Children at Festivals

Zascar

At Life we say quite a few people with very young kids wandering around. I'm all for these things being open family affairs, but seriously there is no way I would bring my kids to an event like that. EP might be slightly different but I'm sorry I just do not think its a good idea to expose young minds to a lot of what is going on. They are probably going to have little or no idea about what's happening but It's bound to have some form of impact

What do you think?

Executive Steve

You clearly never went to a proper full on crusty rave in a quarry or a forest...

Nothing quite as heartwarming as watching a four year old girl trying to rouse her mother out of the depths of a full on K-hole because she hasn't been fed for 24 hours.

electrogrimey

Executive Steve wrote: »

Nothing quite as heartwarming as watching a four year old girl trying to rouse her mother out of the depths of a full on K-hole because she hasn't been fed for 24 hours.

One of the best sentences ever to grace this forum.

Kids at festivals I imagine are much more of a headwreck for the parents than anyone else, so I say that if the parents are willing to put up with them, and don't think the place is too 'adult', then it's fine.

mordeith

I agree completely. Not only do I think its bad for the kids but how could you enjoy the event fully if you were looking after your child. I have a 2 year old and would never bring him to something like festival. Unless I had him superglued to me, the chances of him getting lost in the crowd are too risky. Plus I think it annoys the majority of people who don't bring kids.

TechnoPool

Zascar wrote: »

At Life we say quite a few people with very young kids wandering around. I'm all for these things being open family affairs, but seriously there is no way I would bring my kids to an event like that. EP might be slightly different but I'm sorry I just do not think its a good idea to expose young minds to a lot of what is going on. They are probably going to have little or no idea about what's happening but It's bound to have some form of impact

What do you think?

why what was going on :pac:

a148pro

electrogrimey wrote: »

One of the best sentences ever to grace this forum

or any forum

YOP1992

I noticed that as well, some very young kids there, life festival was not the place for them

R.Shackleford

Saw a fair few kids down at life alright, not the time or place for them. If i was a parent i wouldnt want some crusty on acid telling them "It is by no means an irrational fancy that, in a future existence, we shall look upon what we think our present existence, as a dream" or that if you play the wizard of Oz and a 1200 micrograms album both at the same time they correspond with each other.

karlm37

Did anyone see the parents pushing their kids around in a wheelbarrow? The girl was maybe 6 and she was holding a baby no more than 2! It's not something I personally would do but all the same, they seemed just fine!

Is mise le key

Zascar wrote: »

I'm all for these things being open family affairs, but seriously there is no way I would bring my kids to an event like that.

What do you think?

Anyone that brings children to a gig like this should seriously be arrested for neglect........children like to play with toys, eat chocolate & cakes, watch cartoons, play in & help water the garden, sleep in their own safe cosy bed & be read a story to go to sleep........

not have their whole routine thrown out the window & minds destroyed with loads of pi.ss heads floating about with their flute out pissing everywhere, taking dumps, music pumping till the small hours, mad out of it heads with no tops on in the middle of the day, parents comatosed the next morning/day & the potential for graphic displays of nudity or sex!

This is for 24 hour party people, nothing else & children 100% dont belong at a gig!

Fuc.kin wasters should be dragged out by the hair & turfed into a garda van i say (but not in front of the kids)

I wouldn't be that critical.

I guess hippies see such events as part of their lifestyle, and see no problem with exposing their kids to it. I saw some of them at Life a couple of years back and it was very much a family thing and the parents seemed sane and sober. Have been at a few hippy parties where their kids wandered in and out and I guess as long as they get enough sleep and are fed and the parents stay responsible not sure it's that much worse than dragging them around Tesco for the day. Of course neglect is neglect, if the kids go hungry or cold or the parents are out of it, that's terrible, but sadly that's not limited to festivals.

joker77

I haven't been to Life, but by the sounds of it (everyone mashed up all day) - I don't think it's a great environment for kids.

