty years' time, is he going to look back fondly on the Sunday night he went to bed early?

Original poster
theduchessstill · 27/12/2018 11:54

They're booked! I'm quite excited myself now. I'll see if my parents can come and stay for the weekend, whoch will give him an extra hour in bed as he won't need to go to the CM. I'll also use it as a way of addressing earlier sleeping.

Thanks for the replies - silly as it may seem, as I LP I do find it helpful to know there are others who would do similar in these situations!

OP posts:
Hulloa · 27/12/2018 11:57

Yay! What a lovely treat for him. Well done OP.

Freshprincess · 27/12/2018 11:59

I’m pretty strict about this sort of thing, but I would if it was something he really really wanted as a one off.

Also 9/10’was around the time one of mine turned into a night owl, also reading late. Used to have a lot of battles about it till I realised that he just wasn’t tired. Im an early riser so is alien to me. So long as it’s rrading and not his phone, I try not to get too worked up about it.

papayasareyum · 27/12/2018 11:59

as a one off treat, I’d be fine with this (and probably let him have the next day off school if I was also off work and he had good attendance)

Ilikeknitting · 27/12/2018 12:00

Book the tickets. One day off school is a small price to pay for a lifetime of memories with mum.

MrsChollySawcutt · 27/12/2018 12:03

Yes I would as it's a one-off and not something you can do at any other time.

If it's in September he shouldn't be too tired as it's near the start of the school year.

XiCi · 27/12/2018 12:06

The only tickets I could get are a 2hr drive and on a Thursday night so she will miss school on the Friday as we will probably stay over. Can't wait to see her face when we tell her (also a birthday present). She literally never misses school so I think as a one off treat it's fine. Really surprised you managed to get tickets, thought they had sold out within minutes. Well done.