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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:
ConstanceGracy · 15/07/2021 22:44

Yeah I’d let her.
Your DD’s friend needs to book in advance though as you can’t pay on the day anymore.

Whydoiwearsomuchleopardprint · 15/07/2021 22:46

I get quite worried about these things too but at 15 absolutely let her go! My 13 year old went with a group of friends this week and had the time of her life! There was one adult there just in case but wasn’t needed and they all had phones. A 15 year old will be more than fine and absolutely should be allowed to go and enjoy their life.

yikesanotherbooboo · 15/07/2021 22:47

What do you think is going to happen? She is safer there than many other places 15 year olds go to.I would and was happy for my inexperienced 12 year old to go with friends. Missing the train home was my main concern.

staringstepan · 15/07/2021 22:47

I'm my day we shagged in car parks and drank bucky in piss smelling precincts.

I think Thorpe park will be ok for a 15yo.

GirlAloud · 15/07/2021 22:48

Crikey, at 15 I was doing far worse things than having a fun day out at a theme park with my mates....

Let her go and enjoy herself. She will resent you if you don’t.

Conchitastrawberry · 15/07/2021 22:49

Depends how far it is, how they’re getting there etc. My DD is 15, she want to go to the beach on Sunday on the train with her friend. I’ve said no. It’s 2 hours away and I’m not comfortable with it. We have beaches nearer to where we live and she can go to them.

She has loads of freedom and usually goes where she wants. It’s just the fact of how far it is away that worries me.

GrandTheftWalrus · 15/07/2021 22:51

The first time I went to alton towers I was 12 and it was a school trip and I waited 2hrs alone to go on nemesis. I am from Scotland so had to leave at 4am!

Guavafish · 15/07/2021 22:52

I went with my friends when we were 13 years old. It was great fun!

GreyhoundG1rl · 15/07/2021 22:52

Jesus, it's perfectly fine for a 15 year old to spend the day at a theme park, but all the "when I was fifteen I was constantly pissed as a fart shagging in fields" type posts are a bit Hmm

noirchatsdeux · 15/07/2021 23:00

I went across Europe, from the UK to Italy, by coach on my own when I was 15. I turned 16 a month after I got back to the UK. I was fine.

GreyhoundG1rl · 15/07/2021 23:01

@noirchatsdeux

I went across Europe, from the UK to Italy, by coach on my own when I was 15. I turned 16 a month after I got back to the UK. I was fine.
Was there a reason you were alone?
spotcheck · 15/07/2021 23:03

Aw, let her go.

My DD used to do the same, at around the same age, and I'm so glad she did

It boosted her confidence, and, I'm sure helped her go to the college she wanted to go to ( next town over).

It built loads of happy memories too.

I did worry about her drinking enough water, and wearing a hat though.

She'll be ok. Just get her to check in now and again😊

Terhou · 15/07/2021 23:04

Sounds absolutely fine. At that stage I was travelling a similar distance to boarding school on my own.

MrsTulipTattsyrup · 15/07/2021 23:06

I can’t see a problem with a small group of 15 year olds going to a theme park for a day, even with a train journey.

BUT - a couple of things here make me suspicious that actually they have a Grand Plan to do actually do something else; maybe a sneaky trip to London?

The first thing is that the boy is supposedly paying entrance for all of them. An on-the-day ticket is £50 each! I wouldn’t imagine his parents being willing to fund such an expensive trip even if it is for a birthday. Advance booking would reduce that by about 20% but that doesn’t seem to have been proposed. The OPs DD would still need to take lots of money for overpriced food and drink - has she asked for a substantial sum?

Similarly, because of Covid, I believe that time slots need to be booked - and this again hasn’t been mentioned. Have they done any planning at all for the trip?

I think you need to investigate a bit further before saying yes. Can you talk to the boy’s parents? Can you ask DD if she’s genuinely planning to go there? She would probably crumble under a few questions if they’re really planning something else, something you’d be unlikely to agree to.

noirchatsdeux · 15/07/2021 23:09

@GreyhoundG1rl I was being interviewed for a potential future job in Venice. My father worked abroad, and it was never even considered that my mother would come with me. I'd already been around the world with my parents so knew how to behave etc. Since then I've travelled extensively on my own for work, to many war zones in the middle and far east. I was in Sharm el Sheik a week after the bombing for work, on my own. Never had a serious problem anywhere.

me4real · 15/07/2021 23:15

15 is fine for a day out.

But @MrsTulipTattsyrup makes a good point- you could check with the boy's parents @demo2026 , to see if they know about the plan.

As at 15, if they're going on a trip by themselves, I don't know how much kids are interested in theme parks and would decide to spend their money on a trip there rather than somewhere they felt was more grown up. Like, a day trip to a city or beach or something IDK. At that age, I would've thought rides were for kids.

Eatenpig · 15/07/2021 23:16

Most 15yr olds I know are going alone to weekend festivals..

Timeisavirtue · 15/07/2021 23:17

I was going Thorpe park by myself ( with friends) when I was 13. Granted it was. 45 train journey. I think at 15 and if she’s not by her self they should be fine. They have smart phones which I didn’t have back then.

me4real · 15/07/2021 23:17

Children, I mean, whereas I would've been wanting to do something a little more adult-like I think.

Fiercestcalm · 15/07/2021 23:18

Unless she is very very immature I’d let her go. Am fairly sure schools would allow kids out in groups in a theme park and schools don’t take chances these days.

OppsUpsSide · 15/07/2021 23:18

I wouldn’t let the boy pay for my DD, I’d let her go but make sure I/she paid for herself

Coasterfan · 15/07/2021 23:20

I haven’t read the full thread so apologies if this has been mentioned but we visit Thorpe park regularly and often see fighting between groups of teens and someone got stabbed there last summer so I understand why you are concerned OP! Is there no one who can go and chill on the beach for the day in case they need you? I let DD go round Alton towers on her own with friends and have done since year 6. She’s now 13 and I wouldn’t let her go to Thorpe without an adult. Also does the boy who is paying know there’s no gate tickets at the minute and they need to be booked snd paid for online in advance?

Dixiechickonhols · 15/07/2021 23:22

Mine is 15 and went to Blackpool pleasure beach with 3 school mates last week. They were dropped off and picked up. Took her lunch. I couldn’t see any issues. They all bought own tickets it’s expensive not fair for one to pay.

Allywill · 15/07/2021 23:24

Both of mine went to festivals at 16, just a year older. It is hard letting them go off alone and you can’t help worrying but they need to spread their wings and learn to deal with stuff. Make sure she has her phone (ideally with a power bank as back up) and extra cash for “emergencies” take a deep breath and let her go.

scubadive · 15/07/2021 23:30

Thorpe park very safe and 15 a normal age to start going by themselves. Much better than hanging around the streets.