That said, I've seen some very responsible parenting at Electric Picnic. For example, a couple I know brought their kid with them last year and the year before. They took turns staying sober, so on the Saturday he had the kid all day and wasn't drinking - she was there during the day as well with them, a couple of drinks but nothing too mad, then in the evening (before it got in any way messy, maybe 7 o'clock or so) he went back to the family area and settled in for the night - she went out partying. Then the Sunday, he got up and let her have a lie in after being out the previous night, once she got up she took the kid for the Sunday and he had his day off. Seemed to work well, it was a very small kid so they have those ear protector yokes, and during the day at Electric Picnic is a safe enough environment I think for a child.

Now I know EP is a different ball game to Life - as I say, everyone mashed out of it on all kinds of stuff during the day is not the place for children.

Is mise le key

Deleted User wrote: »

I wouldn't be that critical.

I guess hippies see such events as part of their lifestyle, and see no problem with exposing their kids to it. I saw some of them at Life a couple of years back and it was very much a family thing and the parents seemed sane and sober. Have been at a few hippy parties where their kids wandered in and out and I guess as long as they get enough sleep and are fed and the parents stay responsible not sure it's that much worse than dragging them around Tesco for the day. Of course neglect is neglect, if the kids go hungry or cold or the parents are out of it, that's terrible, but sadly that's not limited to festivals.

No its not limited to festivals & i have just as much venom for anyone who neglects their children just to satisfy their own buzz.

It is irrelevant if the parennts are doing their best to keep the children fed, slept enough & not getting mad out of it........the environment is completley wrong for a child to be in.......the fact that there are mad out of people everywhere & that a lot of them will let it all go at a festival leaves the children wide open to be witness to some very adult behavior that is only comprehensible to & can be judged accuratley for what it is by adults.......it makes a completley different impression on a child if the child witnesses someone standing just a little bit turned away from them with a can of beer half jarred at 1:00 in the day pis.sing while chatting to mates, or girls flashing for a second for a laugh, or someone taking a dump in the woods........it wouldnt stay with you or me for more than a few seconds while you move on to have a buzz wherever your headed but it makes a huge impression on a child as they have not formed thier minds properly yet & fully become the person they are going to be. Childrens minds are like sponges & soak up & take in everything, It is totally irresponsible & is neglect to expose children to the 24 hour party lifestyle.........sure in that case everyone should have brought their children into the ASYLUM, SIDES, OLYMPIC, WATERFRONT, ORMOND, TEMPLE.......no problem as long as your not to mad out of it!!!

Scubadevils

I wouldn't dream of bringing my kids to something like that - not a chance I'd want them exposed to the drugs, vomit and general messiness of a festival.

Zascar

karlm37 wrote: »

Did anyone see the parents pushing their kids around in a wheelbarrow? The girl was maybe 6 and she was holding a baby no more than 2! It's not something I personally would do but all the same, they seemed just fine!

Yep I did indeed, I also saw some approx 6 year old kids running around with giant ear muffs like builders would wear. I saw a number of girls who were about the 10-14 year old age group. These would be very impressionable and personalyl I think exposing someone to what goes on at a festival like this, will make them think this kind of carry on is 'normal' and is very likely to encourage them to do such things as they are growing up in their teens. A bit soon really.

Is mise le key

Is mise le key wrote: »

it makes a completley different impression on a child if the child witnesses someone standing just a little bit turned away from them with a can of beer half jarred at 1:00 in the day pis.sing while chatting to mates, or girls flashing for a second for a laugh, or someone taking a dump in the woods...

Do you think that people who don't drink or smoke, who sit with their kids all day eating yoghurt and playing with educational toys, but just happen to be naturists, are exposing their children to something obscene?

As for drinking and urinating in public, they can see that down in the town park when their responsible parents take them for a walk, or outside a GAA game.

I appreciate that the risks are far higher at a festival, but again to me it just depends on how responsible the parents are. And I wouldn't say anyone who has a child at such events is a bad parent per se.

