Anyone had any experience of under 18s nightclub events?

[notahotel]

DS (nearly 14) has asked to go to an under 18s night at a local nightclub in the Easter holidays, with friends of the same age. I've had a look at the website and the rules seem pretty strict - no alcohol, cigarettes, gaming machines, etc. Am I right to feel reassured? We'll be picking them up afterwards.

All I can reassure you with is that although they call these events under 18s, no 16+ year old would be seen dead in one of them. They are strict and I think they search for alcohol on entry. So your son will find it is mostly his agegroup and some 15 year olds.

My dd used to go to nappy nights at a local nightclub

they were very strict on the no alcohol rule

and we always picked her up

im not sure my daughters asked me about these yes i agree all of the above about strict no alcohol, cigarettes ect as DD's friends parents have assured me its ok and it looks well run on their internet site, but im still wavering between the idea of encouraging so early the culture aspect iyswim , and i feel the time for nightclubs comes soon enough as it is, dont they need to learn certain things first that will encourage them to take care of themselves ect later, im not over protective my DD goes away camping , kayaking and doing different sports , school trips ect shes also doing her duke of edin award but im not sure this is the sort of activity i want her doing really

i have 2 dd's who like to go to u18's they do get searched for alcohol and if they look under 13 but over 16 they are refused entry.
the one my dd's go to even take any aresol's of them until they leave(body spray ect).
the first time my dd's went they came home with a form that asked for general info and if you wanted a contact number for a parent/guardian in case of emergency.
these events are normally well supervised and safe. the police and local council have to give permission for this sort of event to happen or else it is illegal.

DD is 15 and has finished with them too. I think she went about 4 times in the space of a year.

As everyone else has said, it is very safe and very well managed. It's more than their licence is worth, to muck about really.

There are hundreds of hi-vis people around at closing time, who I'm told by DD, are on the inside all night too.

theres not much difference between this and a school disco imo, so if you are aainst the culture of school discos then dont send them...

actually i was thinking more of encouraging night clubbing and that if you allow it it will continue onto other things as they get older, i hardly think a school disco with dozens of teachers who are crb checked and you actually know is quite the same as a nightclub with a bunch of people who you dont know at all and you dont even know their background , unless your DCs go to a inner city school thats failing that is and your the type of parent who doesnt care WHAT their kids get up to ( a lot of those about)

in my youth i went to a few with friends, it was 15 yrs ao but same as disco, dorls one side boys the other etc, but im sure times have chaned

MADABOUTTHEBOY2000 What on earth as the type of school they go to got to do with anything?

My kids mix with people from all walks of life

What a strange attitude MAD. And very judgemental about inner city schools too!

The only experience of these are the nights I went to when I was a teenager, you probably do not want to hear what happened! Sorry.
Tey might be stricter nowadays, things like smoking we didnt have the smoking ban and you could be 16 to buy cigarettes back then so that sort of things was harder to control.
As long as you are there to drop them off (and see them in even if you have to hide!) and pick them up theyshould be fine!

I let my DD(14) go early in the year. My logic was that I was in clubs at the age of 14 so its better for her to go to a nappy night and see how they work rather than suddenly at 18 turn up and it be a bit of a shock.

The one she and her mate went to seemed well supervised. However, it was outside which was the issue. I arrived 10 mins early to pick them up and parked up outside the club. Literally at the same time two gang of lads had a big set to outside and one was getting such a kicking that me & another lady had to intervene. I guess luckily at 15-16, they're still frightened of adults rather than realising they outnumbered us! Anyway, long story short, police vans, sirens everywhere.

DD did have a good time though and was gutted she missed the "action". Bloody kids!

I'd still let her go back though (albeit with more than 1 friend next time). She's gonna go when she's older regardless of what I say. It's better for her to learn in this environment first and with my blessing rather than her lying to my face.

it was nailak i thought was being rude so i was having a go back nothing personal to anyone else she was being arsy i thought "if you dont like it dont send them" , people get flamed for having a different opinion its pathetic , im in a mc area and as im from london a rough area origionally, i can quite categorically tell you the view about inner city schools (not the parents that comment was for nailak) is correct, it wasnt the type of school i was really refering to but a type of person sorry if it offended anyone else

if you read ALL the comments you can see the person who was rude to me , nothing weird about wondering if these places are safe when you dont know the staff from adam or if they are CRB checked

sorry if i came across rude, i didnt mean to, that is the thin about forums sometimes thins come across differently to the way people intend them, personally i wouldnt send my kids, due to me beliefs, but in my experience of attendin these places are the same as school discos, and are quite tame and well supervised sorry if my experiences are offensive.

thats the type of thing i was refering to not sure id like my daughter exposed to that yet, she has to grow up yes butat what cost surely preferable to wait until physically and mentally older id still rather she continued with her sporting activities which are also social and i know everyone there so even when im not, i personally know everyone involved where as at one of these clubs who knows who they employ

Thanks for your advice, everyone. I do feel reassured about safety inside the club now, but I think I'll be sending DH to pick them all up afterwards! I know what some of you mean about preferring your kids to do sporting activities, etc. instead. My DS does a range of other activities too but I agree with Niceguy2 - I'd rather allow him to try this with my blessing if it will encourage him to be honest with us in future.

Around here these events are for over 14's or they used to be, All 3 of my DD's have been to them in the past, There was strictly no acohol,

Where I am, if you're over 15 these things are seriously not cool, so generally quite safe.

i went to one once when I was 14, it was NOT as cool and exciting as I thought it was oging to be

Hi, i am a new member just joined following this thread and have read with interest. My daughter (just 14) wants to go with school friends to a nightclub/party that organises events for 16+. Website says alcohol restricted to 18+ and my daughter is emphatic that it's ok and no one who is 'cool' and over 16 would be going anyway and her friends older siblings have been to similar in past. Am I being too strict in saying I don't think it's suitable - (especially when they hand out free condoms on the door)?

do they omg see YES we want our dcs to be careful so its good in that way but i think thats encouraging them to experiment in that dept and its not their place to be doing that what are they not allowed to drink ect but can shag in the carpark or loo or something seems odd to me i really must be just too old or something as id want to discuss this with my dcs myself if and when I think its appropriate