Kids & Teenagers at Burning Man

[CagedKitty]

So how was it bringing your teens? Any advice for parents?

[Blonde Iguana]

Bringing my 16 year old daughter and 17 year old nephew was one of the best things that I and my sister have ever done for our kids. Ever. Ever ever ever ever.

[Alex_uk]

well regarding the age dispute.
i myself am from the old brittania aka england.
as im sure you are aware the age over here is 18 for pretty much everything (16 smoking 17 driving)
this i thin works well although it does mean that you find most ppl started drinking in there early teens.
however my worry about bm this year (my first bm year) is that i will get grief when trying to get pissed as i oh so love to do bwecause im not 21 (will be twenty at burning man) (i regard 21 to be a much to high age for alcohol consumption anyway)
will i get bother over this at all?
maybe some of you who have been to the uk can tell me.....is the uk more or less liberated for this kind of thing, the only reason i ask is that 21 seems to me that the state is imposing itself on the people who are "adult" and more than capable of making there own decisions.
perhaps my real question is if we in the uk are regarded as adult from the age of 18/19, in the states are you regarded as adult from 18 or 21?

[blueniteowl]

alex, I havn't been to the uk and I personally wouldn't give you grief for drinking. I was drinking and parting at 16, but I was also able to drive. There isn't much for public transportation around here and I know a lot of people who drink and drive. I think that is part of the issue here state side. There are a lot more people driving around all of the time. Teenagers don't have the maturity to not drink and drive. I think 21 may be a little high, but at the same time I don't trust a lot of the teens out there to act responsibly.

[blueniteowl]

Oh, and you can be considered an adult at all sorts of ages around here. If you commit a violent crime, you may be considered an adult if you're only 13 . You're considered adult enough to control a car on your own at 16. If you wanna smoke, than you're considered an adult at 18. And so on.

[Alex_uk]

yeah a few valid points there and i agree with although i dont want to turn the thread into a political dispute on what constitutes what i just want to be sure that i can enjoy bm in the way that i would like to

[blueniteowl]

I don't think you should have much of a problem. As long as you don't run around screaming that you're only 20, or try to buy booze in Reno, or do something stupid. I'd let you drink with me.

[Alex_uk]

haha its all feels very alien. its like being 16 again :)

[Blonde Iguana]

Caged Kitty, to answer your question about advice on bringing teens.

1) I think it's most important to make sure they possess a certain level of maturity. For example, if you can you trust them not to trash the house and get in all kinds of trouble when you go away for the weekend, you might not have to worry about them too much at Burning Man when they (or you) are gone from the camp all night and/or day (bring walkie-talkies, they worked well). In other words, they make good choices (at least most of the time).
2) Do they have some level of compassion and/or awareness of other people and the world?
3) Do they actually WANT to go Burning Man after having read the literature/website, watched a vid about it, and being told by their parents that they will be expected to help out at camp?

Other than that, Burning Man was very very welcoming to our teens. They had a lot of memorable, amazing encounters and are very different, more open, confident people for the experience.

[CagedKitty]

Thanks, that's great to know. I'll probably be bringing my 17 yo son next time. I think he's wanted to go for several years while seeing his dad go. I finally went last year, but I didn't bring him, because he had a job to go to, but also I didn't know if he'd like the extreme conditions. I didn't even notice them for all the things and people to see, so now I'm sure it would be worth it to him. He did have a party at his dad's house while we were gone, but usually he's very responsible. I wouldn't worry a bit about him causing trouble to other people there. I'm more worried about him being safe if he gets lost or something.

[Blonde Iguana]

Yep, I was really worried about how my 16 year old daughter would hold up under the extreme conditions, but not only did she not care, the wind, heat, cold and dust just made her experience (and mine!) that much more memorable and exciting.

I also totally worried about the teens getting lost, but not only did they not get lost, they were much smarter and better at finding their way around than I was. I stopped worrying about it after the second day or so.

[CagedKitty]

Thanks. It's got to be good for him. It'll make up for me never bringing him to Disneyland, and maybe then he'll understand why I didn't.

[we0ne]

Any tips for brining a 3 year old? I am hoping to stay in kids camp, but since it's my first time there, I'm not sure how to sign up. I have been emailing burningman.com for over 3 months now and zero reply.


Any suggestions are appreciated.

[Taniwha]

Any tips for brining a 3 year old? I am hoping to stay in kids camp, but since it's my first time there, I'm not sure how to sign up. I have been emailing burningman.com for over 3 months now and zero reply.


