The Debate: Should parents allow their children to attend concerts?

When you were 12 years old, was there a concert you ever dreamed of going to? Whether that be Hannah Montana, Justin Bieber, or in my case, One Direction. If you ended up attending these shows, I want you to think for a minute about what it would have been like to have been told "No". If you did not attend these shows for this reason, think about if you had been able to go.

Amazing, right? We never know what kind of experiences we can really have at concerts until we attend one. There is no better feeling in the world than watching a performer on stage that you've always dreamed of seeing. We never would have been able to feel these experiences if our parents had said no.

Parents think of it as "I won't dump my kid off on the side of the road and say 'Good luck, don't get trampled!'", or "I won't put my child's ears at risk". These are good parents, and by any means I do not wish to disrespect said parents, but there is a point where a concert will fill a happiness void that other things cannot. And who knows, maybe as a parent, you'll get lucky and your child would rather stay inside and do homework. But chances are, your 12 year old will be dying to go see his/her favorite artist. What are you going to do?

Let's step back in time for a second. I have been to over 20 concerts, many of these being when I was only 12 years old. As a child back then, January of 2013 hit HARD. I was going through such a hard time and I didn't know how to handle it. I did know one thing, though. I would be seeing One Direction live in concert in July, and that fact right there got me out of bed every day. I know, I know, I was obsessed. But on a small scale, concerts keep us motivated. Motivated to work and make money to pay for them, or motivated to do chores around the house so our parents will buy them for us. That's another thing. Money. I have been to plenty of front row concerts, I have held hands of singers, caught guitar pics and had my body pressed against a barricade for $200. But here's the thing about concerts. You don't have to spend $200 to have a good time. I have been to countless shows on the back row of the floor, the upper bowl, the nose bleeds and everywhere in between. The concert doesn't change, every view is different but still just as amazing. For The 1975, a back row seat would be IDEAL because you could see the visuals, and every corner of the room that gets hit by the light.

But besides money, I would say the biggest concern for parents is safety. It is a tough world out there. After what happened with Ariana Grande in Manchester, I'm shocked anyone is allowed to go to concerts. With intense security, and a constant staff of event police, safety is guaranteed. Having a meet up spot is smart, just incase you get separated or lost. If the concert is general admission, sometimes it's better to hang out in the back. It can get pretty intense in the front, especially if you are shorter or have claustrophobia. Dressing comfortably, drinking water and always having a printed copy of your ticket will also ensure a worry-free and exciting time! Because after all, everybody deserves to follow their dreams!!

#pop #popartists #popmusic #music #concert #onedirection