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Teenagers

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

DD16 and friends going to a festival

41 replies

FrazzledLuce · 25/07/2023 13:43

DD is 16 and has tickets to Greenman Festival in a few weeks with her three friends, also 16. We've been to festivals as a family before but this is her first time without parents. Last year her and her friends decided they wanted to do a festival on their own this summer and Greenman was their choice based on their shared music tastes from looking at the previous lineups. I was sort of relieved as it looks quite gentle and not Reading or similar. I'm on good terms with all the friend's mums and we all agreed that this looked like a good thing for them and we were happy for them to go. As it turned out under 18s can't go on their own and they have to have an adult with them. My other DD who is 22 said she and her girlfriend (24) would go with them as they were thinking of going anyway. I put this option to all the other mums in the group and all were happy with it. The girls have been excited about this for months now, getting their camping stuff, their clothes and making playlists etc.

We get to last week, a month before the festival starts and friend's mum messages me to ask when I'll be picking them up and how long the drive is and a load of other questions. I said that they were getting the train and neither me nor DH are going and, as we arranged, they are going with my other DD and her girlfriend. Other mum says she was never informed of this (she was, I have the text messages) and assumed parents would be there (never indicated this at all). Presented with the evidence she changes her story to say she was fine with it but now she's not and doesn't think 16 year olds should be going alone (they're not) and is going to look to get tickets via people reselling them for her, her DH and her DS12 and they are all going to go as a family. Obviously this is not what DD or her friends want, and now daughter of this mum says she doesn't want to go if it's a family trip and DD and other friends don't want to go unless they all go and there's a whole load of drama.

I am really not sure what to do here and this other mum has put thoughts into my head that weren't there before and which I'm not sure I agree with but are nibbling at me constantly. DD22 and her girlfriend have offered to come and meet all the mums (the other two don't have an issue with this btw) and put the one who is worried at ease. Mum causing the drama has said she'd like this but no guarantee they still won't want to go as well. Has asked all sorts of questions about my daughter and her girlfriend, some of which are reasonable, some of which are intrusive and some of which I find a bit offensive, but DD22 is close with her sister and wants her and her friends to have the experience they wanted to so is going along with it. I think the other mum doesn't realise that there is an important element to this beyond just going to the festival, this is their first girls trip without us and that is what was agreed to happen.

But I've now got it into my head that maybe other mum is right, although heart of hearts I don't think she is. Not helped by DH deciding that he thinks he might agree with her. This annoys me because to me it says he doesn't trust DD22 to look after her sister and because his reasoning is DD and friends are "highly strung" and need more supervision than other 16 year olds. I don't agree with this and think "highly strung" is often just a way for people to demean sensitive young women. I'm not a decisive person and I am easily swayed by the opinions of others and this whole thing is stressing me out.

I'm sorry this is all very long and rambly and I'm not sure really what advice I am looking for, I genuinely don't know, I'm sort of praying other mum and family can't get resale tickets or relent, but maybe I am in the wrong and this was just a stupid idea to begin with, and I feel bad as they were all so looking forward to this.

OP posts:
Shadowboy · 25/07/2023 13:47

Green Man is one of the nicest festivals out there. I went to V festival when I was 17 with friends. Never ever went to a festival with parents. They will all be fine.

bigTillyMint · 25/07/2023 13:54

Most 16yo’s go to Reading or Leeds post GCSES and survive. Green Man is tame in comparison, and they will be going with young adults.

The other mum is overprotective and anxious IMHO

Comefromaway · 25/07/2023 13:57

Do you think the mum is homophobic?

A 22 year old and a 24 year old are adults and will be absolutely fine supervising them assuming the 16 year olds are pretty sensible and not going to try to drink etc.

SirWalterElliot · 25/07/2023 14:00

I think they will have a great time, it sounds like you've all been sensible, and the other mum is being a PITA for changing her mind. If DD and her friends say they now don't want to go then that's up to them, not much you can do I'm afraid. Your DD22 sounds great btw.

RichardsGear · 25/07/2023 14:02

I'd have thought it's an unusual 16 year old who goes to a festival and drinks pop!

Get your older daughter and gf to meet the mothers, and emphasise how much the girls are looking forward to going.

Comefromaway · 25/07/2023 14:03

Not that unusual, my ds and 2 of his friends don't drink at all (the other friend does mind although he is 19 now.)

Rollergirl11 · 25/07/2023 18:20

Friends Mum needs a head wobble and is being a complete diva. I bet her poor DD is (rightfully) really embarrassed. You have come up with a very sensible compromise in the form of your older DD and her girlfriend. I think your DD and the rest of her friends need to carry on as per and hope the other Mum can’t get tickets/comes to her senses.

FWIW DD went to Reading last year after her GCSE’s and had an absolute ball. I had a few sleepless nights worrying but it was all fine.

FrazzledLuce · 25/07/2023 19:56

Shadowboy · 25/07/2023 13:47

Green Man is one of the nicest festivals out there. I went to V festival when I was 17 with friends. Never ever went to a festival with parents. They will all be fine.

Great, it seems like a friendly sort of atmosphere. I went to V many years ago.

OP posts:
FrazzledLuce · 25/07/2023 19:58

Comefromaway · 25/07/2023 13:57

Do you think the mum is homophobic?

A 22 year old and a 24 year old are adults and will be absolutely fine supervising them assuming the 16 year olds are pretty sensible and not going to try to drink etc.

She might be homophobic, I think most likely she has just worked herself up into a state about something there really isn't much reason to worry about.

OP posts:
EmmaGrundyForPM · 25/07/2023 20:00

The other mum.is batshit.