Is mise le key

Deleted User wrote: »

Do you think that people who don't drink or smoke, who sit with their kids all day eating yoghurt and playing with educational toys, but just happen to be naturists, are exposing their children to something obscene?

Well if thats all they want to do you dont need to go to a festival to do it.......i do that with my children in my back garden every weekend.

Deleted User wrote: »

As for drinking and urinating in public, they can see that down in the town park when their responsible parents take them for a walk, or outside a GAA game.

Accepted but the difference is its 48 hours non stop at a festival & people really let all the rules go out the window at a festival more so than just a session in the local park or at a match.

Deleted User wrote: »

I appreciate that the risks are far higher at a festival, but again to me it just depends on how responsible the parents are. And I wouldn't say anyone who has a child at such events is a bad parent per se.

Accepted you may not be a bad parent automatically, but you are seriously misguided & naive if you think its OK to bring the kids to a music festival for the experience.........festivals are full on mad 48 hour partys that children will not gain anything good from & you are only satisfying your own want to party by going there........there is nothing for them really at a gig like this that you cant do & they would be happy doing at home in your garden or house.

littleredspot

karlm37 wrote: »

Did anyone see the parents pushing their kids around in a wheelbarrow? The girl was maybe 6 and she was holding a baby no more than 2! It's not something I personally would do but all the same, they seemed just fine!

Ahem, where to start.....
We've brought our kids to quite a lots of festivals. Some are definetly more 'suitable' than others. The biggest problem we had at Life was the long and bumpy walk from the car to the campsite!

The 2 kids in the wheelbarrow were 3 and 1. As you saw they love being in the wheelbarrow, it's a great game and are very cosy and safe in it. We use ear defenders for them (which they also love) if they are in a tent or anywhere near a main stage. They (and their mother) were in bed before midnight each night so missed most of the busy and madder parts of the festival.

I can honestly say we saw no-one vomitting or taking dumps, no sex, no flashing, yes the odd guy with his back to us standing near a bush, and certainly one or two people sleeping on the ground. But from a 3 year olds point of view most of the festival sights are interesting (why is that man dancing with a fish daddy?) Remember also that with young kids a lot of your day takes place before most people get up, when the site is quieter and emptier. Most of the mayhem/messiness takes place after dark.

Myself or my wife would never get out of it while with our children, and that includes having to look after them the morning after.

Having attended festivals for years without kids, we would be hyper paranoid about them not bothering/annoying other people, but our experience is the exact opposite, they seem to bring a lot of pleasure wherever they go.

As we live in the city center, and attend a lot of festivals / days out, we've drilled into our daughter not to wander off and what to do if she gets lost. As a precaution we write our tel. no's on her arms. While there's certainly some drunken twats at festivals, the vast majority of people are extra friendly/nice and hence we always feel our kids are safe at them (wouldn't bring them to Ox.. mind) We'd also stay well away from larger crowds.

I love a good night out/festival without the kids as much as the next, but there can be some rare pleasures had by bringing them, (did anyone else get to recreate scenes from The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe?) (anyone else get all excited at the idea of eating pizza on a big blue bus?) And for some people its worth the extra work/hassle.

I'd be happy to answer any other questions...

jtsuited

Hmmm...this is a tricky one. I think it says more about your own approach to festivals if you think that they're purely crazy drug taking sessions.

I was exposed to big music events at a very young age, and i don't think it did me any harm.

In saying that, it depends what the festival is like. I remember seeing parents with kids at electric picnic the first year it was a multi-day event. Now granted the parents were highly responsible (and quite well off judging by the jeep they owned), to the point that they had proper little ear-protectors for the 3 kids, but I didn't see any problem with what they were doing whatsoever.

On the other hand, I've seen some kids at other festivals where it was just plain wreckless parenting.

I think you have to judge each case on its merits. A three day mashfest like life is obviously not a place you should be bringing children. But I don't think it's fair to say that ALL festivals or music events aren't a good environment to put children in.

