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

[Get0rfMoiLand]

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?

dd's going to that but shes 12 so no exams.shes going to belguim the day she gets back so shes going to be shattered.

I was not allowed to go to a festival until I had finished my A Levels and was very nearly 19.

I loved a festival in my younger days but they're not an atmosphere for revising in and I am not sure an atmosphere for the under 18s in general if I'm honest. Lots of drinking, shagging and bad behaviour.

Definitely NOT the place to be revising for Maths GCSE.

In fact, now I think of it, I didn't even go to my first gig until I was in sixth form.

No, no, a thousand times no!!

I didn't go to my first gig until I was 32 (and that was Heaven 17!)

First festival last year (Wireless, I aint camping anywhere).

DD2 came home from the last festival she went to a soggy mess because it had rained so much. She came in, ate a massive sandwich worthy of scooby doo and shaggy and then went to sleep for 14 hours. There is no way I would have let her go just before exams.

Glad your DD has seen the light GetOrf a bit of letting off steam with friends is fine but a festival is madness.

Glad she's seen sense.

Amazed some people don't believe last minute cramming works - that's totally how I did my A'levels [last minute merchant]

What a sensible girl GOML . Its good she has come to that decision herself despite all the huffy texts first.

We have an annual very large music festival right on our doorstep every year and most years it is the weekend before the maths GCSE on the Monday. Over the past few years I have allowed DD1 and DD2 and DD3 to go when they had exams, but they needed to come home by 8pm on the SUnday evening. which was a bit daft seeing as the music sounds as if it is in our lounge and keeps everyone awake until 1am anyway I wish the organisers would move it just by just one weekend rather than have it that weekend every year. (actually ours here is moved until the end of June this year)

What a relief for you OP -well done for sticking to your guns.
Last minute cramming can make the world of difference to exam results.
Your DD will enjoy treats in the summer all the more for having waited and the next time that she's desperate to do something that isn't practical or whatever she'll have learnt from this year that it won't actually be the end of the world to miss out for the sake of something more important.

Oh let her go. Or else you'll forever be the uncool mum.

of course you were right to see no. I suspect that some of the others will find they aren't allowed to go either. Telling your parents everyone else is going is one of the standard teenage lies.