How Young is too Young to go to a Meet?

To young for me would be when the person could not respect the other attendee's dolls and that they were not responsible and acted the fool. There is no real age as people mature differently as long as you follow the above I see no problem in you attending as all ranges of people go to meets.

 

I would recommend that for any minors attending meets that they either bring an adult with them or they bring a responsible friend and always, always tell someone where you're going and who you're meeting. This is good advice for adults too really; meeting up with people you know online can be exciting, but it does pay to be cautious and keep yourself safe.

I would have thought that anyone under 10 could be too young, but it really depends on the meet-up - if the local meet-up is held in a pub, it might have an effect on who is allowed to be there because some places have age restrictions or insist that minors be accompanied by their parents or responsible adults.

It's always important to remember to keep your hands clean when handling dolls, particularly when holding other people's, and observe the meet-up guidelines of the group. Most groups have standards of acceptable behaviour and it's important to respect them, if you don't follow these guidelines it could affect whether the group can use the premises in the future and no one wants the responsibility of being the person that prevented their local meet from being held in the usual place because they didn't follow a few simple rules

As long as you're mature enough to be responsible for your self, your dolls and others your actual age shouldn't make a difference. There are responsible young people and irresponsible elders, too!

 

Well, to me, theres no "too young" to go to a meet (unless of course you're an infant XP) but I do believe there is a too young to go alone. I don't think anyone should be able to go to a meet alone until you reach the age of 13. Also depending on the individuals maturity. If you're going to be all touchy without permission, obviously that person isn't quite mature enough to go to a meet. However I've seen some mature 11 year olds. But legally, its best if someone that young is accompanied by a parent. Anyway I digress.

So I think that 13-14 is a good age to go alone but theres no physical age I think is too young for a meet.

***EDIT*** Although, (no offense to those over 30) I would feel very awkward if I was the only teenager in a meet full of middle aged persons and above. (Again, no offense intended)

 

The above times countless. Sadly I've seen it go horribly wrong and up to today I still have this guilt ridden feeling "If only I had known. I would have told her to not go to that "meet up"."
Let people know where you're going, take a parent or friend with you, don't meet up with just one other person (go to meet ups that will consist of a group) and meet up at a public place. If you think of your safety first, then you can worry about what other people will think of you being so young.

Behave yourself (but this is something anyone of any age should do) and accept that people may be different from you (but again, this applies to anyone). If you don't misbehave, you aren't rude and people don't have to worry about you getting home safe and in one piece, I don't see why people should object. ^_^

 

I agree with the other posters who suggest taking an adult. I disagree with taking another friend of the same age even if your parents know where you are. Take a parent or if your parents say it's okay, an aunt or uncle, adult brother/sister or cousin, etc. If your parents won't let you go, wait until you're older.

This is coming from someone who is very thankful her mother insisted on being present when she wanted to meet a friend from online at 14. Even if it's a group in a public place, you should still have an adult. Probably nothing bad would happen, but supposing something did, or even if you just decided you weren't having as much fun as you thought you would and wanted to leave, you'll be grateful someone is there with you.

In terms of what age is too young? It depends on the age range of the other attendees and the maturity of the minor in question.

 

Definitely bring someone with you, because you can never be too cautious when meeting someone or a group of someones for the first time. This is true for anyone, whether you're 13 or 30. I would suggest bringing a parent or other responsible adult with you, though.


Other than that, I don't think you're ever too young to meet with other people in your hobby. The social aspects of BJDs is one of the most enjoyable parts. That's why we're all on DoA to begin with, right?

 

I think it all depends on your level of maturity... please let me inform you all I've never attended a doll meet, but from previous meets (mostly Fur meets) I can say young people are a-ok as long as they still uphold a high level of respect. I would suggest you go with a parent, gaurdian or older friend however... even though I'm 18 I'll still be bringing my big strong boyfriend with me for my first meet (for the first few minutes at least!).

 

I really think that is depends upon the individual. Everyone matures at different rates so it's difficult to specify a particular age. I agree with what others have posted here about taking an adult with you. I'm in my forties and would still always make sure that I was going with someone I knew, or that someone I knew was going to be there.

 

Definitely take an adult if you are a minor, and I would also say inform the group that you are a minor and coming before hand. I know as someone who is older that I do not take kindly to being left with someone's child/teenager and expected to supervise them and be responsible for them if their parent drops them off and leaves.

Since our local group is generally all over the age of 18, I know our talk can get a little dirty when we all get together. Letting the group know ahead of time lets people know they should tone things down.

 

I don't think there is an age limit when going to a meet. But, I don't think you should go by yourself if you're under the age of eighteen.

ETA// I also agree with Kim with parents dropping there kid off.

 

If you are a minor you must have an adult with you who can be responsible for you if there should be an emergency. As an "adult" I can't let a parent drop off a minor and assume that I will look after them or be responsible for them. That's technically press-gang babysitting, no matter how old the minor in question is. Until they're legally adult, they count as a minor. It sounds unfair until an ambulance is needed and the police ask, "Who is responsible for this kid?"

