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Teenagers

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

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Original poster

Group Camp Out

12 replies

GaryBaldy · 30/03/2015 21:18

So 16yo DS has just casually announced that a whole group of them (girls and boys) are having a camp out in a friend's field this weekend, there will be several tents, a bbq and alcohol...I'm thinking "no" but DH is saying I need to loosen up a bit.

My friend with much older children said that this is perfectly normal for this age.

WDYT?

OP posts:

cdtaylornats · 30/03/2015 23:07

I went camping with groups of friends in the Ochil Hills from about 14 up. We were sometimes away for a week if it was sunny. A load of them in a field overnight is not going to hurt them and it will be good practice for festivals.

I might be tempted to enquire about sanitation arrangements and I might just drive past the field before the event to ensure its not a quagmire and is currently unoccupied by livestock.

Have any of the group camped out before?

Original poster

GaryBaldy · 30/03/2015 23:12

Yes various members of the group have camped before...with family or scouts and such like.

I guess it is the lack of adults / alcohol and mixed group that makes me think it's going to be a load of pissed up teens shagging

OP posts:

Northernsoul58 · 31/03/2015 08:22

With any luck, if some of the group have been camping before they might even be camp bores and do it 'properly' so they'll be showing off their fire lighting skills (hahaha takes forever!) and gathering firewood .
Otherwise, remind your DS that tents have ABSOLUTELY NO sound proofing whatsoever and are see-through when the light is on inside. Have a really embarrassing talk about contraception to the point that that's all he can think of if he does want to 'shag' a friend. Tell him about all the embarrassing times you and/or friends got really drunk and vomited everywhere and ..... Then let him go and have fun.

Timetoask · 31/03/2015 08:25

I'd be worried about the alcohol

cdtaylornats · 31/03/2015 09:10

If they are going to have a drunken orgy they will anyway but the actual physical effort in camping and cooking and talking (because no couple will want to be the first to slope off) will limit it. Also they will do considerably less damage in a field.

Delilahfandango · 31/03/2015 09:16

Show them the weather forecast for the weekend - it's going to be pants - it'd put me off seriously, I think it would be ok at 16.

Original poster

GaryBaldy · 31/03/2015 09:50

Shame it wasn't planned for last night, it was blowing a hoodie and they'd have all abandoned their plans drunken shagging by 10.00pm

Thanks all for the different perspective.

OP posts:

SecretSquirrels · 31/03/2015 10:55

Yes both of mine did it and had a whale of a time, though it was in summer.....
The fact that it's in a parent's field suggests there would be an adult to call on in an emergency.They should know this.
DS2 went to exactly such a party last summer after GCSEs. There was a parent "on call". One boy got very drunk and none of them called the adult. All was well, but I was furious with DS2 and the rest of them and wished I had stressed more about the dangers of choking on vomit.

Heyho111 · 01/04/2015 22:31

Both mine s and d have done this and were fine. They all do it. Your husband is right I think.

ElizabethHoover · 01/04/2015 22:32

i would worry more about drugs tbh

antumbra · 02/04/2015 07:06

I would be worried about the safety aspects. Night time temperature are close to freezing atm, serious outdoor kit is required.

The mix of freezing temperatures and the irresponsibility of alcohol is not a good one.

RunkyJam · 08/04/2015 16:40

If there isn't going to be anyone over the age of 18 and there is going to be alcohol there, I think it's fair to say there is a real risk of danger.

Perhaps if you could agree an adult (with outdoor experience) helps set up the camp and ensures what's there (i.e. not a dangerous amount of alcohol / safe campaign equipment) then at least you know the risks are being minimized?

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