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

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

Teenagers

Anyone elses teen think that V Festival (or similar) would be their idea of hell?

27 replies

bigbluebus · 18/08/2013 15:09

Just watching V festival on TV. One of DS's friends has gone for the weekend with a group of his school friends (DS goes to a different school so wasn't invited anyway). Another friend's DD went for the day yesterday. I asked DS if he would have liked to have gone - he said "no, it would be his idea of hell".
DS goes camping every year but chooses a campsite by the quality of showers/toilets, he has been to an open air pop concert in the pouring rain (but went with us as a family and was only 12,000 people) and said he enjoyed it, but something like V (which is our nearest festival) does not appeal to him at all).
Just wondered if anyone else's teen felt the same. It all seems to be hyped up as the cool thing for teens to do, but looking at those crowds and hearing about the 14 miles tailbacks near here on Friday as everyone headed for the site, I'd far rather watch from the comfort of my sofa - where I can at least see the artists.
(DS is 16 by the way)

OP posts:

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chocolatespiders · 18/08/2013 15:13

Not sure a festival of such a size is somewhere I would want my dd to go at 16. To scary for me to think about. I have not been to V but have been to Glastonbury.
DD Has been to Wireless Festival but it is not camping just day ticket.

bigbluebus · 18/08/2013 15:24

I agree chocolate, We were a bit shocked that DS's friend's parents have allowed him to go tbh, although he is a fairly sensible lad. They were expecting 95,000 people on site. Although they do say that V is one of the safest festivals, and I know they are taking a hard line against drugs. According to local radio, our ambulance service treated 800 people on site yesterday - mostly for falls and alcohol related conditions - only 15 actually went to hospital though.

I don't want DS to go - I'm quite glad I haven't been put in a position of having to say "No" - just thought it was unusual that he didn't have any interest in going at all.

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cory · 18/08/2013 15:37

Teens are just people, aren't they? Some are interested in this and some are interested in that. Not unlike middle aged people in that respect.

My dd wouldn't want to know if it didn't involve actors and musical theatre, but would put up with any discomfort if it did.

chocolatespiders · 18/08/2013 15:50

My dd is very sensible (I think/hope!!!) It is the people around her in the feild I would worry about.

specialsubject · 18/08/2013 17:22

fair enough, and I'm with him on his opinion! And would have been when I was a teenager.

good for him to have his own ideas and not follow the herd. Doesn't mean he can't share interests with others but it is fine not to do so.

Remotecontrolduck · 18/08/2013 18:13

DD wasn't/wouldn't be interested. I look at festivals on the TV and the huge crowds and wonder how you could possibly enjoy it unless you were near the front? You can't see anything?!

The crowds and camping just isn't her thing. If she wants to see a band, she'd rather a small intimate gig any day!

Doinmummy · 18/08/2013 18:18

Don't talk to me about V. DD and friends said they could do a 'walk in ' today. I said there would be no tickets left that would be sold at the gate. DD was having none of it. Just had a call from her. Her mates have bought tickets from touts but DD didn't have enough money. She told me tickets were being sold for £25. I gave her £30. She's just asked me if I can give her another £20. I've said no

MiddleAgeMiddleEngland · 18/08/2013 22:10

Neither of my teenagers would go anywhere which involved festival style toilets.

Crumbledwalnuts · 18/08/2013 22:11

Mine. Rejected all festival invitations this summer.

bigbluebus · 19/08/2013 12:10

Glad it's not just mine then.
Interesting listening to reports on local radio about the event. Ambulance service said there were far more teenage girls attending this year and incidence of 'alpha male behaviour' were down because of this and there was a much nicer atmosphere!

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mrsjay · 19/08/2013 19:56

DD hperventalates watching T in the PArk she said she would rather stick pins in her eyes she is 20 and it seems everybody and their cousin goes to these festivals she said she would hate it, although she has a chance to work at one next summer so im not sure how she will cope, and it isn't DC comics or Musicals dd2 isnt interested

mrsjay · 19/08/2013 19:57

oh if she does go and work next year she gets to use the Vip toilets I think that clinched it for her

MrsBartlet · 19/08/2013 20:03

Dd (16) went on Saturday as all her friends were going (we are local). They all had 2 day tickets and I persuaded her just to get a 1 day ticket this year and see how she liked it. She loved Beyonce but didn't really enjoy the overall experience. She said she was glad she tried it but now she knows festivals are not her thing (well for the moment at least!) She was very glad she hadn't bought a 2 day ticket.

