READING FESTIVAL

I am really struggling with not texting my daughter on a regular basis during the time she’s at the Reading Festival WITH NO ADULT SUPERVISION. How will she even put up a tent? She’s never done that before. Then again neither have I so I’d be hopeless. She’s had earfuls of advice from me, but I was speaking to a friend last night who said “the one thing I’ve told her to avoid is choking on her own vomit” and I thought “OH NO. THAT’S THE ONE THING I HAVEN’T WARNED HER ABOUT”.

Honestly, I could send her text updates every hour:-

Don’t drink any alcohol
If you do, make sure you’re not drunk when you go to sleep in your tent
Stick with your friends
Don’t speak to strangers
Text me every hour to let me know you’re safe
Make sure you have wet wipes for disgusting loos
Don’t trip on guy ropes
Don’t get squashed at front of crowd
Avoid mosh pit scenario
Don’t take any drugs

and so on…..

It’s scary and painful having to stretch that umbilical cord of ours quite so far. But, on the basis that I don’t want it to snap, I have to let her get on with it. Let her enjoy herself. Let her get stuck in the mud and not poo for five days. Let her make her own mistakes and let her work it all out with her friends.

So. I’ve only sent one text so far. It’s been hard. I said “All OK?” in manner of cool, not at all bothered mother, hoping for a long and detailed account of what is happening.

“Yep”.

Was all she said.

OK.

Got the message.

None of my business for a minute.

BUT LOOK AT THEM ALL. I didn’t go out wearing those sort of clothes I don’t recall. A gorgeous bunch of what we used to call “Jail Bait”.

I’m looking at train times now – could be there by early afternoon:-