How can I keep an eye on my teen at a festival?

[gruppybird]

My kid wants to go to the roundhouse festival alone with his friends, and honestly I’m not okay with that. It’s his first time going somewhere without us, and I’m not sure how to handle this situation. I’ve thought about things like location sharing and check-ins, but it still feels uncertain and unreliable.

Has anyone dealt with this before? How to eye on them without being too controlling?

How old?

I think we need to know what age he is - teen could be 13 or 19

he is turning 14 this october.

What age? Personally I don’t think location sharing helps someone be safe in this type of situation.

I think you let him go or you don’t.

What are his friends like?

13 is too young to go unaccompanied to a festival in my opinion. Even if you trust your own child's ability to handle it, there are too many other people who could exploit such a young group of kids. The rule in our house was 16+ for festivals.

I think 13 is a too young to go to a festival on his own. I would say no

What are the age restrictions on the ticket? Some venues require under 16s to be accompanied by an adult.

“Alone with his friends”

well he’s not going alone if he’s with friends is he?

What are the friends like? If they’re nice lads who’ll look out for each other then there’s probably no more risk than if he was with you.

what sort of festival is Roundhouse? During the day? Evening?

I think at 13, with decent mates I’d let him go. Just arrange drop of and pick up, and make sure they know where to get help if needed- there’s usually an assistance tent- and to ask for it if in any doubt.

At 14 I would go with them but give them some space

Is he even allowed in at 13?
I don’t think it’s a going idea if he has never been anywhere without his family. Start building trust and good habits by slowly allowing him to go out with his friends to, for example, the nearest big town (or around where you are if you live in a big city).
then he can go to a festival when he’s 15.

Even if it’s the roundhouse arts and culture festival? Or the roundhouse comedy festival?

o/p doesn’t specify.

I remember being taken to various festivals, three counties show etc and being allowed to wander around with my friends at that age. No phones then either, just “meet us at the exit at x’o clock.

I want the same thing too, but he is being stubborn.

I think it’s too young for a festival but I’m not familiar with this particular one.

You either trust them to behave and let them go.

Or you don’t.

Keeping an eye on them won’t help at all. All you will see if there location at the festival(which is knew already).

He doesn’t want to take me along; he feel ashamed of it.

I’m unfamiliar with the festival but I’m guessing that you are aware that location on a phone can be faked and shows the location of his phone rather than the location of him?

13 is pretty old to never gone anywhere without you. Doesn’t he go to school or out with his friends without an adult? Going from never going anywhere without you to this is could be too big a step up. If you say no this year, I think
that you need to start working on his independence unless there’s good reason why he’s not ready.

No, 13 year olds don't go to festivals without adults - at least not to camp. What about a day ticket?

You don't specify what festival you are talking about, or whether it is a music festival, poetry, dance or whatever.

If it's the Roundhouse 360 Festival, which is a dance and performing arts festival, then I don't think that would be an issue. If it's the Desertfest heavy metal festival, then yeah, probably too young.

Check the festival info - any decent festival wouldn't let such a young child in unaccompanied.

Check with parents of friends - are any actually going to let their kids go?
Stand your ground. No way would I have let mine go at 13. Saying he's 14 in October is unhelpful. He's 13 and will be at the time of the festival.

Not many people camp when attending a festival in Camden.

By looking at the roundhouse website - under 16s must be accompanied by an adult to music performances.
It doesn’t appear to be a ‘festival’ in the same way that Glastonbury is a festival but more series of music gigs. I’d be surprised if he can get in on his own as a 13 year old.
Also- who’s paying??

Could be the performing arts festival (Roundhouse 360) which doesn't have an age limit I think. OP seems reluctant to say which festival she means. The other one (Desertfest) is very much 18+.

Festival specifics aside.. I would offer this (which is what my parents did when I was a teenager)

He can go, for the day (no camping) and be on his own all day.. but you will be in the venue relaxing somewhere. He says goodbye to you in the morning, and then meets you in the evening at X time.

My son went with a group at 14 to the IOW Festival He’d been before under a parents ‘supervision’ (very loosely as it turned out), so did know what to expect. Told him to be home by 1am (lots of extra busses) and he was.