What do you think about going to a meet-up when you are a YOUNG teenager?

I went to a meet when was only thirteen-years-old and BJD-less. It was extremely helpful, and my friends gave me more insight!

 

I don't see why the age matters. If you're that age and there's a meetup you want to go to nearby, go to it. If not, don't.

 

haha, i'm 15 and i'm going to my first one tomorrow,
with or without a bjd xD my first one(head) may come in the mail today
or it may not come till monday xD

 

I don't see why it would be a problem. There's people of all ages in this hobby and you gotta start somewhere.

 

10, no. too young. my mom wouldnt let me go alone anywhere at this age. especially that the meetings are not in my city (they're in a bigger one that is close). i would for sure get lost, and maybe kidnapped by a creepy pedo on my way back home D:
but 15 is OK i am 15 actually and I was 14 when i went to my first me i believe (or i just had 15). at this age i think i am old enough to take care of myself...

 

I probably won't be allowed to go anywhere alone when I turn fifty. You can go to a meet with other people...

 

My first meet I went to was when I was 15 and doll-less. It was at Otakon, I learned so much and all the owners were so nice considering I was pretty much a n00b!

I do think that 10-12 is a rather young age to be going to meets.

 

A 10 year old going alone may be a little odd, but with others and if they remember to be considerate and respect other people's property etc. I think it would be fine.
I'm an experienced child carer, I've taken care of kids aged 3-14 and I don't think that the older end of the spectrum would be out of place (I couldn't think of another word- though it's not quite what I mean) at a meet as long as they remembered the general etiquette of the situation.

 

Speaking as an adult here...it wouldn't bother me to see someone that young at a meet. I know we've got a few that come to our local meets that need parents to drive them. I'm not sure if it's just that they don't drive (I don't either, and I'm 27!) or if the family only has 1 car, or if they're too young, or whatever, though. I've never thought to ask their ages.

If someone is as young as 10-12 or 13, though, I think it would be best if they came with a parent or older sibling, cousin, possibly an older friend, that their parents trust to take them. Just to be sure that they are safe. Weather they have a doll or not I think is beside the point. I've read that some groups won't allow non doll-owners to attend (though I have NEVER seen this in practice, personally!) but restrictions like that are normally listed up-front. As are any age restrictions the group meeting up might have. But so long as no such restrictions are listed by the group meeting, and the person's parents allow them to go, I don't think it should be an issue. Well, as long as they are respectful of others at the meet, and of the dolls, only touching or holding when told by the owner that it's OK to do so. Also, they should be aware that every once in a while, instead of just interest and avoidance, meets in public places DO run into those who point and laugh, or make rude or nasty comments, and things of that nature, and they also need to be mature enough to just ignore those individuals, and not get upset or angry because of them. It's rare to run into those situations, but it CAN happen, and letting those sorts of people upset you just gives them what they want. Where ignoring them makes them go away faster, while still leaving all involved with the meet having a good time together.

 

I think really young (10-13 year olds) should probably have someone with them--but I don't think anyone would be turned away or anything like that. I haven't been to a meet yet (darn it!) but I know when I was that age I wasn't allowed to meet up with a whole group of strangers somewhere without some kind of adult. Especially considering meets in my area are in San Francisco, that'd be quite a dangerous trip for a kid. Also, I think if the general composition of the meetup were older people, it would be a bit difficult to relate to them on a social level, so a friend to chat with would also make the overall experience more enjoyable (just my opinion--from my experience!)

 

I'm going to agree with several other folks here in that older kids, pre-teens, and young teens should come with someone -- 10-14 is a pretty young age range to be meeting up with people they don't know well by themselves. It's safer for the kids and less liability for the other adults if there's a trusted older person along.

I think it's fine for older teens to go by themselves, since they would be going more places unattended anyway, though it also depends on the nature of the meetup. Most of the meetups around here are for all ages and we get a mix, though the yearly dollmeet/yaoi party/overnight is for adults only for obvious reasons.