Any suggestions are appreciated.

You want: http://www.burningkids.org/

[Das Bus]

weOne:

the email group for Kidsville is kidscamp@yahoogroups.com. You're more than welcome to join us, we'd love to have you! : )

[Mister Jellyfish Mister]

My oldest daughter is 10 and I told her she has to wait until she is 18 to attend Burning Man, though I may one day weaken on this. She is just to lovely for me to let go of her so we could both enjoy our respective burns. But then, my wife stays home too. I kinda like having my one crazy thing that I go do by myself every year. There is mounting social pressure to include your children in everything you do. Right now, they are happy with Disneyland and I've got Burning Man and everybody's happy.

[robotland]

Any tips for brining a 3 year old?.

Why? Are you making kid jerky?

[jbelson]

I wish I had gone to the playa when I was a teenager. I think it would be a wonderful eye-opener and break a kid out of the indefference that teenagers fall into, you know that "whatever" phase. Of course, talk with them and try to be open with everything, which if you're going to the playa seems like it's already happening. The not having peer's part would get a little weird for a kid, but hey, the world doesn't simply exist for their pleasure (it exists for mine).
Plus, he'd be the coolest kid in school when he went home.

[kilngod]

I'm a 1st timer and will be bringing my 15 yr old son. We've been hunting for an adventure to go on together before either of us grows up, and Burning Man is it. I've gotten lots of reactions to our plot, ranging from "What's Burningman?" to "Are you insane?!" to "Sweet!" I say we're going to see the art, and sure, this is true. But I also want to show my son that the world actually does have a place that welcomes creative people that don't necessarily thrive in school and beyond. (I want/need to see this, too, as I have recently embarked on remaking myself as an artist after spending the two decades working for lawyers.)

I've enjoyed "watching" this year's event evolve through the web site and other postings, and from a few conversations with folks who've been. (Especially intriguing is Camp Calvinball and the Dept. of Tethered Aviation.) I'm not too trepidacious about what we might experience, though I don't really know what that will be.

My greatest fear would be that it's a dud, and I think that's unlikely.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Oh, a sleeping drunkard
Up in Central Park,
And a lion-hunter
In the jungle dark,
And a Chinese dentist,
And a British queen--
All fit together
In the same machine.
Nice, nice, very nice;
Nice, nice, very nice;
Nice, nice, very nice--
So many different people
In the same device.

- Kurt Vonnegut,Jr. -

[hageymon]

Your kid's gonna LOVE it, and your relationship will be strengthened, too, as well as taking on some new dimensions.

Right to his deathbed, he'll never forget it!

I started my brat at 13, and this will be his fourth year in a row.

Congratulations on being a COOL Dad!

[theCryptofishist]

Psst--I think "Camp Calvinball" is more a lovely "what-if" than something you're likely to see. But it is a very lovely what if, and if you and the kid start a game you may find other players!

[Blonde Iguana]

My 16 year old daughter and I went to the Playa for the first time last year. She's sort of "delicate" and shy, so I was very worried about how she'd fare, but as soon as we got there she dove (dived?) right in, reveled in the heat, wind and dust, gained buckets of instant confidence, made some great friends, regained her faith in humanity, and had some of the greatest experiences of her young life. It's the best thing I've ever done for her.

[wrong trousers]

Hi all. This will be my 3rd year. I'm bringing one of my kids for the 1st time, she'll be 14 on 8/1 (I'm also bringing my fetus who will be 6 mos old ).

My ideal is to find another kid or two who are about her age so they can discuss Bman together or possibly decide to hang out or whatever. But I know, agreeing to meet on the playa is usually a ridiculous notion & never happens, ha! I have a (probably silly) fear that she'll get bored of all the grown ups like she does at home sometimes & wish she had some girl her age to go squeal about things with, but then again, most people ACT like kids on the playa & the whole experience will be so cool that maybe she'll be just fine & dandy? What do you think? Do any of you that have brought teens feel it's important for them to have others around, even sporadically, that are their own age? Am I overanalyzing? Are you bringing your 13/14/15 yr old teen girl & want to let our kids email each other?? That'd be cool.
Thanks!

[mamagrrl]

My ideal is to find another kid or two who are about her age so they can discuss Bman together or possibly decide to hang out or whatever. But I know, agreeing to meet on the playa is usually a ridiculous notion & never happens, ha!

So you two could meet some teens pre-playa and once on-playa, leave it up to her to find them again. My 16y.o. boy will be going for the second time this year. You could potentially come to some of our camp prep days, let her meet him (and some girl-teens who may be going *next* year but who really, really want to go *this* year.) Working on a project together is sometimes the nicest way to meet folks.

