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Teenagers

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

Original poster

Feel sad for the August teens missing out on socials (last to turn 18).

137 replies

Bellini12 · 08/05/2026 16:50

DD is a mid to late August birthday. Most of her friends are turning 18 now and so are enjoying trips to the pub and some have gone clubbing. She of course has to stay at home. Things will slow down for a while during exams but by mid June most will be out all the time pubbing & clubbing.

Yes her time will come, but the pubs are extremely strict near us (check and scan ID at the door) and there’s no sneaking in even if she stuck with a soft drinks.

She won’t even be 18 on A level results day so can’t join in (hopefully) celebrating and I know it will feel like torture.

Just wondered if anyone else has this scenario with their DC and how they are handling it?

I was a late summer born but in our day you could hide at the back of the pub and no one asked!

OP posts:
julesagain · 08/05/2026 19:20

Can I assume that you live in a town or city? This certainly wouldn't be a problem most rural pubs that i know of. Sorry, not much help i know. I have a late August one and a 1st September one, so I understand this fully.

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 08/05/2026 19:21

I was 18 two days after I got my A level results. It SUCKS to be an August baby. By as much design as is humanly possible, I had September and November babies...

eewwdavid · 08/05/2026 19:57

Once her friends started turning 18, one of their provisional licenses got handed round almost all of the younger ones! My dd had it for a month or so before her birthday and it worked well

RampantIvy · 08/05/2026 20:38

DD turned 18 after she finished her A levels. Luckily her friendship group weren't into clubbing or going to pubs so she didn't miss out.

She went to a handful of clubs when she got to university and decided that she didn't like clubbing anyway.

Sweepyed · 08/05/2026 20:52

I have summer borns, one is deferred so likely wont have this issues. The other is asd so not likely to be going to pubs or clubs .

tealandteal · 08/05/2026 20:57

Really surprised by the number of people saying they would get a fake ID for their children. My birthday is at the end of August and it didn’t feel like torture to me. After A level results we all went to someone’s house for a big party.

anotheranonanon · 08/05/2026 21:13

My August born is out tonight. They share ID and generally one of the boys will bring it back out for her.

ohnonowwhat1 · 08/05/2026 23:14

My daughter is in the opposite predicament. She turns 18 in September but her friends will mainly all be 17 so she’s worried she can’t have a big bash where they can drink too! And no to a house party, we had that when she was 16 and it was disastrous!

Fizbosshoes · 08/05/2026 23:23

DD is August birthday. She was drinking occassionally at house parties from 15 (year 11) and basically either went to house parties, had friends to our house or (my least favourite) met friends in a park/on a bench in the town.
She went to uni not long after turning 18, and AFAIK hasn't gone crazy there.

Ponderingwindow · 08/05/2026 23:58

Are parents really willing to have their child risk starting adulthood with a criminal record, just to get a fake id so they can go to the pub?

borrow the sister’s id and they could both be prosecuted.

the odds might not be high, but how is it worth the risk?

Waitingatlidl · 09/05/2026 06:22

Ponderingwindow · 08/05/2026 23:58

Are parents really willing to have their child risk starting adulthood with a criminal record, just to get a fake id so they can go to the pub?

borrow the sister’s id and they could both be prosecuted.

the odds might not be high, but how is it worth the risk?

I guess because I know an under 18 year old would not get a criminal record for using fake idea to get in to a pub… I’m happy to take the non-risk so my August born doesn’t miss out on lots of evening social activities with his friends this summer post a dog hard year of working hard!

Glittertwins · 09/05/2026 06:31

I feel for her as I was the same but pubs and clubs were nowhere close in ID checking as they now. Pub chains will confiscate faked IDs when checked too.

mondaytosunday · 09/05/2026 06:47

Can’t say my late July kid (now 22) missed out on much! Most drinking was done at parties but was never asked for an ID on entering a pub, though like the majority of his mates had a fake ID. But who are these kids that can afford to go to clubs and pubs on a regular basis? My teetotal DD (a Spring baby) is 20 and at uni and while she’s had some ‘why don’t you drink’ from other students she still goes out on occasion but has a non alcoholic drink with no issue (though her friends are not drinkers themselves as nothing more boring than being the only sober one).
So your DD miss out on a couple things and it will feel like ‘torture’? Can’t say I’m that sympathetic.

