DS camping out tonight - right thing to allow?

[hadagutsfull]

DS (15 in a few days) has never camped out with friends although has camped with the Army when he was a cadet. Some time ago he talked DH into allowing him to camp out with friends but the weather was so bad it was called off.

His friends are camping out tonight (apparently) as the weather is good, and he has begged to be allowed to go with them. There is a large open grassy area on the other side of the estate where we live and it is quite common for teens to camp there during the summer.

We have allowed him to go on the understanding that if there are any problems, or he changes his mind, he can ring at any time and we will go and bring him home. I know that they will stay up late generally messing about and that it's a possibility some of them will get a couple of cans from somewhere to take.

I've told him to be careful, sensible, and that if he puts a foot wrong he will have to take the consequences, but I still can't help feeling a bit uneasy about the whole thing. Anyone been through the same with their teen?

Yes, he'll be fine. It's a rite of passage.

Thanks Agent - part of me thinks that but the other part can't wait until he's home again tomorrow! DH is quite strict and over protective at times (in my opinion), and is reluctant to let DS do things as he always sees the worst possible outcome for anything. I'm more inclined to let him do things until/unless he does anything wrong if you know what I mean.

hadagutsfull, I hope everything went well with the camp!

When my DS's are going out to do anything unsupervised with their mates, I always remind them of what my mum used to say to me:

"Don't do anything you wouldn't want me to know about."

waycat Thank you for that He came back about 10.30 on Sunday morning and said he'd had a really good time. It seems everything was OK but I have some suspicions - his clothes didn't look to me as if he'd slept in them which he would have done had he been camping. I wonder if he actually stayed at someone's house - but maybe it's just me

I told him that if had been doing anything he shouldn't have, I'll find out in the end!

Hadagutsfull, sounds as if things went as well as you could have hoped for.
The ultimate threat: if they've done anything, you will find out in the end!
It usually works!

Glad it went well and hope you can relax now - until the next time