GirlWithTheDirtyShirt · 19/08/2013 20:06

I went to my first V at just turned 17. Having since been back five or six times, and also having been to all the other majors I can verify it's easily the safest and least wild of the bunch.

Just in case any of these non-festival teens change their mind next year...

chocolatespiders · 19/08/2013 23:16

That is useful to know thanks.
My DD loves her music but I am not ready to let her go yet. Maybe I could go to and pitch my tent 10 metres from her to keep an eye out

Isthiscorrect · 23/08/2013 10:06

Oh god, I shouldnt have read this. DS is at the Leeds fest. He has an early bird ticket which meant they went on Wednesday!!! I havent heard from him since then, its his first festival. Basically I'm working on the worst that can happen is he loses his phone (3.95gbp from CW), he wears the same clothes for 5 days (vom) and runs out of money. This is his first fest and tbh I'm not sure how much he will like it but what to do ;-)

Bonsoir · 23/08/2013 10:11

Festivals.
Backpacking.
Gap Year organisations.

JustAboutCoping2013 · 23/08/2013 10:19

DS(16) is at the Reading festival this weekend, left after the GCSE results yesterday, not taking his phone, so I won't hear from him until Monday...not much sleep last night! We have been to Camp Bestival for the last 5 years, but I know this is a different ball-game. He's going with school friends and their older brothers and sisters who have been before...will be a worrying weekend, I'm making the most of some time with DS(14)!

bigbluebus · 23/08/2013 16:26

DH was chatting to his hairdresser, who is in her early 20's, and went to V fest. The stories she told him of people throwing plastic glasses of wee at the crowd and a girl who squatted down in front of her in the middle of a huge crowd watching a band on stage and did a poo is more than enough to make me very glad that DS does not want to go to such events.

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JustAboutCoping2013 · 26/08/2013 11:15

Isthiscorrect: hope all back safely! DS gave up Reading and came back yesterday. He had an early stay ticket so has been away since Thursday (didn't take his phone, we agreed he would only phone if urgent...he borrowed a phone to call and say he was on the train back yesterday).
He was filthy, gaunt and tired....he's very tall and had a sore back from people wanting to sit on his shoulders!! He trekked into Tescos to use the toilets, festival ones were 'vile'. He has survived though, and said it was the best weekend of his life!!
I loved his debrief of all the bands he'd seen, I am a bit jealous! Missed our family Camp Bestival weekend this year, boys growing up. From lots of great reports from friends who went this year, I'll be going to the Love Supreme festival next year!

JessLouise · 26/08/2013 17:38

My DD is desparate to go to one of those festivals. She's prefer T4 on the beach I think, but she'd love it!

mrsmindcontrol · 26/08/2013 17:43

I went to V Festival last year and felt very old indeed (am knocking quite hard on 40's door) as the crowd is incredibly young. I can tell you however that there are plentiful drugs about at V, far more than I've seen at most festivals.
I was at some of the sights there. Teenagers totally & utterly wasted. It was horrendous.

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Isthiscorrect · 26/08/2013 18:39

Oh justabout! I'm getting a teeny bit stressed. Still haven't heard from him at 6.30pm Monday [OMG]. The comments on the Leeds Fest site have almost put me into meltdown. I have tried to contact both phones, his party/festival / going out 3.95 gbp phone and his iPhone he theoretically (please that he did) left at his friends house. I have sent two emails to friends mother over the last 4 days, first thanking her for letting him leave his other stuff there and hoping he wasn't a nuisance and a second last night to say I hoped the boys were ok. No reply, normally she would have replied by now. I will telephone her shortly.
Glad your ds had a good time, hope his shoulders feel better after a shower, some good food and a long sleep.
Enjoy your festival next year ;-)

Isthiscorrect · 26/08/2013 19:53

Good news, I've finally made contact by text with instructions to call back in 10 mins. Phew.

MoominMammasHandbag · 26/08/2013 20:27

My eldest two (17 and 19) have just got back from Leeds, starving, filthy and exhausted. They scoffed bacon sandwiches, took long showers and went to bed.
Me and DH are a bit shocked by some of their tales, but they seem to have made sensiblish choices all weekend (didn't join in with friends doing drugs etc) so I suppose it's all a good learning experience.
Oh yeah, and of course they both had the best weekend of their lives

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