And tbf, those crusty's kids aren't going to have to worry about a thing when they're trust fund/peerage kicks in later in life.

Is mise le key

Ahh look Festivals are for grown ups to party with their peers be it drinking, sober, stoned, or flying appreciating music.........play groups & disney on ice with cake, ice cream & balloons are for kids & thats reality.

Is mise le key

Is mise le key wrote: »

Ahh look Festivals are for grown ups to party with their peers be it drinking, sober, stoned, or flying appreciating music.........play groups & disney on ice with cake, ice cream & balloons are for kids & thats reality.

I really don't agree. Maybe back in the day, maybe still at certain festivals, but a lot of them (or at least any one that I would be interested in) focus a lot more on lifestyle and art rather than just drugs, drinking and dancing - I find that an almost depressing prospect myself, and I'm very much an adult!

For example, I would imagine that a responsible parent could give their kids a magical time at the upcoming Body and Soul Festival. Yes, it has the Orb and the craziness of Dr. Alex Paterson, a man who has probably funnelled a lot of chemicals through his system, but on the other hand it also has cheesemaking (I'm not kidding) and story telling! Any responsible parent taking basic precautions can steer the kids clear of a lot more hassle than they are likely to see sat at home in front of the telly. You can have responsible and irresponsible parenting in any environment - I would have a lot more time for parents broadening their kids horizons there rather than leaving Sky TV babysit them while they go to the pub.

Should also point out that I saw a lot of pretty great stuff and a lot of pretty hair raising stuff at festivals that had nothing to do with electronic music. Counting the numbers of drunks and passed out kids at the Rose of tralee and Puck Fair was amusing, watching couples argue and fight other people and so on. Yet half the kids in the county would be around those events and had been for generations and if anyone told us we were being over exposed it would have been ridiculed.

Is mise le key

Deleted User wrote: »

I really don't agree. Maybe back in the day, maybe still at certain festivals, but a lot of them (or at least any one that I would be interested in) focus a lot more on lifestyle and art rather than just drugs, drinking and dancing - I find that an almost depressing prospect myself, and I'm very much an adult!

For example, I would imagine that a responsible parent could give their kids a magical time at the upcoming Body and Soul Festival. Yes, it has the Orb and the craziness of Dr. Alex Paterson, a man who has probably funnelled a lot of chemicals through his system, but on the other hand it also has cheesemaking (I'm not kidding) and story telling! Any responsible parent taking basic precautions can steer the kids clear of a lot more hassle than they are likely to see sat at home in front of the telly. You can have responsible and irresponsible parenting in any environment - I would have a lot more time for parents broadening their kids horizons there rather than leaving Sky TV babysit them while they go to the pub.

Just for the record i am very much interested in art also & no longer consume drugs and 100% agree with you that to have the children activley doing things is the right way forward.......my children dont get babysat by SKY & i havnt been in a pub in over a year bar a recent funeral.......you are making a good case for responsible parenting at such events but i still say that there are more children specific events solely designed to entertain children you could get all the things you want for your children at without having to be super alert to the potential dangers at such gigs........& just to be clear i am referring to festivals like Oxygen, EP, Life & so on that are aimed at music lovers to party all weekend that are not the right environmment for children........i feel it is just a way of attracting more ticket sales if you market that you have a child friendly festival.

littleredspot

Different strokes I suppose...

Probably the largest family orientated festival in Ireland would be the Paddy's Day festivities in Dublin, yet the vast majority of parents I know won't go near it due to images of drunken/puking/fighting youths roaming the streets. Personally I think its a great day out, IF you don't coop your kids up in a pub for the day, know where to go/avoid and what time to call it a day at. Its the same with music festivals.

