I did a search on the forum and got every thread where this was mentioned which doesn't help with my specific question.

My 14 year old has been invited by his 20 something cousins to this event.

I went to the official website, I put it into my browser, I viewed some videos. It doesn't strike me as an event even for a 14 year old going on (in his mind) 30 years old.

Any input to help clarify for me would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Ehm no I wouldn't send a 14 yrs old their. Last year I saw a guy wearing only a womans full bathing suite made out of net stocking material. Underneath he was fully naked (this was well visible through the netting). This was a 50 to 60 yrs old man with beard eeks !

Stop the nannying. It's all pretty harmless. Lots of whistles, pumping bass , spray hair dye, balloons and foam. A 14-year-old will take it all in their stride.

dave

There's plenty of nudity, implied sex etc. but nothing like some of the stuff your son can find on the Internet.

The question is will banning him from going have worse long-term consequences than letting him go and having a blast??

let him go unless you don't trust his cousins.

Tell him not to drink too much and not to loose everybody.

It is certaintly an expierence. If he is going with people you trust to look out for him and he is somewhat responsible, then he should be fine. At some point he will have to get acclimated to how one acts at these kinds of events. Better he does it with people you know and trust.

My firts street parade - fighting my way through the crowds with my lady-wife behind me when she uttered an cry of horror - "she isn't wearing any knickers" at the 16 year old walking by - unfortunately I missed it - so I go with DaveA - its all pretty harmless but with enough potential to keep the mind of 14 year old occupied

as a 14-year-old, I'd be well chuffed if I could go to street parade with the chance of seeing a bunch of nubile semi-naked chicks.

If my parents stopped me going, I'd be unhappy.

If my parents had a quiet word with my cousin about expectations, I'd never know.

Why don't you don a PVC thong, high heels and push up bra and go yourself Fraueli?

Errrm... at 14 years old i doubt he isn't thinking about (or doing) the things you think he isn't thinking about (or doing)

It's good fun and totally safe provided he doesn't pop some non-descript pills.

Yeah , or get a kinda furry-pink-bikini thang goin on.

dave

I went at fourteen... I (the nerd that I was or am?) Didn't enjoy it quite so much to music was loud enough to make your heart stop and the crowds... well I hate crowds. But I LOVED looking at all the crazy costumes!

It is safe, the after parties are not really suitable for a 14 year old. I'm sure the cousins will be responsible... I'd let him go!

PS My dad took me when I went at 14... but it was all still very new then and loads of folks just pitched up to watch the crazy dressing

I have decided to allow my 14 year old son to go. I think it is a great experience for him. As long as you are assured that those he attends with are not into the mind altering chemicals, he will have a good time.

I remember allowing my eldest son (then 14) to go to Manchester UK to see some group of the time. He did not get home til 2am, full of excited tales of mosh pits and getting up on stage. I had been a nervous wreck all evening but I do not think I had the right to curtail his fun with my anxiety. He still talks of things he saw that evening and he is now 21.

Never mind the 14yr old, As a 40 something I'd be well chuffed also

Have to agree with Lob here...at 14, if he isn't ready (and interested!) to see what is at the Street Parade, he has bigger problems ahead. I assume the two of you have already had "the talk..." Nowadays, I would think it would happen at about 10. ;-)

-fduvall

Bwahahahaha - wouldn't I love it! (or at least would have before I became "Mom").

Thanks everybody for all the comments. I was thinking this morning about when I was 14 and went to that Led Zepplin concert with a guy name Tommy - and that - hey hey hey - is what made me think it might not be such a good idea for him to go.

I do trust my nieces to keep an eye out for him. I do trust my son but since its a "foreign country" and the event is unfamiliar to me and he just turned 14 on Tuesday - which I might add, we haven't heard the end of yet, I was just a little concerned.

fduvall: Yes we did have "the talk". I kept telling DH from when he was in 4th grade, I even bought the books so he could review them before he spoke to him. In the end, DH put it off and was on a business trip the night before the school was going to give their own talk and movie. I didn't want him to hear about it from strangers so that night, I sat down with him. After the first 30 seconds, he got up from the chair and said: "Mom, I am not going to sit here and talk to you about *this*! We both cracked up and I knew it would be ok...............maybe my start about "when a man and a woman get married......" wasn't the right approach?

I'm thinking to give in on it but will probably put a shorter time limit on it than we normally do.

Thanks for the info.
Fraueli

ah yes...the BOOK. I remember one of those showing up on MY shelf when I was a lad...probably a few years too late! "...but our boy is such an angel!!!"

So Fraueli, you will be one of the 10,000 other men and women in PVC thong and high heels? You can chaperone anonymously! C U there...

fduvall

I don't suppose he would settle for a Ploughman's lunch, would he?

Would this be appropriate attire?

Only if you wear blue shoes, I couldn't take the humiliation of seeing somebody with the same outfit as me.