Am I wrong not allowing my 16yr old son going to Newquay after his GCSE's

[drob]

I'm a single parent and son has told me he is going to Newquay in the summer after his GCSC's. Having spoken to friends whose kids went last year, it seems apart from excessive drinking, they spoke of boys being 'bottled' as something quite normal. I'm happy for him to go away with his friends but not Newqay. Apparently everyone he knows is going and it's causing enourmous arguments. How I should handle this, am I wrong? It feels as though I'm being blackmailed into letting him go as every other parent seems happy to allow it.

I live near there, and dont like going there on a night out myself. its a tad scary.

We didn't let 16 year dd go last yearfor various reasons. in the end not all friends went anyway and half the group came back early due to grotty accomodation & bad weather. the others did lots of activities and haad an ok time. newquay is not that great all the time and there is lots of drinking even if they can't get into clubs . think dd was quite relieved in the end and we did go to usa this year !!! Sugggest another place .

Rock would be fine, but not Newquay ;)

lazymum - did your son stop for the whole weekend at reading festival or just go for the day?

whoops , second post not meant to be here , meant to satrt new one!! however seems not going to newquay at 16.0 hasn't stopped her having sex at 16.5 !!! possible message here. [blush} . how do i move it ??

nappyaddict, he went from thursday to monday camping.

I disagree with squeakypop-I think Rock would be the worst place to go!
My DS went to Newquay after his GCSEs and I had the same worries, especially since he was still only 15yrs. According to him everyone was going. Eventually it got down to 4 of them. I liked the friends that were going and spoke to the mum of the main organiser and it was well planned. They went to a campsite just outside Newquay and it was policed. They did a lot of surfing and had a great time. I was so pleased that I let him go and it was a great experience for him.
I think you have to know your teen, mine is basically very sensible; he tends to be all talk.
I should check it out and not automatically veto it.
I think that my DS really appreciated the fact that we trusted him.

My daughter is planning to go after her GCSE's too. Maybe compromise with your son. Tell him that he can go, but only if he works hard enough and gets good results for his GCSE's.
Honestly, it probably won't be as boozy as you think. I looked into the campsite where my daughter is staying and most campsites have a strictly no alcohol policy. The campsites will also be on full alert for trouble as they get hundreds of teens coming around that time of year.

My eldest daughters birthday falls in august and as such was always one of the youngest in her year. At the end of her gcses I let her stay overnight in Southport with some sensible friends who had grown up around my house in a b and b. The following year she worked a little cleaning job and saved all year to go with her best friend who is gay to Thailand staying at his fathers house and then island hopping She was still only 16 as it was in the june befor she turned 17 in the august. She had never flown before and I was worried sick but she loved it. I think I felt better knowing there were adults nearby if needed but they worked all the travel hotels etc out themselves and felt immensly proud. They went to a couple of carnivals on the beach the full moon carnival being one of them and Im sure she probably got rather drunk but we told her to be careful in another country and she was. She returned the next year too. I have a 16 year old son who is doing his gcses now and I have to say I dont think he has the same confidence or maturity to do something like this but I would probably allow him to go with sensible friends who I knew and trusted to a camp site in rhyl or blackpool because I would trust him enough to phone me if there was a problem and to walk away from silly dangerous behaviour.

I went to Newquay after my gcse's as did a load of our year, it was fun and if he is 16 he can live away form home if he wants so i guess you cant really stop him

Sorry to jump in but a friend of mine averted all this by keeping quiet and not helping at all with any arrangements at all! suffice to say 16 yr old boys can't org a **up in a brewery!!! It worked for her[GRIN]They never got round to going and it all died a death. Worth a try...

I think that that was the very reason that I felt better about it optimisticmumma! It got down to just 4 of them and they were very organised and it was all done in liaison with the mum of the main instigator. She was able to reassure me on all points.My DS was the youngest with the August birthday. It all turned out well and I think it was good for him.
It depends on your DC, like dreamydowler, I may not have as much confidence in his younger brother. I was helped by the fact that my brother lives within half an hours drive from Newquay and could have been contacted in emergency.