Best Self Family Post
Navigating Lollapalooza
7/26/18
Hundreds of thousands of people attend Lollapalooza each year. Your teen asks if they can go, and your heart drops. You have heard about what goes on at Lollapalooza- drinking, drugs, violence. If you focus only on prohibiting these behaviors, you may miss out on an opportunity to discuss responsibility and decision making. You want them to have fun, while being safe and smart. Encourage an open conversation, ahead of time, about what concerns may become a reality.
Educating and Limit Setting
It is important that your teen is aware and prepared for some of the risky behaviors that can take place at Lollapalooza. Sit down and have a clear conversation about the risks of experimenting with drugs and alcohol during the festival. Practice ways they can say “no” to pressure from other people. Include your rules, how you will enforce them and any clear consequences associated (as well as rewards associated with responsible behavior). Your teen should stay hydrated and drink non-alcoholic liquids as much as possible. They should also monitor any drinks closely and not set them down periodically.
Traveling in Groups
Encourage your teen to travel closely with their friends. Lollapalooza is very crowded and it is easy to get separated. Being alone means being more vulnerable. If it is your teen’s first time attending, look up pictures online from last year so they have a sense of the crowd. Have a pre-planned meeting spot and designate times in between shows to check in there. If needed, they can always go to one of the medical tents that are set up or find a staff member to assist them.
Sticking with Buddies
Ideally, your teen has more than one person they can trust beside them (whom they feel is most likely to make similar choices). The buddy system is helpful for going to the restroom or moving around the festival if people want to do different things. This also allows each person to have one person they are consistently keeping track of. Outgoing teens will naturally make new friends that they may spend the day with. Be sure to cover how to handle this in the safest way possible. Check with your adult family and friends to see who might be going to the festival. See if you can give your teen a trustworthy contact just in case it is needed.
Checking In
Be sure their phone is fully charged before leaving (portable chargers are great too, for when battery dies). Encourage your teen to check in with you regularly. Texting is an efficient way to check considering how loud the festival will be. Be prepared for the fact that phone service may not function properly in the massive crowds of the festival. Encourage them to try both imessage and text message to see if one is better than the other. Discuss a backup plan for how to contact you, should their phones lose signal.
Expecting the Unexpected
Map out a detailed plan for getting to and from the festival. There will be so many people relying on public transportation, they need to allow extra time to meet curfew and identify acceptable back-up plans. Your teen and their friends should know where and when they will meet, to try and get home together. Discuss how your teen should act and react in various scenarios, i.e. they are left behind, can’t get a ride, etc.
Staying Aware of Surroundings
Prepare your teen for the festival by looking at a map of the grounds and knowing where everything is. Encourage them to stay alert and aware of their surroundings at all times, including their personal belongings.
Responding without Questioning
Encourage your teen to reach out to you if they are in a situation they need to get out of. If teens are afraid of how their parents will react, they won’t reach out when in danger. You might consider suggesting a “no questions asked” policy for coming to get them if they call in an emergency. In the event of a situation like this, hold off on the bigger conversation or lesson until after the crisis is managed. The goal is to help your teen feel safe about reaching out to you in the event of a problem (and prevent escalation).
Coming Home
Decide, as a parent, if you will feel best having your teen come home afterwards (instead of staying elsewhere). Let your teen know about this decision ahead of time including why it is important to you. Wait until the next morning to process their overall experience and if they were able to abide by your rules and boundaries. Be sure to point out any positives that you noticed.