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

[Bellini12]

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!

Loads of teenagers I know have fake IDs.

Am surprised how many people on this thread have suggested the OP gets her dd fake ID.
Surely that is down to the young person themselves ? Is this the latest episode of helicopter parenting ?

I do acknowledge it is much more difficult to 'go for a drink' under age these days than it was back in the day, and yes, they do ID people on the door at weekends.

But one bonus is, if you are an August Birthday then at least all your school friends can come to your birthday celebrations, whereas those with September birthdays would be a bit lonely if they only have friends from their own school year.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/40/section/4

Legally penalties are not restricted to establishments. That may be what tends to happen in practice. The issue is the potential risk.

I’m happy for my DS to live on the edge of it means my August born DS enjoys nights out with his friends this summer

Sorry I do agree with a pp. Surely smart summer borns quietly and discreetly source someone else’s id to use for the few months their friends are 18 and they are not. No need to sit at home despondent or even involve your parents. Where’s their street smarts ?!

Unfortunately this teen seems to live in the arse end of no where

@HappiestSleeping that’s hilarious and at least you can look back at the experience with humour now!

@Cerealtime she will be asking for lots of lifts from us I would imagine and meeting up in the day time with her mates. I’m sure some of it will be going to their houses too in the evening but she would have to know in advance if they plan on going to the pub (if so will pick her up).

I’m not trying to sort her problems. If that were the case I would actively try and find her some fake ID.
Poor girl has had a rough old time with friendships over the years so to finally see her content is music to my ears. It’s just a shame she can’t join her mates on nights out after A levels which is THE fun time as no revision hanging over their heads.
It’s not about the boozing. It’s the company and camaraderie. It will feel rough at the time but she will get over it. Just wondered how others in same situation managed the disappointment I guess or to feel that she is not the only one going through it!

Ha ha! Me too. Always loved being the younger one!

Well - we live in a town! But unfortunately her mates live miles away from her (college has a huge catchment area and despite us only being 6 miles away - others travel from far as their local college options are less than ideal).

August here too - I just socialised with friends a year younger. Worked really well for me! Even my boyfriends were a year younger ( at college , not school!!)

So much stricter now, we only occasionally used to have to show ID back in the day and one in the group usually sufficed. Yes it's bizarre that only months/weeks crossover for legitimate age so she could try to get an ID from someone who looks like her, even take a photo of it.

That’s quite unusual

This is what my dd has done.

I do think it’s a shame to miss out year 12 can be a lovely year of socialising before a levels loom. I also agree that involving parents is odd though and kids should sort between them.

As a mother to now 20 something and 30 somethings, my first response was also Fake ID!

When DS (July born) was in sixth form, he had a few older friends that looked vaguely similar on their provisional driving licences. They were shared around willingly.

I actually think this is genuinely a real shame and highlights the issue of how hard it is being young nowadays.

When I was 16 in the mid 90s - I was out clubbing at the best clubs in London! As part of the rave scene - I had the time of my life.

I really don't think young people benefit from this overly strict approach to youth - saying you can't drink or do anything like that or be around alcohol until you are 18. It's not realistic.

I say let them out at 16 or 17.

They are strict around here too. I remember when ds got refused entry as he had no proof of ID. He was 18. I was in the shower when he called so my dp drove 45 minutes to take his driving license to him.

im not sure how this is evidence that the teen here is leaning too heavily on parents - I mean, any parent would be sad to see their teen stuck at home while all their mates go out to pubs all summer.

the only thing to say OP is taht it won't last forever !

Ironically the being strict has negative consequences. Far safer for 16/17 year olds to be in a managed environment like a pub or club. As they can’t get in they congregate in the park as they want to socialise outside their friendship groups and meet the opposite sex which is fair enough. Several of my friends sons were mugged at this age. Would have been far safer in a pub.

Yes most of the cheaper pubs (Spoons, etc) round here don't allow under 18s after 9pm on weekends.
DS is late July so similar. He doesn't drink much so he's not that bothered about the alcohol, he just wants to be with his mates.

@JuliettaCaeser 100 per cent. This is what I think we should think about as a society.

Where do we realistically want 16 and 17 year olds to socialise? Huge amount of them won't have homes where they can bring loads of other kids - may not have room/ parents may not be keen - and they are older teens, they want to be out! Meeting people/ being social/ not just sitting in the garden on a sunny saturday.

Thanks. It’s exactly that. She isn’t leaning on me at all. I’m just there to sympathise with her.
I do think it’s going to be a particularly tricky couple of months when exams are over and she still has 2 months to wait till she’s legal to enter a pub.

She has one new ish friend that looks a bit similar but she doesn’t want to ask to borrow her ID. If they were both out together it wouldn’t work and besides, should it be a particularly diligent bouncer then her friend would lose her ID. Not worth it.