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Teenagers

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

Original poster

At what age did you allow DC to camp at a festival w/out adults?

33 replies

OyWithThePoodles · 28/04/2017 16:04

DD wants to go to Reading with group of girlfriends. Will only just have turned 16. I think is too young; other mums think they're mature enough and I'm being overly clucky. Can't decide whether to over-ride my anxiety or stick to my guns ... (Dad won't get involved with the decision! My friends think I'm right to trust instincts, but their kids are mostly all younger so they're not having to do the loosening of the apron strings yet ...)

OP posts:
AndNoneForGretchenWieners · 28/04/2017 16:07

I would allow DS to. He's 17 this year but I would have been relaxed about it last year. He's been camping loads though with cadets and DoE so is no stranger to self sufficiency.

teenagetantrums · 28/04/2017 16:09

My DD went at 16 after gcse. I was a bit worried but she had a ball. I drummed into her to stay with her friends. I'm sure they drank too much and stayed up all night but nothing l didn't do at 16.

teenagetantrums · 28/04/2017 16:10

Oh and l could have done without the constant phone calls telling which bands she seeing a d to look for her on T.V

LoveMyLittleSuperhero · 28/04/2017 16:11

I'm 25 and DD is 6 months so I wont have this problem for years but from my personal experience having been to festivals myself no way would I allow anyone under 18 to go without an adult especially not if they are wanting to camp.

IHaveBrilloHair · 28/04/2017 16:12

I'd allow her next year so 16.

PaperdollCartoon · 28/04/2017 16:12

16 is very normal - most people I know started going at this age or a bit younger

ShatnersBassoon · 28/04/2017 16:13

I think 16 is the norm for these things. I was 16 when I went to my first festival.

Love51 · 28/04/2017 16:28

My mum let me go at 15. I was with my best mate, 15, my brother and my boyfriend, both 17. We had an absolute blast. And no mobile phones.
16 is kind of old enough to make your own decisions. We self funded it, which was the major parental barrier.

Kaybush · 28/04/2017 16:32

This just sends me into a tailspin of anxiety!!

My DD is 10 and the idea of her going away to a festival at 16 is absolutely terrifying. In fact the idea of any 16 year old girl going seems worrying.

It's mainly the thought of the drugs and peer pressure that gets me, plus the idea of her getting lost and separated and wandering into something unsavoury.

I only have my own experience to go on and I did go off to buy seven 'special cakes' for friends at my last festival, then got lost for about an hour and ate five out of boredom, bringing on four hours of the weirdest shit ever...I guess I turned out fine, but I was 26 at the time.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 28/04/2017 16:33

I'd feel happy at 17.

Not sure about 16.

Garlicansapphire · 28/04/2017 16:36

DD went to Reading at 16 after GCSE's. Its a rite of passage at her school. She had an eventful time but is very responsible and it showed how mature she is - plus she was with a lot of friends who she trusted.

BertrandRussell · 28/04/2017 16:36

16- post GCSE seems to be the norm. Dd went to the Isle of Wight at 16, hated every second and has never been to another one. Ds is going to Boardmasters this summer and will, I am sure, have a ball.

purpleprincess24 · 28/04/2017 16:40

Ours went when he was 16 to Reading, about 20 from his school went to celebrate the end of GCSE's

BigSandyBalls2015 · 28/04/2017 16:46

Too young, mine wanted to go to reading this year and I've managed to persuade her not to. I'll be happier next year at 17. But she does have form for over doing the drink at parties, and her mates are a bit wild. I wouldn't have an issue with her sister going. It does depend on the teen I think.

frenchfancy · 29/04/2017 14:01

I said no at 16. My DN went and twice woke up with a strange man in her tent. Another friends DD went with a group and one of them got so drunk they couldn't get her back to the tent, so they just left her in a puddle at midnight.

They can go when they are adults.

Notso · 29/04/2017 14:15

I think 17. I didn't let DD go to Leeds last year after exams. I think Reading/Leeds can be a bit edgier than some other festivals. Reading is the only one I've been to where I felt unsafe.

LightastheBreeze · 29/04/2017 14:22

DS went to Reading/Leeds when he was about 19+ and didn't like it as everyone was drunk and part of the problem was that it was full of 15/16 years olds let loose for the first time on their own. We would have let DS go at 16 though if he had wanted too. DS is 24 now and only goes to Glastonbury and says Leeds/Reading is awful.

saltandvinegarcrisps1 · 30/04/2017 11:21

YY to it depends on the teen. I would trust DS at 16 but not DD (16 at the moment). DD wanted to go and camp at T in the park this year but luckily for me they aren't having or this year - just day stuff in a venue closer to where live. T in the park are now saying no camping overnight unless accompanied by an 18+ because of the (bad publicity) problems with under 18s doing drugs etc. I don't think it will stop anything unsavoury having an 18 yr old - my DD has friends of that age in her group but I suppose it absolves their "responsibility" should anyone come to harm.

naffedoff · 30/04/2017 11:36

DS went to Leeds Festival last August, immediately after collecting GCSE results. He loved it and is planning to go again this year, but not next year because by then he'll be 'too old' for it!
I wasn't too keen on him going, but all his friends went - male and female - and it's full of 16 year olds.

bevelino · 30/04/2017 12:35

All 4 of my dds went to Latitude at 16, (post GCSE) with a huge group of friends and camped for 3 days. There were no problems at all and Latitude is a good and safe festival for unaccompanied teens to attend.

I hear Reading is a far edgier festival, but again dds have friends who went at 16 and there was no problem. Not all teens act unsafely when left to their own devices.

LettuceMash · 30/04/2017 12:38

16 here. Reading is packed with them.

mymatemax · 30/04/2017 20:59

My Ds went to V last yr at 16. The stories gradually emerged after he got home. I'm glad I wasn't there but he came home safe & smelly & had a great time. He hopes to go to reading this year.

Aducknotallama · 30/04/2017 21:03

My ds is going this year, he will be 16 in September but not camping. Next year I will let him stay overnight.

dietstartsmonday · 30/04/2017 21:09

My DD went day time only last year at 15. She is now 16 and bugging me about camping I think I will probably agree to it

CaulkheadNorth · 30/04/2017 21:10

Depends on the teen and how far away you are.

When the God-daughter and friends went to reading aged 16, her parents paid for me to stay in a hotel nearby so she could come back for a shower and check in during the weekend. This worked as it would be a 6hr journey there if there was an issue and she had a reputation for over doing things...