I have a (probably silly) fear that she'll get bored of all the grown ups like she does at home sometimes & wish she had some girl her age to go squeal about things with, but then again, most people ACT like kids on the playa & the whole experience will be so cool that maybe she'll be just fine & dandy? What do you think? Do any of you that have brought teens feel it's important for them to have others around, even sporadically, that are their own age? Am I overanalyzing? Are you bringing your 13/14/15 yr old teen girl & want to let our kids email each other?? That'd be cool.
Thanks!

Yeah, you're probably over-analyzing and over-stressing. The world is made up of teens of all ages. One of my favorite people is 40-something, but acts giddy as a 13 year old on-playa.

My boy's first year (15yo), there were no (as in NO) other teens in the 70-person camp we joined. Not across the street. Not down the street. He was it - and had a wonderful time. He got himself adopted onto an art car as doorman and toured BRC in style, meeting all sorts of folks. He ended up knowing more folks in camp than *I* did! ...and he got all sorts of respect for being who he is.

This year, he's helping start a camp, helping create an art car and, well, playing lots of computer games. (laughs) He is a teen, after all.

It'll be all good. ...but if you want to meet a playa-bound teen pre-playa, you're welcome at our camp prep days!

[Das Bus]

We have quite a few teenagers in Kidsville. You're more than welcome to join the village and the email group @ kidscamp@yahoogroups.com

[wrong trousers]

Thanks for the replies guys! I'm trying to join the Kidsville e-group actually. I'm just impatiently tapping my toes awaiting a response from the moderator.

[stringbean]

"Any tips for bringing a 3 year old?"....Yeah. Get a sitter and leave them home. I'm looking forward to hanging loose as a free adult without some wide-eyed kid checking out my new ass painting at a place like the burning man event. While most of the participants want to enable parents to feel comfortable bringing their young-uns, allow me this space to express my opinion, my sheer horror that anyone would expose their kids to some of the tawdry events that I'd like to enjoy without feeling inhibited by young eyes. Can't you find a sitter?
I don't care if you agree. I don't want your kid watching me.
I'm sure that the vast numbers of folks frying on acid wouldn't ever act out in any way that could scar a kid's mind....Want to have the young-uns develop a sense of freedom? Have them see me after 3 or 4 shots of Tequila! No "doorkeepers" on that sort of revelry.
Personally, I wouldn't want little Johnny to be the first to introduce S+M paraphernalia to our neighbor kids....he might get really creative ideas on where to place alligator clips after attending burning man.
Finish raising your offspring before airing an opinion on this, really. My boys went to nudist camps with me - no problem. I'm no prude. Things are not meant to be quite so controlled in the Black Rock desert, and I wouldn't want them to be. But if ya'll can wave yer red painted shaved crotch at a 10 year old while you're walking around drunk and aroused and feel ok about it, more power to ya'.
What's there not to understand? It isn't just ME that wants to experience unbridled freedom, it's a sheer MASS of adults.
As for myself, little onlooking kids causes me to feel inhibited...or protective of them, or plain pissed that they're at my heels. But I'm not so sure about the reactions of a guy who may be frying on A or drunk. Would you really want to trust seething, roiling masses who are tripping with your child?
In my opinion, kids need to observe adults at this event as much as they would sitting on a bar stool at a swinger's club.

[Elemental666]

wouldn't have been easier just to link to your other thread? all that copying and pasting...


*heads off the bar to drink himself into oblivion*

[Bay Bridge Sue]

Yeah, this is kinda like a crosspost. Major crosspost. Maybe he thought he'd get more attention here.

Ya know what? Let me put it THIS way...

IF you feel uncomfortable, knowing that kids of *all* ages will be there, maybe there should be something going off in your head saying "maybe I shouldn't go to BRC". It's not someone else's responsibility to insure your happiness.

OR... putting it simply...

If the thought of someone staring at your bare ass bothers you, then
COVER YOUR BARE ASS UP!!

__________


Following E666 to the bar for a drink. while muttering about Radical Self Reliance and Personal Responsibility...

[hunter S]

I think "stringbean " has a valid point or two. It's tuff to see both side of this issue but......... having young-uns on the plya out side of kidsville makes me question the thinking of their parents. I felt it was resonable to bring mine when they eached 18 and I could even see older teens but the very young kids GET A SITTER! It's not fair to them or the rest of the community. ( yea, call me old school but it my opinon )