Do you judge kids at a music festival?

[MonstranceClock]

Next year my daughter will be old enough to come with me to a festival that she wants to go to. I went myself this year and saw lots of kids her age, all having a blast. However, a few of the parents had issues with people coming up to them and telling them that children didnt belong there and they should be ashamed.
I personally don't see the issue, it's basically just a huge fair ground with live music.
If you do judge, aibu to ask why?

We are going to a festival in a few weeks and taking the dc! Can’t wait!
It does have a funfair and children’s tent. We are going for the day, we will get there early and leave early.
I have done it before and had no issues, we had a whale of a time!

I've seen what goes into that mud at Download.

Why would small children not like rock or metal?
Obviously her going totally depends on who's playing, but she does have quite a list of bands she wants to see.

Suppose it depends which festival and how family friendly! I wouldn’t want my kids around drugs and heavy drinking - adults who aren’t in control of what they’re doing or saying can be scary and if anything happened then I’d feel responsible for putting dc in a poor position.

My son's been to wilderness every year between 1 and 5 and I and he have loved it. However I'd never take him to glastonbury because it's too big and because I want to have child free fun. I have been a bit eyebrows raised when I've seen kids at lovebox on a saturday night - that's a london festival, lots of drug taking, and it's really much more like an outside rave than a festival. But a family friendly festival, obviously fine. Even a live music event which isn't like an outside rave, fine. So no, I wouldn't judge.

We've been taking DS to smaller festivals since he was 2, and we all love it. Lots of kids around and never heard of anyone judging.

Only time I judged was at Glastonbury a couple of times, when I saw clearly well-off middle class kids basically being allowed to pester strangers for money. Lots of fashionably unkempt Theos and Lilys standing around busking etc. One boy had a sign that read '£1 fee to look at this sign' which he shoved in my face

Been judging that on and off for years, every time I remember it

depends on the festival

However no matter what, the people approaching complete strangers and telling them their kids shouldn't be there are CFrs.

It does really depend on the festival but also your approach. There is a big difference between Parent A taking their kids to Glastonbury and working around their kids’ interests and spending lots of time in the children’s areas and Parent B high as a kite dragging their kids around in a trailer to see what they want.

We are having the kids at glasto this year for one day and no sleepover. Luckily we live close by and we have a camper van as a base on site too.

We will be in the kids field, circus field, and try and see some music but it will be a low key cruisy day.

My daughter has been coming to Glasto since she was tiny. Now she is older she will be going to the same gigs there as me and not just kid's field.

I wouldn't judge. I think metal heads are normally a good crowd. I take it you're a ghost fan

We took dd to the punk festival rebellion when she was 10
She had a fab time and kids got free entry
I think more people should take their children
It should be about the music not getting drunk and stupid

It depends.
Download festival, oh hell yes I judge. It is not a festival suitable for children.
Glastonbury? Sometimes I judge. Kids running around having a blast in circus workshops, dancing to their favourite bands, painting etc. Little ones in carts with sun hats on. All good.
Toddlers in their buggies terrified late at night with hard dance music at the glade with their parents, pupils wide as their eyes, dancing around completely not giving a shit. Yup. I judged.
I also said loudly 'who do we speak to? this is child neglect'

Not at all. I think it's awesome.

Taking my 19 month old to his first Glastonbury next week. Gonna be an interesting change of pace but I can't wait to see what he makes of it. I won't be seeing many bands but that's fine with me, the best bits of festivals are away from the big stages anyway!! I always see kids having a great time at Glasto

Looks like the weather is going to be "interesting"

Absolutely fine.

Some are absolutely not suitable for children. Creamfields for instance. The organisers therefore dont allow them in.
If the festival allows kids then no 9ne has the right to make them unwelcome. They have a ticket same as everyone else.

Not I found the festival was suitable with no behaviour/alociohol issues etc and the child clearly wanted to be there.

I would judge when its clearly not the child's choice.

Download is completely inappropriate for young kids imho. I wouldn't take them.

I'm not sure what Download is like, but Bloodstock has a good mix of ages and is pretty family-friendly.

I don't get this idea that all Metalheads are friendly. I encountered a lot of dicks at Download. I'm amazed that they allow young children though I did see some when there. It's madness imho. I wouldn't like to try keeping them safe in the crowds too, though I'm guessing you stand a long way back from the moshers.

My two have just done their third DL, they're 7 and 8. They love it and I've had millions of positive comments since they've been coming and not one negative one.

I went to 100s of gigs and quite a few festivals between '97 and 2005(ish)...Went to a gig a few years ago and the atmosphere was dead...Known people to go to festivals who have said the drug taking (and distribution of very unsafe drugs) is rife as well as sexual assaults. So I wouldn't judge, but I dont think I would want to take my kids to certain festivals. Probably country folk festivals would be ok

Btw, rules are changing and they are allowing under fives next year too.

That's batshit.