To worry about 14-year-olds alone in Thorpe Park?

[TheFabulist]

My DD's friend is having a birthday celebration at Thorpe Park with about six friends. One of parents will be "on site" but will not accompany the youngsters in an effort not to cramp their style.
I of course am fearing the worst -- kids falling out of roller coasters, breaking limbs, etc. Am I being an idiot? Would you let your 14-year-old go? Please don't judge me; I'm a worrier.

YABU they don't need to be watched the whole time!

They’ll be fine. Let her go!

I wouldn't be worried about this unless your child and/or their friends are particularly poorly behaved in general.

My 14-yr-old and a few friends caught the train and went to a theme park to celebrate her birthday. They are a sensible group and I figured that me being there wouldn't make accidents/breakdowns etc any less likely to happen. I dealt with train tickets and entrance tickets online then provided money for fish and chips. They had a wonderful time and loved that they'd been allowed to go without any adults.

And how do you suppose the parent would stop one of them falling out of a roller coaster if they were being accompanied?

Sounds like good clean fun to me! Realistically, the chances of her falling out of a rollercoaster or breaking a bone is really teeny tiny. If there is a random freak incident then she'll have her friends, mobile phone, park staff etc to help. Let her have a bit of freedom!

We went on school trips to various theme parks at this age including much bigger ones in foreign countries like Disney Paris and were absolutely fine.
We had times/places to check in with the adult/teacher on site twice a day and other than that were pretty much left to it.

The staff on the rides will make sure they're strapped in sufficiently before starting the rides.

Thank you all so much. I feel much better now, and a bit of an idiot, really. She SHALL go to the ball.

I went to Alton towers at 12 with school. I live in Scotland so was rather far.

Only rule we had was that we had to be in 2s the whole time.

I broke that rule as my friend didnt want to go on nemesis so I waited for 2.5hrs for it myself.

I spent my 14th scantily clad in a nightclub drinking myself into a stupor... my parents would probably have preferred I'd went to a theme park!

Our school is taking y9s to TP as an and of year celebration.
They will only be supervised by teachers sat in cafes.

(Though as you have to qualify to go by good behaviour and attendance, I suppose that might rule out the ones prone to silly behaviour.)

They also did Parc Asterix in Paris in y7 with similar supervision.

I would worry, because that’s what I do. My level of worry about my 16 year old at the moment is nearly clinical. But I would still let her go! Worry is a parental ‘privilege’ ...

My 14 year old has already done this. No broken bones and she's sitting beside me now with her head on the cat.
Let them go . They'll be fine.

My kids school took them to Alton towers at the end of year 9, the teachers spent the day drinking coffee by all accounts and left them to their own devices. They will be fine

It’s very common at that age and often no parent on site so the fact you have a parent on site is a huge bonus.

I thought at this time of year, visitors to Thorpe Park were entirely unaccompanied teens, or loosely supervised (school trip) teens. They'll be fine - the whole place is set up for visitors of that type.

My year 7 is going to Alton Towers this summer with a few teachers dotted about.

A parent will make no difference, they dont need money, just to keep an eye on their bags and phones

My daughter and her friend spent the day in Alton Towers for her 14th birthday. I was just relieved they could go in without me. Not sure about Thorpe park but it was worth paying the extra for the photo package so they could share the photos.

Ever single year from age 11-15 we went to Alton Towers with school.

The kids were allowed to roam free all day.

I get nervous thinking about it. I don't think I'd want my eldest to go. My youngest is a lot more sensible.

I would ask my dd to make sure she had the telephone number of the parent(s) who would be onsite. Also make sure the parent has your dd's number.

ds has a few of his friends parents mobile numbers and they can come in handy when they are out and about, like the time one friend went face first into concrete when he went over the handle bars of his bike, ds phoned his friends mum to come and get him.

ds and his 14/15 year old friends are off on a school trip soon which includes a day at Disneyland Paris, staying until the fireworks late at night, the teachers will only be available once an hour at a meeting point!

There are members of staff on the roller coasters to make sure they're properly strapped in etc. So a very very minimal chance of any injury occurring.
They wouldnt be allowed to remain open if kids were falling off the coasters or breaking limbs on a regular basis.

I was getting the train to Chessington or Thorpe Park with friends from about the age of 12. We lived in Central London, so not very far but considering my mum was (and still is) the most neurotic person I've ever come across, if she judged it to be OK I'd say its fine! We never got into any trouble, stayed safe and had loads of fun.

They'll be fine and you're not an idiot. I worry too.

My DD went to Greece on her first holiday without me or DH when she was 18 and I was worried. It's what we do as mums.

I went on a school trip to Alton Towers at 15 I think and we didn't have the teachers with us all the time. This was before the days of mobile phones too. We just had meet up times.

I've taken 200 pupils aged 12 and up. We let them loose but meet up at lunch then again at end of day. We give them our number and make sure they know where to get help from site staff. They'll be fine.