Radical inclusion of teens

[livelaughthrive]

What is you opinion of those under 18 at burning man? Is it a safe place for those of us who understand it is more than a big party? Do parents have any reason to worry? Does age matter to you? I'm trying to get information to build my case with my mom.

My personal situation:
I was raised to be responsible, loving, and independent, so the playa seems like the best place on earth for me. Although, I face a dilemma, despite the fact that I know how to take care of myself, and I know what makes me happy, my mother and I don't see eye to eye on the topic of burning man. I was going to go last year with a friend, we had tickets, but I had to pass mine along to someone else because, after many attempts to convince her otherwise, my mom said no. She made it clear that she will not support the proposition until I am 18. The problem with that is I don't think I can wait that long, I will turn 17 just before the 2012 burn. I know the playa is my home, and burners are my family. I would like to leave to the playa with my mom's blessing, however I don't know if that will be possible.
Thank you for your input and much love

[Nipple]

My son is 15.

I've offered to take him, but he doesn't think it's really his scene. I'm more than cool with him going... that said I would NOT be cool with him going alone. There are a lot of situations to navigate there when things are going right. The situations to navigate when things go wrong very very quickly become more and more complex.

If your mom is your stumbling block, it's entirely out of concern. Perhaps if you had a sponsor there, that your mom knew, that if anything went pear shaped, she knew you could turn to, she would feel better about it.

Does such a person exist? If so, have this conversation with them.

[Sic Pup]

Maybe you can change your tact and convince her how much she might enjoy it?

I have no idea how this is enforced.

Q. How much is a ticket for my child?
A. Children 12 and under accompanied by a parent will be admitted for free. Children between 13-18 require full-price tickets. Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian over 21 years of age. If you plan to bring a child, please read the Kids at Burning Man survival guide.

http://www.burningman.com/whatisburning ... ml#Tickets

[Shambala]

First, you have to have a responsible adult who enters the event with you. Second, this is a real working city with all the real city issues. I wonder if your mother might consider going with you.
The sad part of all of this, is that people who read about this event, feel they know it all. This is really nothing like your mother thinks it is. I can give you all sorts of good arguments to go, but your mother doesn't want you going to this "crazed out drug fest" in the desert. Nothing you say with help her to understand what this really is. I don't even know what it really is, and I've been going for over a decade!
Good luck convincing your mother!

[lemur]

you cant use eplaya to shop for answers!!!


mom said no!!


i am with mom, she knows best..

[lemur]

Q. How much is a ticket for my child?
A. Children 12 and under accompanied by a parent will be admitted for free. Children between 13-18 require full-price tickets. Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian over 21 years of age. If you plan to bring a child, please read the Kids at Burning Man survival guide.

(not really)

IM A 19 YEAR OLD with my 4 year old daughter, at the gate... do you let my daughter in?!

WHAT SAY YOU SIC PUP?

[Savannah]

Here's a really big thread for you, livelaughthrive:

Kids & Teenagers at Burning Man
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3921

And some other links:
http://blackrockkids.org/
http://blog.burningman.com/2011/08/play ... the-playa/

Unless a parent goes with you, or your mother knows someone rare & amazing she trusts enough to give guardianship (and they're willing to take on the responsibility, which is no light & easy matter) you might have to wait until you're 18. If it's any comfort, most of us didn't attend before we were 18 either. More commonly, mid-twenties to mid-forties and older, in fact. Mid/late teenagers seem even more rare in Black Rock City than small kids.

[Sic Pup]

Q. How much is a ticket for my child?
A. Children 12 and under accompanied by a parent will be admitted for free. Children between 13-18 require full-price tickets. Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian over 21 years of age. If you plan to bring a child, please read the Kids at Burning Man survival guide.

(not really)

IM A 19 YEAR OLD with my 4 year old daughter, at the gate... do you let my daughter in?!

WHAT SAY YOU SIC PUP?

That's easy, no, I don't work gate.

[trilobyte]

There's no dilemma. You don't go until you're over the age of 18. Unless you can get your parent/guardian to agree to it and go with you. Of course, a mature adult-type person would realize that it'll be okay, there's no rush, you can go in 2013. If you're not sure if you can wait that long, you're clearly not responsible enough to handle the journey IMO.

[Eric]

I know the playa is my home, and burners are my family.

No, you think they are (or you want them to be). The only thing "burners" have in common is that they've been to Burning Man. That's it. Some groups might have more in common, but "burners" as a whole- nope. I have almost nothing in common with the people who go to the spiritual camps or spend all their time at the dance camps, I'd bet quite a few would say the same towards me. To point at a random group of strangers and say "that's my family" or "that's where I belong" is troublesome for me, to say the least.

Hell, there isn't even any sort of consensus on what Burning Man IS- an art festival, a rave, a camping trip in the desert, an alternative society, a party, a retreat, some sort of hybrid of all or none of the above...

Basically, what I'm saying here is don't load a bunch of expectations on this little event that it may not live up to, and don't think it's some sort of perfect utopia here in the US of A. It's not.

Maybe you should start small- get your mom to go with you to some east coast Regionals, get an idea of what at least part of this "culture" is about, and maybe allay some of your moms fears in the process.

[ygmir]

were I in charge, I'd say no, until you're 18, or have a responsible with you....

[jkisha]

The answer is really quite simple and straight forward, so I can only repeat what was said before. No, you can't go. Not until you are 18 or go with a parent or guardian. As it doesn't sound like your mom is into going, I guess we'll see you in a couple of years.

