Should I let Ds2 (16) go to festival?

[clary]

He wants to go to a music festival (not a really big one) with some friends this summer. He will have finished GCSEs, they are older so either going into yr 13 or just finished A levels. He knows them through a hobby, they are not especially local.

The festival is a good way away. I thought one of the friends was driving (and panicked), turns out it's the friend's mum, whom I know slightly, she seems very nice.

I have quizzed the other mates/parents and I am not totally sure how many of them are actually going. it costs £110 which us quite a bit. DD asked what was I worried about, I'm not sure really. The money? The tance? Drugs and alcohol?

Would you let your ds go? if not, why not?

sorry for typos, the distance, not the tance!!

My DC have yet to reach this age but I honestly would say it depended on the individual. Can you trust your child to behave? Not drink? Not go anywhere near drugs? Avoid fights?

Don’t you have to be 18 for some festivals?

Depends on the festival. Which one is it?

I went to Reading Festival with school friends when I was 17 and had the best time. I was pretty sensible at that age - it was all about the music, not getting wasted. I would probably let my daughter go if she is a clued up sensible girl at that age. It is a rite of passage in many ways.

What festival? It matter HUGELY!!

Are you OK knowing he will be drinking alcohol and may take drugs? Is he easily led or do you think he's capable of saying no? Does he FULLY understand about sex and consent?

Which festival is it?
Some are a bit "My First Festival", overrun with 18 year olds, drinking /taking too much and not knowing their limits.
Others (Bloodstock springs to mind) have a better mix of ages, including families and are generally a bit more friendly. Your teen may still wreck themselves but there would be adultier-adults around to steer them to the medical tent

it's called Truckfestival (?!) you have to be 16 (he will be) or with someone over 21.

I'm pretty sure he won't take drugs or get in a fight ( in fact I'm certain about that). He will probably drink but I don't have a massive issue with a few ciders tbh.

I literally cannot imagine him hooking up with a girl, haha he's too nerdy and into his sport, but I could repeat the conversation we have had before about consent.

You can't imagine him hooking up with a girl because you haven't seen him drunk and with an equal drunk girl where all their inhibitions have been washed away with a bottle of JD someone snuck in. As much as possible you need to drum into him that drunk girls can't consent! Can you tell I've worked too many "My First Festival" festivals?? Not heard of that one though.

They usually wrist band them so the kids can't get served alcohol but of course it doesn't actually stop them.

I think if you trust him, then at least it isn't Leeds etc. Although I'm with Awkward, are you sure he doesn't wanna take up heavy metal and go to Bloodstock? It's such a lovely festival 😁

From my understanding Truckfest isn’t a heavy drug festival, probably more real ale and alcohol. My friend works there and raves about it.

If it were boomtown I’d say absolutely no!

I wanna go to Boomtown, but I'm not 15 and I definately say no to drugs lol

16 as in gcse year? He'll be fine , no doubt will do things you don't approve of butility it's all part of growing up. Mine went to Leeds fest and had a great timevening!