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?

Sadly not all parents do stay sober or drug free when at festivals with their kids.

I can't wait until my DD is old enough to come to download with us. She'll love it.

Download has a reputation amongst those that have never been but having been for years it's one of the friendliest and safest festivals I've ever been to. However I didn't go this year and have heard rumours of it not feeling so safe this year.

Exactly jennymanara and I have witnessed some very distressed DC with very out of it parents at festivals.

Not at all. We take our son to Glastonbury and there’s loads of children. It’s an amazing experience for them.
I suppose it depends on which festival you are talking about, but generally speaking I don’t see it being an issue.

I judge parents of very small children at very loud festivals at very loud points near the speakers without ear defenders.

I wouldn't take a small child to Download. Our own DC have been to several concerts, but not until the age of 10, and then only those rock bands that don't swear continuously (and there are lots of them).

My DH has been to Download on more than one occasion. We love rock/metal music, and so do our DC. But I would wait a few years. It's not necessarily the conduct of the audience (I agree, Metal Heads are some of the most welcoming people you could ever wish to meet), but that of the bands. At such a young age that would exclude us from going, that and the ridiculous volume of the music.

To the poster who said im forcing her to go, I'm really not. I'm not bothered about going, as I've seen all the bands I want to see. She had the choice between Download or going on holiday and she's chosen Download.
We definitely wont camp, and if the bands she wants to see are playing on the same day I'll just get us day tickets.

@SkintAsASkintThing I'm very jealous! I was unsure about taking her to a stadium, as you're kind of stuck there, but with a festival you can come and go as you please. My daughter is desperate to see Ghost! were they amazing??

It really does depend on the festival.

It's been a few years since I've been to Download, and I probably wouldn't just mainly for the fact that I personally couldn't hack DL anymore. But there is nothing there for children and it is quite 'adult' aimed in terms of non-music entertainment.

However, there are LOADS of festivals that I'd be happy taking toddlers too. We go to a festival in wales every year and they have the best provisions for children, and everyone is genuinely really happy and pleasant. Yes there are people who are drunk, and on drugs but walking through our town centre on a sunny Saturday afternoon, they would see worse.

I saw a couple with a baby at Download and felt a bit sorry for them. But I certainly didn't judge them

@PouncerDarling I doubt you did because under 5s are only being allowed at Download from next year...

It at all, I think it's great. Provided they are old enough to enjoy it. Can't wait til my kids are old enough to come to Download!

Not*

I can't wait for our son to be okd enough to go to Download but he needs to be old enough to stay up till 11 a few nights in a row or its going to be a waste of money if I have to sit in the tent with him from 7pm onwards. I am thinking round 10 or 11 years old will be ok, we will take him to some day events before then. Saying that he is only 2 so we have a long way to go!

Cutest thing I have seen at download was a little lad dressed as kid rock. Although he was really upset when the set got cancelled :(

Livingdeadgirl, mine are 5, 4 and 8 months so long way to go for us too haha.

My eldest daughter loves little mix though so DL may not be her scene when she is older.

Taking her to see a little mix tribute band that finishes at 9pm to see how she copes with that before contemplating anything bigger.

I will judge if:

• your child doesn't have ear defenders and is near the front
• you/your child expect to queue jump for the loo
• your child is running around screaming and spills my drink
• your child is up on shoulders blocking everyone else's view of the stage (I also object to this as 'on shoulder' can become a great target for people who want to throw 'warm beer'...I don't want that near me!)
• your child drinks the bar dry of my favourite cider
• your child plays football right next to my tent when I'm still sleeping off the night before
• you expect me to moderate my language because of your child...my sweariness does accelerate with alcohol intake...

Basically assuming you are a decent human being and encourage your children to behave appropriately I won't be bothered

I love festivals, valued the ones I went to in my teens & 20s. Had kids took them to the odd folk festival for the day and Beautiful days for an afternoon.
But the number of kids in buggys and trolleys, out late at night upsets me. I want to enjoy several drinks, relax not watch my language but as soon as you and your kid stray near I'm forced back into caring parent mode.
I'd wish they'd ban those stupid trolleys, I don't think 'what a cool family' . I judge, judge a lot at why you'd invade my carefree environment when there are so many family friendly festivals.
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Teens rebel against parents can’t help wondering if these festival going toddlers will grow up like saffy in absolutely fabulous and detest everything festival preferring to sit in the garden with a good book as soon as they are able to have a say in what they do

Depends on the festival, some are far more family friendly than others. I wouldn’t take my DC to something like Leeds fest for example, it’s rammed full of drug users and drunks.

I'll wait and see who's playing I think. Ghost and Babymetal are the ones she's hanging on for!
If Rammstein are playing I'm going on my own

I always think it’d be cool to take DC to Glastonbury but a) DH would rather gouge out his own eyeballs than go to a festival so I’d have to handle them alone and b) I want to do what I want to do at a festival, not spend all day in the Kids Field!!

@mustardscreams there was at least one baby there this year it was with one of the traders.

Im taking her to Bestival and the Healy Cider festival as her little warm ups to see how she manages.

Why does a 6 year old determine whether you go to a music festival that you're not fussed about or a holiday?

She's a child. My kids do what I tell them in the summer which are family friendly holidays/activities not rites of passage activities for later life. Let her be a child and take her crabbing instead.

As long as I don't have to take care of her, what do I care?