[Nipple]

YOUR MOM is into GOING!

(Couldn't be contained.)

[MOOP_Czar]

I have to go with Eric on this one.

Burning Man is different things to different people.

To assume it is all sunshine and lollipops is ludicrous.

Whether or not you "know how to take care of" yourself you need to get a better grip on reality before heading into BM.

This is not a Rainbow Gathering.

It is awesome, but it will not be what you expect.

My first year I went expecting to be blown away by the art and I was. What I wasn't expecting was a cathartic moment at the temple Burn where I made up my mind to run off and marry my wife and fuck everything else when I got back. By October 16th, we were married.

Go to BM with an open mind - and no expectations when you are 18. Give yourself AND your Mother that respect.

[Shambala]

To assume it is all sunshine and lollipops is ludicrous.

Not according to Leslie Gore......

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RptJaOrZew&feature=related[/youtube]

[MOOP_Czar]

Ya know - I laughed out loud without even clicking the link because I know exactly where it was going just by the name.

Holy fuck..

I am old...

[livelaughthrive]

Thanks you for these responses so far. I realize that I have a lot of thinking to do on the subject, and I also realize that I didn't chose the best wording to express how I feel about Burning Man. It has also occurred to me that I am trying to find answers from others, when I really need to deal with this on my own. I realize the playa is different than anything else out there, and I'm not going to pretend to understand it, I'm also not going to pretend to understand America's obsession with the age 18. It's just a number, and its not a hell of a lot different than 17. I'm sure I'm coming off as just another teen obsessed with a magical utopia that doesn't really exist. But thats not who I am. Thank you all for your words of wisdom.

[MOOP_Czar]

America's obsession with the age of 18 is that it is universally agreed upon, no matter if wrong or right, as the age of adulthood.

As people who have already been to Burning Man advise you on any decisions to attend before that ver LEGAL age, you would indeed be well advised to heed their advice and warnings.

If you cannot wait one year to respect the wishes of your Mother, I will state words that are rarely spoken here in earnest and accept all detractors with a haelthy "bite my ass" - those words:

"Your Doing it Wrong"

Please listen to your Mom, as a parent, there is no way in Hell, or Heaven for that matter, that I would allow my 17 year old daughter to go unaccompanied. When she turned 18, I might object, but I couldn't do shit to stop her.

That is what 18 means.

Now.. I am drunk cause I am over 21..

So I am going to stumble into another thread now and post something....

[Nipple]

I'm also not going to pretend to understand America's obsession with the age 18. It's just a number, and its not a hell of a lot different than 17.

Yea... It's a pretty arbitrary number. You (I mean the editorial you, not you personally) are going to be a mush brain anyway until like 28 or 29 anyway.

Maybe 32... but I mean... you gotta pick a number somewhere.

We'll all still be there in 2013. Besides, Burning Man was better next year.

[MOOP_Czar]

I'm also not going to pretend to understand America's obsession with the age 18. It's just a number, and its not a hell of a lot different than 17.

Yea... It's a pretty arbitrary number. You (I mean the editorial you, not you personally) are going to be a mush brain anyway until like 28 or 29 anyway.

Maybe 32... but I mean... you gotta pick a number somewhere.

We'll all still be there in 2013. Besides, Burning Man was better next year.

I think I am going to adopt you...

[Sic Pup]

"Your Doing it Wrong"

Coming from someone who posted "there" when they meant "they're" tonight but didn't catch it until it was too late.... at least you can use the drunk defense

[jkisha]

To assume it is all sunshine and lollipops is ludicrous.

Not according to Leslie Gore......

[MOOP_Czar]

"Your Doing it Wrong"

Coming from someone who posted "there" when they meant "they're" tonight but didn't catch it until it was too late.... at least you can use the drunk defense

Well thank You Grammar Nazi!!

I am drunk.

So I will pass the aforementioned "bite my ass" right on down the line....

Loves ya!

[theCryptofishist]

None of you warned her about the vicious snarks on page two of this thread?

[MOOP_Czar]

Good point Crypto!

What were we talking about?

[Isotopia]

17 seems a bit old but hey, I'm sure we can work something out.

[MOOP_Czar]

17 seems a bit old but hey, I'm sure we can work something out.

You just had to bring Pedo Bear into this?

[Quaneshia Honeycooch]

[quote]I know the playa is my home, and burners are my family.[/quote]

Oh, Jesus. Someone get me a bag, I gotta fucking puke.

[Savannah]

Thanks you for these responses so far. I realize that I have a lot of thinking to do on the subject, and I also realize that I didn't chose the best wording to express how I feel about Burning Man. It has also occurred to me that I am trying to find answers from others, when I really need to deal with this on my own. I realize the playa is different than anything else out there, and I'm not going to pretend to understand it, I'm also not going to pretend to understand America's obsession with the age 18. It's just a number, and its not a hell of a lot different than 17. I'm sure I'm coming off as just another teen obsessed with a magical utopia that doesn't really exist. But thats not who I am. Thank you all for your words of wisdom.

I think you presented yourself very eloquently and well. Unfortunately, your degree of maturity has no influence on the American age of adulthood* (or, apparently, your mother's opinion).

* Barring emancipated minors. No clue as to whether they get in solo.

[MOOP_Czar]

I know the playa is my home, and burners are my family.

Oh, Jesus. Someone get me a bag, I gotta fucking puke.

Is a bag made of raver skins ok?