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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

DD wants to go to a festival in the middle of her GCSEs

59 replies

Get0rfMoiLand · 11/05/2012 14:54

She asked me a few weeks ago if she could go to the Download festival 'in the summer'. I agreed in principle as I assumed it was in July or something. She is planning to buy at ticket from a friend who has ordered them but can no longer go (probably because her parents have just worked out when it is).

I have just found out that it is 8-10th June and she has 2 maths exams and 2 history exams in the week after - one of them first thing Monday morning.

Apparently she will 'revise at the festival when the bands she doesn't like are playing'.

Of course I said she can't go (am amazed that 3 of her friends who are also 16 are allowed). She is weeping and wailing and saying I am unfair.

Bloody hell - I am right aren't I?

OP posts:
Original poster
Get0rfMoiLand · 11/05/2012 15:26

Bloody kids.

She also won 4 tickets to see You Me At Six in Cardiff - she found out this morning. It is on the afternoon (? why? some charity concert) but is on the last day of school so I told her she can't go to that either.

So she is a bit pissed off which I can empathise with but bloody hell, guilt trips about concerts .

OP posts:
Annunziata · 11/05/2012 15:27

Presumably she'd have paid for the weekend though?

Shallishanti · 11/05/2012 15:27

show her this thread
we have all done gsces (well, ahem, o levels) and then some-
it is a BAD idea to go, and she knows that really
a short, non-exhausting treat the weekend before the exams would be in order though

Original poster
Get0rfMoiLand · 11/05/2012 15:27

I don't think she can come back one day early - she had planned to go wuth a mate's parents so they are coming back on the sunday (presumably).

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FaceForRadio · 11/05/2012 15:28

GetOrf. Channel your inner teenager.

Let her go.

On one condition.

Come back Saturday.

Rest & Revise all Sunday.

That or nothing.

Go Go Go

WaitingForMe · 11/05/2012 15:29

You're absolutely right, she needs her sleep that weekend.

Original poster
Get0rfMoiLand · 11/05/2012 15:30

lol at inner teenager.

My teenage self would have been shut in the bedroom with the curtains shut, listening to the Smiths whilst reading books about royal family trees. For fun. Hmm Grin

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ScrambledSmegs · 11/05/2012 15:32

Hahahahah!

No.

Festival-goer here. You do not sleep at festivals, it's practically impossible, and I always have a kind of festival jet-lag for a few days afterwards. Even if she comes back one day early (unlikely, from what you've said) she will be absolutely exhausted for the exam. No way, no how. Whatever that means...

FaceForRadio · 11/05/2012 15:32

GetOrf - that sounds like me now Grin I have the Royal Family Tree link on my favourites!

I've just looked at the line up for download, Saturday is the best night so would be daft to come home that day.

Bollocks.

It's a No from me, sorry getOrfs dd.

FaceForRadio · 11/05/2012 15:33

BUT let her go to the other thing on last day of school as compromise.

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 11/05/2012 15:34

If she has two sleepless nights on Friday and Saturday, she'll probably sleep better on the Sunday. I know that in my festival days, I was longing for a steep in the bath and a comfortable bed by Sunday!

Original poster
Get0rfMoiLand · 11/05/2012 15:35

Aww but she can't miss the last day of school can she?

OP posts:
FaceForRadio · 11/05/2012 15:37

yeah last day of school last day of schmool!

Connect4 and monopoly these days :)

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 11/05/2012 15:38

Nothing ever happens (educationally anyway!) on the last day of school, so if she wants to go I'd let her.

Annunziata · 11/05/2012 15:38

I think she can, especially if she won her tickets. They don't do anything anyway.

oranges · 11/05/2012 15:38

Think missing the last day of school is fine. Its a day for fun and saying goodbye- she can decide whether that's worth it. Festival before an exam is a definite no. BEcause once she's there whatever she's promised - to come home a day early, revise in the tent - cannot be enforced at all.

ExitPursuedByABear · 11/05/2012 15:45

Definitely no to the festival.

And for all you saying last minute revision is no use Shock Shock Shock

I did most of my best revision the night before exams.

Ambivalent about the last day of school. You only get one of those, so to me it would be more important to do that.

AkhalTeke · 11/05/2012 15:46

Aaaw, poor thing.

Will she work much that weekend if she's sobbing the whole time about not being at the festival? will she get much sleep if she's seething with jealousy all night at her mate's FB status updates?

just a thought.

Babylon1 · 11/05/2012 15:55

Download is pants anyway Wink

well all of the download festival I watched from my back garden last year was anyway !! Blush

Original poster
Get0rfMoiLand · 11/05/2012 16:58

Well that's sorted.

She has just come home quite sanguine - she didn't really want to miss the last day of school. And has actually come rounf to he fact that a weekend in the tent in the pissign rain midlands is not a good idea.

She is going to a day at Reading instead.

OP posts:
FaceForRadio · 11/05/2012 16:58

Yay!!

ExitPursuedByABear · 11/05/2012 17:23

Result!

fuckarama · 11/05/2012 17:28

woo hoo!!

Cuddleczar · 11/05/2012 17:56

You are absolutely right not to let her go. My 15 yr old DD2 has managed to get us to agree to a (calm) sleepover tonight when she has three exams next week and even that was touch and go. You may well find that when push comes to shove, the other people going will suddenly find that they can't go either...or if they can, they will not be taking the same exams as her (and/or have totally irresponsible parents). (This happened to us with £800 ski trip: "Everyone but everyone in my group is going, this is the last chance, I can't miss out on this etc etc, I've got to take the deposit cheque in tomorrow as the places go really really quickly.". Finally gave in with huge misgivings about where the money would come from...only to find that she came back with the cheque and then decided that she wouldn't go after all as no one else in her group was going. Last time I heard about it, school was advertising "a few remaining places".) I digress, but in short you are definitely right. If it was any other time-consuming social event, I would say only if you consistently reach your target on 3 consecutive past papers...but not for a festival where there is a risk of no sleep and coming back totally exhausted.

Original poster
Get0rfMoiLand · 11/05/2012 18:24

I am very relieved actually. She is perfectly fine and is pleased that a day at Reading will work out a bit cheaper than the weekend at Download. Plus also Reading is a lot closer to us - only about an hours drive or so so is quicker to get to.

She had had a think on the way home (and probably a good moan about it to her mates ) - the friend she is going with is a maths whizz and has no worries in her exams, however dd really panics about maths and is dreading it. I think if she went and was tired on the day she would kick herself if she did badly.

I have just given her a tenner to go to the pictures (soft touch as per).

Thanks everyone!

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