Is mise, when you're next at EP find a friend with a kid and go have a look at the family camping area (you won't be allowed in without one) It's the most peaceful, tranquil, fun, safe environment you could ever stay in. Likewise the brilliant kids area is spectacularly beautiful and colourful, set in the old walled garden with tons of educational and fun things for them to do. I've been on EP benders twice without kids, and throughly enjoyed it, but nothing could compare to the craic being there with kids was. Watching my 2 year old running around to Hayseed Dixie's rendition of Duelling Banjos is something that still puts a smile on my face.

jonnny68

Agreed a festival isn't a great place for a kid, i certainly wouldn't bring my son to one anyway.

Was at a great house party years ago, about 2 in the morning, people taking copious quantities of alcohol and whatever they were having...and next thing a kid of about 6 came around asking if my wife and I wanted a drink! He had been sent around by the mother to ask - poor thing was nearly stumbling around he was so tired! I know the kid is loved and the mother is great with him and brings him everywhere...but I agree there are some places that are just wrong.

old gregg

I've got an 18 & 15yr old and have been bringing them to regular gigs since they were around 7. At this point they've been to loads of gigs (quite often in the pit 'cos security seemed to think that the back of the pit is the safest place for a child, which we found to be the case). My wife and I considered taking them to a festival or two when they were younger and decided against it. I'd never have brought them to the Life fest even when I was playing there in 08 & 09 and am glad of that. In 08 some asswipe decided to feign a bad acid trip to grab some attention for himself while I was playing and I'm glad I didn't have to explain that to my daughter, also glad she was not there when I met him later.

I've been to a few festivals in mainland Europe similar to Life and may have had less of a problem had my kids wanted to come along. In Transylvania last year I can't remember seeing a single drunk person even though there was a 24 hour €1a can beer licence. Loads of folks chilled and stoned, plenty of free acid around and not a problem. Quite a few kids present and everyone respectful to each other. It does sort of raise the usual questions about culture and attitudes to drink/drugs. Are we looking for opportunities to listen to music, have a spliff and a beer or are we looking for opportunities to get wasted while the music plays. I suppose if an event sells itself as the latter then the kids should be left at home, if the former then maybe it's cool to have children present while we enjoy festival music. Maybe festivals should either sell an event as family friendly (in which case they deal with the wasted) or as over 18s (in which case it's game on)

A bit all over the place and it's easier for me now that my kids are grown up but I can understand folks who like a festival wanting to be able to share that musical experience with their children.

Is mise le key

So to summarise.......we agree that anyone who is irresposible, whereever the setting, are wasters & shouldnt be allowed to neglect their children but disagree that a festival is a fit setting to have children at for numerous reasons.

I agree that you may not be a bad parent just because you think it is OK to attend a festival & you do everything to ensure the child is shielded physically & mentally & that is very admirable, but still i disagree that the setting of a three day music festival is of any benefit whatsoever to a child & potential for harm is always going to be present.

If you are doing everything to protect your children when at a festival should you decide to go to one i take my hat off to you although i dont agree with the setting being appropriate.

If you are as pointed out just neglecting your children for the sake of your own buzz then you should be dragged out by the hair & fu.cked into the back of a gard van. (not in front of the children)

old gregg

Is mise le key wrote: »

So to summarise.......we agree that anyone who is irresposible, whereever the setting, are wasters & shouldnt be allowed to neglect their children but disagree that a festival is a fit setting to have children at for numerous reasons.

This brings me back to studying Plato and his use of elenchus (The Socratic method). cool

hans aus dtschl

Went to some great music festivals as a child and young teen.

Think the issue here is the majority of irish people's views on socializing, music and stimulants.

Most people can't see a festival as being a suitable setting for children. Just goes to show what they consider as being suitable behaviour for a festival, IMO.

People being out of it, urinating, fornicating, vomiting, etc openly is not considered acceptable behaviour, regardless where you are.

Is mise le key

hans aus dtschl wrote: »

People being out of it, urinating, fornicating, vomiting, etc openly is not considered acceptable behaviour, regardless where you are.

It is irrelevant whether or not people (adults) find what you said as acceptable behavior.....the fact that you actually stated the above is a recognition of what occurs at music festival in Ireland, be it right or wrong, & only then reinforces the argument that they are not a fit setting for children.

