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Kids walking around Faire alone?

Started by cowgrrl, June 09, 2008, 09:12:09 PM

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cowgrrl

We've been going to our local Faire for about 4 years now, 2 as season pass holders.  Our kids know the faire very well & I've felt comfortable letting them wander a ways here or there as long as I can see them.

Our oldest, who would be 11 at the time of Faire, has asked to be able to walk around by himself for a few hours next year.  On the one hand, I feel he's pretty safe at Faire & we would give him a cell phone & we would tell him what to say if he is truly in trouble.  On the other hand, I'm his mom & I worry. 

So, if you were a kid at Faire, when were you allowed to go by yourself.  If you're a parent, when did you let your kid walk around by themselves.  Thanks in advance!

beeboy

honestly...as someone who just turned 18...

I had a lot more fun when I wasn't restricted to being with my mom.  This is mostly due to the fact I had my best friend with me.  While my mom got to see what she wanted to see, my friend and I could wander around and do what we wanted.  My mom just made arrangements that we met her at so-and-so place towards the end of the day.  We would start off the morning with her, and within an hour or so of lets-keep-the-family-together, wed go our seperate ways

And also, faire in general is a really safe place. 

anne of oaktower

#2
I had the same concerns myself not so very long ago.  My kids are in their upper-teens now and allowed to run the faire on their own, but a few years ago it was a different story.  I finally realized that our entire faire is fenced in, with only one way in or out.  There was no way anyone was going to take off with one of my kids.  I started out giving them little freedoms and built up from there.  For example - "I'm planning on being in this area for the next two hours.  You can go anywhere you wish on this level of faire, but check in with me once per hour."  (Our home faire is sort of divided into an upper and lower section.)  As long as I could turn around and spot them within a matter of moments, and provided they reported in on a frequent basis, they earned more freedom the next time we went.  If they screwed up and "forgot" to check in as requested, they were miserable the next time we went 'cuz they had to stay with me all day.  It only took one time of finding out that I really would follow through and make them stay by my side all day for them to realize that it just wasn't worth the risk the next time.  This lesson carried over into the mundane world, as well. 

Only you know whether or not your child is ready to roam free.  You will never actually be ready to let them... it's a Mom thing.  Just start feeding the rope out a little at a time and see what happens. 

Good Luck!
A/O

* I should mention that our home faire is what I would consider a mid-sized faire.  Not the smallest I've ever seen, but also not one of the really big ones either.  *
aka: Oak-hearted Annie / Anne of Oak Barrel / Barefoot Annie

"It is never too late to be what you might have been."

Sketchn

I went to my first faire when I was 13, but it was extremely small.

The first time I was at a larger fair and actually went off on my own, I was 17.  It really is a very different experience than following your parents around.  You get the opportunity to meet people, dwell where you want, see shows that interest you, etc.

I usually make a point to find my parents at least three times during faire, not including arrival and departure, I have a cell, but usually have it on silent and check it every hour or so, in case.  I usually try to notify them if I'm making plans on leaving faire grounds to get *CHEAPER* food.

All in all, 11 seems a little to young to me to be wandering around at faire alone.  If your son has a friend or two to bring, that wouldn't be so bad.  But if it's only a few hours; why not?  Just make sure he gives you a general idea of the areas he plans on frequenting.
Steph
Sketch'n M'Crack

sealion

A lot depends on the maturity of the child. My oldest was always wise beyond her years and level headed so she had more freedom at a younger age than her siblings. With my son I was more concerned about what kind of mischief he would get into than anything bad happening to him. My youngest is much less mature than most 16 year olds becasue of her disabilities so this is the first year she has been allowed to experience faire apart from us but with a friend in tow. I'm still not comfortable letting her go off on her own. That being said...
I would probably let an 11 year old wander a small faire with a friend. I wouldn't let him wander off alone and I probably wouldn't let him wander a large faire even with a friend.
Cindy/Ciana Leonardi di Firenze/Captain Cin

Lady Neysa

I guess I should consider myself lucky, because my kids, 13 yr.old girl, and 11yr. old boy have never asked to go out on their own yet. They still love hanging out with me at our faire!  We'd probably end up in the same places anyway! When the time comes that they do want to wander on there own, I won't have any problem letting them.  I feel safer at our faire (MDRF) than I do the local mall, and I let my daughter wander the mall with friends all the time.  Besides, I'm sure other wonderful folks I know there will help keep an eye on em if need be!

Blue66669

I was 12 the first time I went to faire, it was for a middle school field trip. I was let loose, at TRF of all places. I managed to do ok, but then again, my mother had been letting us go to Astroworld over the summer by ourselves since I was 11. We did a lot of things alone when I was younger...
Blaidd Drwg

Merry

I'm going to let my 15 daughter do her first walk-a-bouts on her own at a smaller fairs this year.  She's a newbie to fair so I've been walking with her until now.  To be honest, she was in no hurry to go solo (as I was the more 'experienced' rennie) and she wasn't sure how to act or respond to others in garb.  But she will have friends with her and I've arranged for a Rennie her own age to hang out with her for the first one. 

Larger faires will probably not be an option for now.  I know there is usually only one way in, but stores are pretty secure too and kids still managed to get snatched from there.  I guess I'm still a bit too protective.  My baby bird will probably fly just fine, but this Mama bird just isn't ready yet. 

