I've got a soon to be 14 year old girl whose best friend has requested and gotten
tickets from her parents for this girl and two friends to attend a concert for Panic at the Disco. The plan is that her parents will drive them to a city 100 miles from where we live and drop them at
the concert and go shopping while they are at the concert. I am not completely comfortable
with this because I know nothing about the group except for viewing their lyrics (which
are basically okay lyrics) on the internet.
Does anyone have any experience with this group or any feedback at all about this.
The best friend's parents are good people but I think they get pushed by their daughter
into experiences that I am more reluctant about. Not major things but an example is they are more relaxed about allowing their two girls to watch PG 13 movies without any concern. I, on the other hand often feel I want to research or see the movie first since PG 13 can swing from close to G rating on the one hand or close to R rating at the other end.
I'd appreciate any input. Thanks, Judy
Judy Condit
I know some of their
I know some of their songs...but I've never been to one of their concerts. My kids are too young for anything but disney concerts. :)
I would check to see if there is any concert footage on YouTube. Also...how well do you know this mom. I'd ask her why she opted not to chaperone and instead drop off. Also, has your daughter been to concerts alone before?
At 13/14, I still think you're a little young to go to a concert all alone....but that's me. I didn't go to a concert alone until I was 16. I'm thinking I may let my kids at 15, but not sooner...and I really don't care if they think it's uncool. I'd opt for a seat behind them, though, so I can watch, but they can feel like they are having fun.
Still, each parent is different when it comes to supervision...and if you're child has a good head on her shoulders and you know the friend, maybe there is nothing to worry about...especially if after you check out the band, everything looks good.
Sorry, but I just don't
Sorry, but I just don't think it's appropriate for three young teenagers to be dropped off at any concert, even if it's Hannah Montana Sings Disney Favorites. The band might be just fine. I'm sure that the girls are all great kids. My concern is with the other ticket holders. Young teens are eager to prove that they can handle more adult situations, but, really, they're sitting ducks when they get approached by young-looking older teens and young adults. At the very least, I'd insist on an older, trustworthy, teenaged chaperone/buddy -- with a cell phone that has all the parent's numbers on speed dial and cab fare in his/her pocket.
I'm all for kids having fun, and even though I don't get their "music" any more than my parents got mine, I want them to learn to dance to it. I just don't want to see creeps turning it sour.
Quite interesting.... you
Quite interesting.... you know, every parent has a different view on how much responsibility they want to place in their kids hands, but my particular view is that as long as you trust your child enough to see a concert, or be at such an event alone, without getting into trouble, there really should be no problem at all, and if there is, just revoke the privilege of letting them go. What many kids don't realize is that their parents aren't stopping them from going to these events because they hate them; it is merely because they care about them. Why do I trust this method? Well, I'm 30 and expecting a child soon, and as a kid growing up, my parents trusted this method, and although I did end up getting into trouble once at a much older age, my parents kept the same deal throughout my young adulthood, which seemed to be effective for both me and my parents, as I got the space I wanted, while they had the satisfaction of knowing that if I should ever do anything bad or get into trouble at an event like this, that I would never go again.