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

[OyWithThePoodles]

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 ...)

DD went to Reading with her mates after GCSES - she had just turned 16 as had a couple of the others. They went in a big group (10) of girls and had a great time. But they weren't naive and they looked out for each other. She loves music, paid for her own ticket, and didn't want to waste it being totally wasted the whole time!

OP, how worldly-wise/experienced is she? If your DD hasn't partied/gone to gigs, etc much yet, maybe she might wait till next year?

Norm round here is 16. (Reading-Leeds post GCSE rite of passage). I let ds1 do it at 15 for exceptional reasons. can't believe I did that

He survived in one piece and had the very best time in his very whole life he tells me.

Eighteen. They are not suitable places for children and most have a requirement that children are accompanied by an adult anyway. Why would you expose your children to that degree of risk?

There's not a chance in hell I'd let a 16 year old go, mine were 18 before they were allowed on their own.

Too many drugs and too much alcohol.

Post GCSE is the norm here. So, 16. My older DC isn't quite at that age yet and isn't into music ...but we'll see

My DD asked to go to Boardmasters last year at 15, I said no but probably ok this year. She was 16 in December and I still don't feel happy so have said no! I don't think I will get away with it next year at 17!

We live in Reading, close enough that it's about the same to walk back to ours as to the further, quieter campsites. Dd went for three years, but she's really serious about her music so she came home each night to have the energy for it! Ds is going this year, post-GCSE - he's not a great one for crowds and he and some friends are probably going to stay here. Having done salvage a couple of years in the campsites closest to the arena, whilst I would have let my kids camp, I'm very glad they didn't/aren't! Red and green campsites are absolutely disgusting.

Thanks everyone ... really interesting mix of opinions and helped crystallise my thinking. DD is pretty responsible but eager to please and plays the mother hen to her friendship group. I don't think she's ready to cope with how this trip could pan out, so going to say NO this year.