DS and all his mates went to Reading Post GCSE. I can't remember how they got there but presume it was train as certainly no parents involved.

Green Man is very gentle, your dd and her friends will have a great time.

FrazzledLuce · 25/07/2023 20:01

Rollergirl11 · 25/07/2023 18:20

Friends Mum needs a head wobble and is being a complete diva. I bet her poor DD is (rightfully) really embarrassed. You have come up with a very sensible compromise in the form of your older DD and her girlfriend. I think your DD and the rest of her friends need to carry on as per and hope the other Mum can’t get tickets/comes to her senses.

FWIW DD went to Reading last year after her GCSE’s and had an absolute ball. I had a few sleepless nights worrying but it was all fine.

Yep I think that's true, I really think with older DD going it's going to be fine. Hopefully once she meets her she'll get this idea of making it a family holiday out of her head and let the girls have fun.

OP posts:
continentallentil · 25/07/2023 20:03

Green man is lovely, you have nothing to worry about.

I’d point out to your DD that she is nuts to pass up the opportunity, so she can go with your eldest and her girlfriend, and the rest of them come or not as they wish.

I wouldn’t get involved with crazy mum.

sewerrat · 25/07/2023 20:03

other mum sounds very strange, surely she knew this was a friends only thing, not for her, her daughter and husband to tag along on as if its a family holiday with a few friends. wouldn't surprise me if she's homophobic.

tell your dd and the other girls they should still go, and ensure to be far away from the strange mother and family.

FrenchandSaunders · 25/07/2023 20:05

Thousands of 16 year olds head off to reading or Leeds festival without parents, after gcse results and that’s a lot crazier.

That mum is nuts and I’d be pissed off if I was you. What sort of questions was she asking about your other Dd and GF? Bloody weird!

clary · 25/07/2023 20:06

Oh OP.

That sounds very difficult. FWIW (not the same but similar ish) DS2 went to a lowkey festival (Truck Fest) when he was 16. Some of his group of mates were 18 - he was the youngest. It was great. One of the friends drove IIRC, anyway it was all good. He kept his stuff and himself safe. Nothing of value was taken with them (apart from phones and ID) and the worst loss was a camping chair. Your DD and friends will be fine.

Your older DD sounds lovely I agree

PinkFrogss · 25/07/2023 20:19

She sounds short of a screw or two, her poor DD.

Hopefully she’ll change her mind or will be unable to get tickets. Your older daughter sounds lovely.

Chrispackhamspoodle · 25/07/2023 20:34

Worst case scenario there is a teen only field at Greenman.. no adults allowed in.Seriously though she is being over protective. It's the most gentle,peaceful festival I've ever been to.

waterrat · 26/07/2023 13:49

The other mum is not 'right' - but it's just about within the bounds of possibility that she thinks she is being supportive (ie. will keep her distance once there but is on call for emergencies)

I was going to festivals with friends at 16 - we were at glastonbury without mobile phones ! There is really nothing to worry about at Green Man.

Do you know the mum well enough to intervene?

HumourReplacementTherapy · 26/07/2023 14:39

When mine turned 16 we went as the designated parents, took all their heavy gear in our caravan and left them to it. They camped elsewhere. They had the option of a "5pm meet up and we'll feed you" at a meeting point so we could check they were ok. (Funnily enough they showed up every day!)
We did it because as a group of 16 year old boys who I knew well, I was worried one of them would go too far. (One did get chucked out 🥴)
Mine had been going to Glastonbury since they were 12/14, their friends hadn't.

This was a smaller festival pretty much made up of 16 -18 year olds-
We are regular festival goers and it worked out ok but honestly they'd have coped without us.
If the other parent wants to go she needs to let her daughter camp separately and leave her to it.

memyselfi · 26/07/2023 15:37

You need to detach from this .
Make sure your girls and their pals go as planned and let that mum do whatever she wants.
I hope she doesn't ruin things for her daughter but if she does it doesn't have to ruin it for everyone.
I'd take the stance of that's her family and her business and wouldn't engage with her at all re sourcing extra tickets etc.
I'm not sure you could persuade her anyway and I'd be feeling quite hostile about the intrusive questions re your older daughter .

Peony654 · 26/07/2023 15:40

RichardsGear · 25/07/2023 14:02

I'd have thought it's an unusual 16 year old who goes to a festival and drinks pop!

Get your older daughter and gf to meet the mothers, and emphasise how much the girls are looking forward to going.

This. I'd suggest they meet in advance. but at the end of the day, the other mother will do what she wants, so I really wouldn't get too bothered over it.

WeightInLine · 26/07/2023 16:39

Do not let DD22 go and meet the mum. DD22 should not be responsible for whatever good/bad/dangerous time teen girls have at a festival. It’s unfair on everyone. Either the girls are ‘alone’ and DD22 is not responsible, or she is wholly responsible.

However, I actually think this was a mistake. You want the girls to go away alone - but the festival prohibits that. You should respect that. The organisers know better than you/DD22/crazy mum whether this was a good idea - the organisers thought not.

BackAgainstWall · 26/07/2023 16:44

There’s always one isn’t there.

Agree with @WeightInLine why should your DD22 and her friend be scrutinised by crazy mum. What IF something does go wrong (would be my concern).

I would let crazy mum go and let her have the bother of it all. She probably will end up going anyway.

DonkeysForCourses · 26/07/2023 17:36

Maybe she's worried her daughter will 'catch the gay' HmmConfused

mast0650 · 26/07/2023 17:50

Ugh. The other mum sounds like a complete pain. I think the only thing you can do is try to convince your own daughter that she and her other friends should certainly still go regardless of the other girl.