BaZmO*

I don't really see anything wrong with it per se, but personally I think it just smacks of a "hey look at us, we're really cool parents" whenever I see parents bringing their kids to festivals.

hans aus dtschl

Is mise le key wrote: »

It is irrelevant whether or not people (adults) find what you said as acceptable behavior.....the fact that you actually stated the above is a recognition of what occurs at music festival in Ireland, be it right or wrong, & only then reinforces the argument that they are not a fit setting for children.

I'd agree with what you're saying, Is mise. My issue is with the notion that the "kids should have to be kept away". If that kind of behaviour is common at a festival, I think I'd rather stay away it myself too.

A few people "out of their head" is fine, but when it's majority behaviour its too far.

Is mise le key

Is mise le key wrote: »

I agree that you may not be a bad parent just because you think it is OK to attend a festival & you do everything to ensure the child is shielded physically & mentally & that is very admirable, but still i disagree that the setting of a three day music festival is of any benefit whatsoever to a child & potential for harm is always going to be present.

If you substitute "Tallaght" or "Limerick" for the underlined words it also works...

mordeith

Deleted User wrote: »

If you substitute "Tallaght" or "Limerick" for the underlined words it also works...

Hilarious :rolleyes:

Pace2008

hans aus dtschl wrote: »

A few people "out of their head" is fine, but when it's majority behaviour its too far.

95% of the attendees at Life were completely spangled but they were the friendliest, least-threatening crowd I've seen at any festival.

Pace2008

hans aus dtschl wrote: »

A few people "out of their head" is fine, but when it's majority behaviour its too far.

95% of the attendees at Life were completely spangled but they were the friendliest, least threatening crowd I've seen at any festival.

Zascar

Yeah I'd have to agree, I did not see any trouble and although there were a lot of nackers I did not feel threatened or anything. But honestly 95% of people were out of their mind and personally I just would not be comfortable bringing my young children into this atmosphere for the whole weekend. Kids are complete sponges and its not the type of thing I want them immersed into and exposed to for long periods of time.

BigDaddyCan

i saw a good few kids at life alrite, i thought it was poor enough, one fella came up to me asking me for a lighter for his spliff, his son was by his side, bad form if u ask me!

FLYNN-DOG

I presume we're all talking about that one kid with the blonde hair and the dog?!?!?!?!??!

I saw his dad......rolling a splif and giving acid tabs to his mates. Seriously challenges John Terry's 'Dad of the year' award...

Zascar

Yeah I saw him! I did not see the acid though. Seriously if I had have been like that when I was a kid I'd be a very different person today

old gregg

crikey, if I saw something like that I'd probably finish my own spliff then go and have the asswipe dad busted :mad::p

littleredspot

BigDaddyCan wrote: »

one fella came up to me asking me for a lighter for his spliff, his son was by his side

That wasn't me that wasn't me that wasn't me. And I don't have a dog!

I think its also a lot to do with what age the kids are. My 3 year old doesn't know the meaning of drunk. As far as she's concerned she just met some funny friendly people. We had friends bring older kids to EP. The parents didn't enjoy the weekend at all because the kids wanted to stay in the kids area because it was so much fun.

We left on Sunday because it had rained and the ground was wet, so our choices for what to do with the crawling 1 year old would of been to stay cooped up in the tent or keep him in the buggy for the day. Neither of which was an option. We'd enjoyed our weekend so were happy to call it quits. (although daddy did get to drive back down for the evening:D)

You never know until you try things with kids how they'll work out, but if you want them to experience lots of life you have to make a bit of effort.

mordeith

mordeith wrote: »

Hilarious :rolleyes:

Was it?

It wasn't meant to be. It was meant to be a point. I'd feel a lot safer at the Life Festival than I would walking around some streets in this country.

Is mise le key

Deleted User wrote: »

Was it?

It wasn't meant to be. It was meant to be a point. I'd feel a lot safer at the Life Festival than I would walking around some streets in this country.

