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Teenagers

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

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Original poster

16 year olds meeting in parks and drinking

75 replies

lu9months · 04/06/2021 17:40

groups of friends of my 16 year old are meeting regularly in the park of an evening and drinking. my ds wants to join them. says theres 20 or so of them, they cant meet in peoples homes, they are safe and keeping an eye on each other. hes determined to join them and not miss out. ive told him its not legal. ive offered to have friends at ours. hes really desperate to go along. they dont stay out crazy late- home by 11. do your teens do this? im not happy about it but theyve had a really crap year with covid and i do want him to have some fun. what are your thoughts?

OP posts:

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeep · 04/06/2021 17:40

It's pretty normal at 16!
As long as he gets back home on time and doesn't drink too much, I wouldn't be worries

blahblahblah321 · 04/06/2021 17:41

I wouldn't be comfortable with it, how much alcohol are we talking about?

Original poster

lu9months · 04/06/2021 18:03

he doesnt come back drunk , not sure how much is drunk!

OP posts:

UserAtRandom · 04/06/2021 18:09

If he's not coming back drunk then I'd be fine. Chances are they don't have that much alcohol anyway -it's more the "hanging out" that's the thing.
At 16 I think this is pretty normal. And 11 ok as a home time for weekends/holidays.

lanbro · 04/06/2021 18:18

I think it's normal, and I'd rather know where mine were and what they were doing, and that they could call me in an emergency. If you don't allow it he'll likely find a way to do it

DriedIris · 04/06/2021 18:28

Ahh, fond memories of the 90s sitting in a park with a few litres of frosty or bucky

Inevitably someone would vom all over themselves and we'd have to carry them to their front garden, knock for their parents and then leg it.

chickenninja · 04/06/2021 18:46

It's all part of growing up, let him go with his mates.

oohmyback · 04/06/2021 19:00

Not sure why he told you they were drinking lol. I'd never had told my mum I was meeting my friends for alcohol at that age. Although obviously I was!

Dozer · 04/06/2021 19:12

Yes, he sounds earnest!

Sounds pretty standard!

IHaveBrilloHair · 04/06/2021 19:16

I did it!
Dd didn't, she's not a big drinker but that said we had two v drunk occasions, neither related to parks.
Let's just say she'll never drink malibu again, nor is she a fan of AJ Pritchard who was on Strictly at the time!

ginoclocksomewhere · 04/06/2021 19:19

I did it too, tbh I drank more alcohol from 15-18 than I have since!

IHaveBrilloHair · 04/06/2021 19:21

I can't look at cider without remembering it in reverse in the bushes behind the library.

3CCC · 04/06/2021 19:21

Isn't meeting up with your mates in a park with some cheap cider or whatever a rite of passage at 26

DriedIris · 04/06/2021 19:26

@IHaveBrilloHair

I can't look at cider without remembering it in reverse in the bushes behind the library.

Oh god, the aftertaste of vommed up cider. 🥴

Mumof1andacat · 04/06/2021 19:27

Apple sours came in plastic cups with a lid and maybe a bottle of lambrini was my choice at the age. Yes it's not great to drink in the park but we've all done it

BluebellsGreenbells · 04/06/2021 19:30

Isn't meeting up with your mates in a park with some cheap cider or whatever a rite of passage at 26

Absolutely

neroforte · 04/06/2021 19:33

if i hadn't had had my son at this age i'd still be doing this, which i was from the age of 12 until i got pregnant

Hellocatshome · 04/06/2021 19:34

Teens have done that since the dawn of time, the odd thing here is that he has told you about it.

Moonshine11 · 04/06/2021 19:35

Yeah I’d let him.
I did this at 16 and honestly it’s up there in my best memories 😂

neroforte · 04/06/2021 19:36

btw my parents didn't and still don't know about it, so it is unusual that he told you, because absolutely none of my friends told their parents either, except when one of them got so drunk they went to hospital and had to own up to it!
i'd take it as a good sign that he's told you and not yet come home pissed.

3CCC · 04/06/2021 19:36

@BluebellsGreenbells

Isn't meeting up with your mates in a park with some cheap cider or whatever a rite of passage at 26

Absolutely

Ffs 16 even

Not 26 🙄🙄🙄🙄

MaybeCrazy2 · 04/06/2021 19:36

It’s fine but there needs to be rules.

No smashing bottles, home at a certain time and no getting too drunk, safety first.

I never done this as a kid, i was out working at 16. I didn’t like drink though but it sounds like a normal thing for kids to do.

Moonshine11 · 04/06/2021 19:36

@Hellocatshome

Teens have done that since the dawn of time, the odd thing here is that he has told you about it.

Yes, very honest! I used to come in cross eyed and pretend I hadn’t drank anything

IHaveBrilloHair · 04/06/2021 19:38

Oh god lambrini, that was seriously gross.

I ordered fancy tea this week!

alloalloallo · 04/06/2021 19:40

@IHaveBrilloHair

I can't look at cider without remembering it in reverse in the bushes behind the library.

Malibu for me. Anything coconut scented gives me flashbacks 😂

My older DD did it at 16 too. A few ciders on the beach with her mates - never came home pissed or particularly late so I kept an eye on it but let it go.

She managed to stain her very blonde hair pink by puking Raspberry Sourz in it a little while ago

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