Also, you should always have a responsible adult guardian if you're going to meet up with a bunch of people from the internet, and not only for your first meetup. Even if you're not a minor, you shouldn't go to meet strangers by yourself, as so many people have pointed out. That's just unwise.

That all said, any younger enthusiast who has a guardian with them is more than welcome at meetups I've hosted provided they show respect for the dolls and their owners. Polite behavior etc. Even if you're only ten, if you are able to be respectful and handle dolls only after asking, there's no reason you shouldn't come to a meet.

(If anybody wants to get some dolls naked for a comparison of sculpts, or wants to make slightly naughty jokes, they can do so behind a table, a group of people, or wait until you've gone to get a glass of water or something. That's what we've done in the past when we had younger participants who'd likely be uncomfortable with certain things.)

 

My cousin is 14 but started going to occasional meets with me at 13. I think it has more to do with maturity than anything else - I've seen a young child (maybe 7 or 8?) at one with her mom and she was great. She had her own 27cm Bobobie girl and was so cute!

My main recommendation is to try and participate! Ask about other people's dolls, know about yours so you can answer questions about them, that sort of thing. Many people at meets are older (than 13), but still fit that old cliche of being "young at heart" so it doesn't have to be awkward.

That said, there are some meets that might be more or less appropriate for various reasons, so I'd check in on the meet thread and see what's up before just going. It's always best to let people know if you'll be there anyway.

 

I don't think there is a general age that would be considered too young for any and all situations. It varies depending on the meet, I guess.

One factor I think is important is the ages of the other people who would be attending. If there are other young people your age, or close to your age, there shouldn't be a problem. But if everyone else going is an adult and you're the only kid, it's going to leave you uncomfortable, and it might leave them uncomfortable as well. When adults are around other adults they're going to want to talk about adult things along with hobby things.

 

They should have a 'family' member with them, no two ways about this for many reasons!

 

I agree with all the posts about making sure there's a legally responsible party with the meet-goer, no matter how mature the meet-goer may be.

Also, at least until you're comfortable with the group, I'd suggest going only to public meets. This goes for everyone, adults included, and I myself wouldn't go for a first meet to someone's home. You have to use common sense when you meet people offline. I am all about meeting people from online - my husband and I met online, and I have some good IRL friends whom I met in forums/livejournal. But you can't be too careful, because there are some people out there who misrepresent themselves.

This is not expressly what the OP was asking, but I think is something worth considering to BJD owners who are also parents or guardians of minors: I think young children and/or uninterested teens should not attend meets. No one wants to be forced to attend something just because Mom or Dad couldn't get a babysitter. Little kids would be bored and, worse, could damage someone's expensive doll, not understanding the value. Older kids/teenagers who weren't interested would be uncomfortable and probably downright unhappy. This is the kind of hobby that is not "all inclusive". I don't mean that at all in a bad way - it's just not the same as, say, a family taking the family pet for a hike or something. This is a hobby which just isn't going to interest everyone. That might all go without saying, but that's my $0.02.

 

I would also say go to meets that are in a public place! I don't have kids but I wouldn't let my 13 yr old go to a strangers house, group or no group!

All the meets which I arrange are in public places- the library, restaurants etc. And I think that is fine for the younger members. We also have accompanying adults who are welcome too.

 

I was 14 the first time I went to a meet. my parents drove me there and talked a bit with the other persons from the meet but didn't stay with me the whole time. they were not too far in case I needed them to come pick me up in emergency but technically I was alone...

but I think MissKittyTwisted pretty said what I think. I don't think there is a minimum age to go to a meet, it mostly depends on your personnality and maturity. most people there are over 20. in my case it's not a problem because I get along better with people older than me but do YOU? I brought my friend with me once and for her it was very boring due to that.
if you are in 6th grade or younger, you should go with an adult.

 

I was very young, maybe 13 or 14 when I went to my first meet. Luckily I befriended a girl a couple years older than me on DoA that lived in my city so I didn't go alone. Parents will be cautious tho, because most of the other people attending the meet are likely to be a lot older. But I wouldn't worry about fitting in. As long as you're friendly and have a good attitude then you're likely to have a great time at the meet

 

I'm 27 years old and going to my first doll meet very soon, and even as an adult I am nervous to go alone. I agree that there is no minimum age for going to a doll meet as long as you feel mature and confident enough, but I strongly suggest for your own comfort to bring along an adult that you know if you are still a minor, or at least can't drive yourself to and from where you are meeting. I know for my own meet I wish one of my friends lived closer so we could go together. But as for your worry of not fitting in, as long as you enjoy BJD and those around you enjoy BJD you shouldn't worry about that. The love for a hobby knows no boundaries or restrictions such as age or even gender, and those who share that love will always have common ground.

But seriously, bring an adult. At least the first time round until you get your sea legs.