It wasnt a joke?

Well i wouldnt feel comfortable walking around some streets in this country either but what has that got to do with children at festivals?

Is mise le key

Is mise le key wrote: »

Well i wouldnt feel comfortable walking around some streets in this country either but what has that got to do with children at festivals?

If we get too precious about what children are exposed to, I think there are more obvious candidates than all music festivals, though clearly some might fit the bill. Just last year I was in bed at 7 in the morning watching breakfast tv, it had cracking stuff - violence (a stabbing and a gory extraction of the knife in surgery), gang violence and drug selling, a conflict between a lesbian paramedic and her insensitive colleague, a running down and a point blank shooting with a rigged up shotgun. Think I'd rather the kids saw Life Festival over an hour in front of RTE before school!

Lando Griffin

Pace2008 wrote: »

95% of the attendees at Life were completely spangled but they were the friendliest, least-threatening crowd I've seen at any festival.

Great statistic was the 5% that werent spangled crusty smokey kids?

Is mise le key

Deleted User wrote: »

If we get too precious about what children are exposed to, I think there are more obvious candidates than all music festivals, though clearly some might fit the bill. Just last year I was in bed at 7 in the morning watching breakfast tv, it had cracking stuff - violence (a stabbing and a gory extraction of the knife in surgery), gang violence and drug selling, a conflict between a lesbian paramedic and her insensitive colleague, a running down and a point blank shooting with a rigged up shotgun. Think I'd rather the kids saw Life Festival over an hour in front of RTE before school!

Your losing me here again man......i wouldnt even subject myself to Breakfast TV.......my wife only began to tell me about a story yesterday on ireland AM involving incest resulting in pregnancy etc etc etc & my response is 'Dont watch it'........i wouldnt expect anything less from the mind numbing horse shi.te that is television in general & certainley wouldnt let my children be exposed to it but again what has that got to do with children at festivals?

jtsuited

Is mise le key wrote: »

Your losing me here again man......i wouldnt even subject myself to Breakfast TV.......my wife only began to tell me about a story yesterday on ireland AM involving incest resulting in pregnancy etc etc etc & my response is 'Dont watch it'........i wouldnt expect anything less from the mind numbing horse shi.te that is television in general & certainley wouldnt let my children be exposed to it but again what has that got to do with children at festivals?

he was making a fairly simple point about being over-protective about what you expose your children to. And how children seeing a couple of people off their heads is not much of a big deal when you consider what children are exposed to every day on TV.

senan s

the only time i'd bring my kids into a pub, would be on an odd sunday for dinner, never would i bring them to a festival, its unfair on them being in an envoirnment like that

Is mise le key

jtsuited wrote: »

he was making a fairly simple point about being over-protective about what you expose your children to. And how children seeing a couple of people off their heads is not much of a big deal when you consider what children are exposed to every day on TV.

Im sorry if i missed the point but your making out what children have the potential to be exposed to on TV everyday as a certainty to happen, to some how support a view that children are less damaged by witnessing mad out of partying than whats potetially available to them on the TV.

Thats creating a context that isnt really there as you are presupposing that children are being exposed to this kind of television anyway. A parent who allows their children to view what they want on TV is just as bad as one that exposes them to mad out of it partying.

The point of this thread was to gauge whether or not you think a festival is a fit setting for children........not whether you think Jeremy kyle is before primary school......i dont think either are for children (and i dont even think Jeremy kyle is even fit for adults.....more brain dead shi.te being spewed at us)

Disposable heroes - Television the drug of the nation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA5faeCGg-w

Lando Griffin

And Crusties in pubs. I was having a few sunday pints once and got chatting to a Crustie smelling of a turf fire and hands black with dirt going on about the great life on the dole he was having . First he bummed a fag of me and made a spliff with but I had a few drags then when we went back in he said " Mate do you wannt to buy me a pint?" the cheek. I told him no i didnt want to buy him a pint.