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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not want DD to go to Thorpe Park?

233 replies

demo2026 · 15/07/2021 19:26

DD is 15, it is her last day at school tomorrow before the summer holidays. One of the days next week, she wants to go to Thorpe Park with her friends, 2 other girls and one boy. They're all 15, the boy said he's going to pay as his parents are giving him some money.

The problem is, his parents won't be there so it'll be just them. I'm not really comfortable as they're all only 15.

Am I being too overprotective and I should let her go? What are other peoples opinions on this?

OP posts:
surreygoldfish · 15/07/2021 19:37

Yes, let her go. Lots go, much younger than that - I think it’s one if the safer places that they can go in their early teens.

Firawla · 15/07/2021 19:37

Extremely over protective - let them go. At what age would you be okay with it, if not now? In a few years she will be moving out and be an adult…

TheSweetLady · 15/07/2021 19:37

I used to go to Alton Towers from age 12 about 3 times every summer with my best friend. We lived quite close and one of our parents would drop us off and pick up at the end.

I still remember those times as the most amazing days Smile

At 15 I would definitely let her go, if she’s generally sensible and you know her friends

JaninaDuszejko · 15/07/2021 19:38

It's an amusement park, what do you think could happen? They are 15 and unless you drip feed that you live in the Falkland Islands and it's a three week boat trip to get to Thorpe Park the YABU.

reannneeee · 15/07/2021 19:39

Let her go. I’m surprised she’s even asked for permission at 15 providing you’re near Thorpe Park.

Unless she has form for telling you she’s going to places like the theme park when she’s actually off her head in a drug den, I don’t see the issue.

cashoncollection · 15/07/2021 19:39

Let her go, she’ll have a great time.

Pay for her ticket though.

TestingTestingWonTooFree · 15/07/2021 19:40

YABU. I used to go 30 mins on a train to a local city from 13/14 with friends for a day out shopping. No mobiles so parents had no idea where we were until we phoned from a pay phone. That was fine. Your daughter’s plan is even safer.

guiltynetter · 15/07/2021 19:41

I would have thought 15 was old enough to go round a theme park by themselves without an adult! I would like to drop them off and pick them up and keep in contact during the day.

What do you think is going to happen to her?

AllTheUsernamesAreAlreadyTaken · 15/07/2021 19:41

That's a bit young sorry and a bit careless

No it’s not @secular39

If they were on a school trip, it would be reasonable for them to go off alone at that age and be told to meet at a specific time and place.

Holothane · 15/07/2021 19:42

Let her go I was allowed to nothing at that age, I had no money anyway.

Ellpellwood · 15/07/2021 19:43

YABU. Don't be weird. I went to Spain with a friend for a week at 16.

thecognoscenti · 15/07/2021 19:45

In the absence of a massive drip feed YABsoU.

ThirdElephant · 15/07/2021 19:47

It'll be fine, OP. Got to cut the apron strings sometime.

Tequilamockinbird · 15/07/2021 19:48

YABU, they'll be fine.

Original poster
demo2026 · 15/07/2021 19:49

It's about an hour and half/sometimes 2 hours on the train and that's how they'd be getting there, so DD wants money for the train fare and food and she's said the boy is paying for the tickets as it was supposed to be for his birthday which was during lockdown so he couldn't go.

They are usually sensible although the boy does have form for sometimes having silly behaviour.

OP posts:
shouldistop · 15/07/2021 19:50

Sounds like a great day out for them. You would be really unreasonable to stop her from going.

hulahooper2 · 15/07/2021 19:50

I would have no issue letting her go but would insist on paying , do his parents know he was spending his money taking them ?

Nancydrawn · 15/07/2021 19:50

Thorpe Park seems like a perfectly age-appropriate activity for a small group of 15-year-olds (presumably with working mobiles in case there is an emergency).

AddsVsGeorgs · 15/07/2021 19:52

Just warn them that the last few weeks have been hell and alot of people are only managing to go on 2 or 3 rides in the whole day

I wouldnt let the friend pay.
Does he realise how much it is to get in?

Theres 241 vouchers on some cereal boxes,
I know coco pops is one

MojoMoon · 15/07/2021 19:53

Is it because it is with a boy?

She is 15. That is plenty old enough.

If it's a fairly straightforward train journey that also seems unproblematic

Enko · 15/07/2021 19:53

I have let mine go in very similar circumstances. and similar distance for us..

allthegoodusernameshavegone · 15/07/2021 19:53

You are being over protective, let her go.

Jijithecat · 15/07/2021 19:57

I'm going to go against the grain and say I'd be apprehensive too with regards to Thorpe Park as there seem to be more incidents there than other theme parks. Are there any other theme parks that are closer to home?

Tal45 · 15/07/2021 19:58

I've been on a school trip with Yr 6 children where they were all allowed to go off on their own (to be fair I thought it was crazy, and it was as several didn't turn up for the bus and we had no idea where they were) but at 15 unless you have serious concerns about her friends I would let her go.

It's very expensive though, I'd be concerned about the friend paying for them all.

NumberTheory · 15/07/2021 19:59

Sounds like a good excursion for a 15 year old who hasn't been given much freedom so far. They're going to a place with lots of oversight (compared to, say, a town center) via transport that's very safe. They'll rarely, if ever, be far from access to emergency help should things go horribly wrong (which is, in any case, very unlikely to happen).

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