 

Well I'm 15 myself and am hoping that I'll be able to go to a local meetup, but I know that if I did I would defenitly have to have my parents with me, rofl. If I asked to go alone, I can almost imagine that conversation now.
"Hey mum, can I go and meet up with some strangers I've met on an internet forum?"
" IF YOU DO I'M CALLING THE POLICE."

But I imagine as long as your parents agree and you're mature enough to understand the social ettiquite we have with dolls then there shouldn't be much problem at all. I think the only real problem for me would be that I think most of the people in my local meetup group are university students or older, lol. So there's that to consider as well.
But in my own opinion 10 - 12 is far too young to be considering meeting up with strangers on the internet, regardless. Probably a little too young to understand the mindset. >_> But I am no expert on children! Lol.

 

Those under 15 or so should definitely go with a trusted older friend or family member. If I was organizing a meet, I really wouldn't be comfortable with the idea of unattended young teens or preteens showing up. It's just a safety thing, and a liability thing if something bad does happen.

 

I think it all depends on the situation. A young teenager going off alone to meet a bunch of strangers... not so good. But if it's people who they've had contact with before, or if a few friends go together or if a parent or sibling comes...no problem! We have quite the young BJD crowd here in Sweden, most people are teens or just above and quite a few are 15 or a bit younger so I have no problem with those going to a meet. If I had teenage kids I'd just... either go with them the first time or make sure they knew someone there or that the meet was held in a public place or whatever.

 

Looking at this as an adult:
Younger teens are defiantly better off accompanied, especialy for first meets, maybe with getting a bit olderhaving someone pick up/drop off but not stay there.
Though it can help with wairy parents with younger people who want to get into the hoby to meet the group and see what we are really like.

At the meets I've been to, we really don't mind younger people having a non-doll interested escort as long as they don't do anything stupid and are respectfull about the hobby (no saying they are a waste of money or calling us all sad for collecting them or suchlike).

 

hahaha my little sister who went to a BJD meet with me when she was 12/13 was more outgoing and talkative then me! i was mostly shy and stayed in the metaphorical corner while she entertained everyone and kept the jokes going xD

if she had her own BJD, im sure it wouldnt matter at all ;D

 

I'm 15, I've been to a meet, and I'm going to another in a couple weeks. ^^ My mom did/is going to go with me, though. Partly because she won't let me go alone, partly because she finds BJDs kind of interesting... but mostly because she won't let me go alone. xD

In all honesty, I wouldn't feel very comfortable going by myself anyway; I don't know these people, I've only had limited contact with them through the internet, and most of them are probably quite a bit older than me. If I got to know anyone irl, I'd probably be more okay with being there alone, but for now I'm fine having a parent with me.

 

This is my feeling as well. There are younger teens in our local group and I think it is great, but they are accompanied by parents. I personally would not be comfortable having a young teen in my home (and I do host meets here) without their parents. Over 15 is fine as long as I know them and their parents. That is just how I feel about it though. It is a liability issue from my point of view.

When I was 14 I went to my first Renaissance fair with a friend vs an adult guardian. It isn't quite the same but similar. I think I might have been a bit on the young side but I did have an older friend with me. My oldest son is about to turn 9 and for his birthday he is getting his first doll. He would like to go to meet ups with us and I will let him come to at least some. However, even though I know most of the local group pretty well, I wouldn't send him to a meet alone. It wouldn't be safe for him and I feel it would be disrespectful to the others present. He is my son and my responsibility, not theirs. If I couldn't go and he desperately wanted to I might ask one of a couple very close friends in the group to escort him, but most likely I would just tell him to wait till next time.

 

All the 'what is it turns out to be a creeper or something' speculation aside, I wouldn't go alone even if I had already met the person is real life, say a convention. I don't think I would bring my parents, since that would just be werid for me, but a friend would was into them and a having a cellphone handy would be a good idea. I guess it just depends on the situation, I'm fifteen and I wouldn't go to one alone.