SleepyArcher

At the big faire we go to I think you have to be 16 to wander "alone". We have let our daughter wander with a cell phone or walkie talkie and only once has she been asked to find us or we have had to come get her. She is 14 and half now. She dresses in garb but staff still ask her not to wander. I think it depends who is working etc. My daughter knows the area pretty good. She knows how to get a hold of us and we have meeting spots. If they arent causing trouble I see no reason not to let them. Mine usually brings a friend or some friends of ours have a girl about the same age that they have hung together. So I guess in my opinion if they know the area, have a way of getting a hold of you and are familair with the fair then go for it.
Knight, FOP, Pirate, Woodsman...I am a man of many faces.

Welsh Wench

#9
I finally let my granddaughter, who is 11, wander the faire this year.  She had my niece, age 12, with her and they had cellphones. I made them check in with me every hour.

They were in garb, this was my niece's first time at faire and she was garbed. I ran into them a few times, I knew they were shopping and going down to see a friend's grandson who was working a booth.
My granddaughter had been doing the faire since she was four so she knew the grounds pretty well.

As long as you have enough people they can contact, you have a cellphone and so do they and they check in EVERY HOUR, they are NOT alone...
Then I would say that is a big step to raising a Rennie.  :)

They will enjoy the Ren-experience more and so will you not having to deal with the constant eye-rolls!

Ironically they didn't have to check in very often as I kept running into them!
Show me your tan lines..and I'll show you mine!

I just want to be Layla.....

Sitara

We have let the kidlets wander around with just each other or in their pack of fest kids for about 2 or 3 years now.  The circle of where they are allowed on their own has gotten larger as they have gotten older.  This year they will be 15 and 11.  They both have walkie-talkies in their pouches as well as cell phones.  Since we work the beer booths and the kids are known by all the other beer booth workers, we get reports on their behavior rather quickly.  Once last year a man was following them around faire and they got scooped into one of the other beer stands and questioned about him.  Security also ended up involved momentarily until I got over there and verified that "Yes, that is their uncle...he just looks creepy."  All in all I feel safe letting the kids walk on their own at faire...I have eyes everywhere!  If they even think of acting up, they get the stink-eye from a pub tender.
Beer wenches are the best wenches!

Mistress Charlotte

Have them invite a friend..........(make sure it's OK with the parent of the other friend)..  two is safer than one. 
Tell them you are going to call them occasionally and check in on them and they had better answer or no deal. (phone on vibrate during a show)  or text them instead.
Have them meet you for lunch at a specific time and place. It gives them the opportunity to show you they are responsible, if they can't figure out how to watch a clock and arrive at a specific location and requested time.  Then they don't need to be wandering alone.   There is responsibility in maturity.
I always have a "simple restriction or goal" .  When they meet it if gives me great joy. 
When they meet your challenge... tell them how right they were, that they were ready to "go it alone" and you didn't realize it. It will make them very happy....
They will have a blast.
Cause, "Cake or death?" That's a pretty easy question.
Anyone could answer that.
"Cake or death?"
"Eh, cake please."

CaraGreenleaf

As a cast member of my local Faire, I'm very comfortable saying that those who attend a faire at our level (when I say this, I mean Rennies), have very Faire-minded children. My reccomendation is simply what everyone else is saying, turn them loose with a couple of friends, a watch, and an agreed meeting place/time.

Our Faire has Fairies that run loose from the ages of 6 to 36 and they like to grab kids and bring them back to the central point, our Wishing Well. This is also generally a regrouping location, and I've oft seen packs of three or four 8-10 year olds checking the cell phone for mom calling. However, my general issue with letting the little ones loose with just a celly is that many Faire locations have little to no signal considering how "out of the way" many large locations are. But it is a good idea all around!

Good luck!
Castleteer, IWG# 3606, MERC# 836, PRIV# 1311
Flog'n M'Crack, Chieftess of O'Cinneide

Corseter, Costumer and Crochete

LadyNiniane

#13
My children were raised as Renbrats.  From age 10 or so on, they have always been allowed to roam at faires where we work and play, but not singly, only in groups of 2 or more (more being better).  Even the teenagers were always told to have a buddy along - while there are no particular abduction fears,  most mid-teen females in garb are at risk of being 'hit on' by drunk patrons who have no clue about their underage status, and it is much easier to avoid or fend off one of those if the teens are in groups (especially if at least one of the group is carrying a staff - they don't need to use it, just carry it with purpose).

We used cell phones and texting for communications when available - some faire sites have limited cell coverage (as a lot of vendors can attest), so you work with what you have.  At the very least, call for a check-in every two hours, perhaps at a particular stage or booth.  Make certain that they all know where or who the security people are, and, if in a working faire situation, that they know the correct 'call for help' phrase for that faire.

The other thing to do is to remind the younglings about appropriate behavior - no talking or yelling in or immediately around active stage shows, no horseplay or stupid behavior in the shops, watch your 'circle' (the area you and your garb occupy - fairy wings in a pottery shop still make me flinch), and use your manners, notably "excuse me", "please" and "thank you".  If more parents offered these reminders on a daily basis, there would be no reason for faires to limit or restrict younger patrons.

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Lady Niniane
Queen's Gambit - I'm the fiddler
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Lady Niniane
Queen's Gambit - I'm the white-haired fiddler

Scotsman

Hmm, what a good subject. I never really had a problem with my kids at faire - it is like home to them really, they have been going since they were but wee ones. It is a lot easier now because they work there  ;D
Kilted Rogue #1411
Irish Penny BDE - Flattn'
Castleteer
Teer for life
RFC #56
Was that my inside voice?