Waitingatlidl · 09/05/2026 06:50

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MyballsareSandy2015 · 09/05/2026 07:00

eewwdavid · 08/05/2026 17:48

DD was a December 18th birthday... i remember that summer being tough for her. But her friends were good about it and she sometimes joined for drinks at the house then left when they went out. People saying re going in and not drinking, she found they were ID-ing everyone after a certain time of day ..very occasionally she'd get away with a beer garden day time scenario. But in the main, going in and not drinking wasnt possible cos she couldn't get in!

Surely a December birthday makes her one of the older ones in her year?

XiCi · 09/05/2026 07:08

ammpersand · 08/05/2026 18:56

Back in the day we'd do this:
-Friend A goes in using their ID, friend B then leaves with both their IDs, passes ID to Friend C, and then B and C go back into the club/pub together. Probably wouldn't work at a club that scans identities or if the ID was very memorable in some way.

The more gross option at a local club that would stamp your arm for re-entry is that we would pay and get the stamp, immediately leave, lick the ink and then press onto a friend's arm. Results varied, but if it worked you'd also get in for free!

We have done the top scenario with things like VIP passes and it does work. The ink thing is genius 😀. I know that kids round here do use fake ID they buy online or borrow their siblings ID as I was chatting to a friend about it recently. Its sounds like everywhere is really strict where you are though OP. Are they really scanning ID in a Wetherspoons?

Noone cared about this when I was 18 in the 90s. We were going clubbing at 15. Different times.

JuliettaCaeser · 09/05/2026 07:09

A criminal record 😄. That’s too funny. Have you reported a crime lately?!

Teens here use their networks to borrow id. It’s not ideal but I wouldn’t lose sleep over it. Plus would be hypocritical I was a real clubber at 17 when rules were lax. Just wanted to have a dance!

Purpleturtle45 · 09/05/2026 07:15

I was in a similar situation, although in Scotland so a January/February birthday means you are the youngest in your year. It was rubbish but we could get in most places with a fake ID, although I know times have changed.

I still remember the feeling of all my friends being out without me, was the pits! There's not much you can do,l though, her time will come and she will get over it.

JuliettaCaeser · 09/05/2026 07:19

Yes they are strict. You can’t use a fake id you have to use some else’s real one.

Daffodilsinthespring · 09/05/2026 07:24

How times have changed. I’m a late August baby. In my day(early 80s) we went to pubs at 14 and clubbing at 16. By 18 we were all past that and had steady boyfriends and were all engaged.

My dd is 30. Her socialising has never been in pubs or clubs. It’s her friend’s hen do today and she’s going to a daytime activity not involving any drinking.

JuliettaCaeser · 09/05/2026 07:26

Jealous of all these perfect abstemious young people! Mine love a good dance and a few drinks!

sheffexpat74 · 09/05/2026 07:29

Used someone else's ID through yr13. The biggest issue was learning to drive 'late' - through A levels!!

JuliettaCaeser · 09/05/2026 07:58

Doesn’t sound like ops DDs friends are that great. It’s sweet to see the girls all working together to ensure no girl in their group is left behind.

Echobelly · 09/05/2026 08:03

My son's August born - hadn't thought about this, although if he's anything like my oldest he won't be interested in going to pubs anyway, and all his friends, like him, are neurodiverse and also not into that stuff.

Oldest turns 18 in a month but has been hilariously law-abiding about not going to over 18 venues, but has booked their first ticket to go to an over 18s event now and is very excited about it. They still don't drink though.

I think having party for DD is a good idea @Bellini12 - that way she can still get the peer experience

SKYTVADDICT · 09/05/2026 08:06

Mine found himself a good group of mates at College and instead of Spain at the end of June they are going to Malta as apparently you can drink at 17 in Malta? Google tells me this is true but some clubs are still 18 or even 21. Will be interesting to see how he gets on 🤦‍♀️