single parent camping

[benrio]

no, not a attempt to initiate an EOTR dating forum... ; )

I'm heading down with my 8 year old daughter, having previously attended as part of a couple. So, this year (dont worry, this doesnt get too sentimental..) I'm figuring out how to do pitching, childcare, keeping things interesting etc going solo.

I'll be camping in the family area, so may need a little help with pitching the tent..and I'm more than willing to help out anyone in a similar situation..it may also be nice if anyone out there has some kids of any age who my daughter can have some play-dates with...it may spare us both from too much kid / Dad conversation!

to be honest, I havent really thought through the finer points of this as yet, but if anyone has any similar idea's or thoughts then please do post away...its possible that even those of you not travelling 'solo' and also have kids may be interested in something similar, to help the kids form gangs / run riot / generally enjoy themselves far more than if totally tethered to their doting parents!

[adp]

Hi Benrio

Can't help with spare children who might distract yours - EotR is my selfish child free festival - but I have done six years at Green Man as a single parent with two children and its always worked out briliantly. First year they were 9 and 13. Admittedly the first couple were the most sober festival experiences I'd ever had, and I missed a couple of great headliners, but I reckon if you get them in to the swing of it young they never lose it - and give them a good education, mine despair at the musical taste of their peers and have seen an incredible string of bands.

On the practicality front pitching the tent is probably the biggest thing but even that should be OK unless you've got some enormous palace to put up - give her something to do, even if its only passing you pegs as you need them. Am more than willing to lend a hand though, I should arrive mid morning Friday.

Have a good one,

Andrew

[riverlodge]

i can only comment from 3rd party experience, having gone with my brother in law and his daughter to latitude for the past few years (starting age 9, now pretty much festival savvy at 13).

my observations (as a non parent mind): its amazing how independent they seem to be and how the whole festival experience is something that they just lap up so easily and with seemingly far more confidence than you could imagine - i remember year one for the 9 year old and all the concern we had before about noise, not liking it, sleeping, washing, swearing, being scared. etc etc - within five minutes of getting in the arena she was parked right in front of a huge speaker stack (WITH COOL DAYGLOW EARPLUGS) making friends with the security guy and other kids at the barrier. from then we were then incidental to her festival, and she has been back each year since.

things that seemed to make it easy: make sure you let them go to the one or two sets that will have radio 1 airplay friendly artists (yeah, difficult at eotr but i guess count king charles and Alt-J), get more glowsticks/glowpaint than you could ever imagine needing (even for daytime), big bag of earplugs, practice your table tennis beforehand and take loads of cash.

kids can be surprisingly good at putting up tents btw, but if you need help me and my brother in law will be in grumpy quiet camping from thursday afternoon and you are welcome to have my mobile as backstop, just pm me.

[Harcwood]

I am hoping to get a decent space on the family area but can't get there til late Friday evening, do I have any chance?

[benrio]

Andrew and FF,

Many, many thanks for your advice and thoughts. I am especially inspired by the glow sticks and glow paint idea, and also the thought to take her to some more 'accessible' artists..rather than trying to convince her via my own tastes (I blame my parents, always listening to Beefheart when I grew up..wasnt until they put The Beatles on that my ears pricked up...)

Ultimately, the idea is the same irrespective of age...kick back and enjoy it : )

cheers guys,

Ben

[benrio]

sorry, my eyes are just getting accustomed to the layout...

Thanks to Andrew and riverlodge.....these things do matter, right? : )