Ask Your Parents to Let You Go to a Concert

Finding a fun concert with an artist or group you love is easy; convincing your parents to let you go is the difficult part. When you ask for permission, be prepared to compromise. Your chances of hearing a “yes” may increase if you agree to pay for part of the expenses or let your parents choose a chaperone.

Steps

Taking the Initiative

  1. Practice good behavior. Concerts are typically announced well in advance of tickets going on sale. This provides you with plenty of time to demonstrate to your parents that you are deserving and responsible enough to attend the concert. Before tickets go on sale:
    • Work to improve your grades
    • Fight less with your brothers and sisters
    • Do your chores
    • Help out extra around the house
    • Keep your room clean
    • Do your best not to break any of your parents’ rules[1]
  2. Consider how you will pay for the concert. Concerts are expensive events. In addition to purchasing a ticket, you may have to buy food, pay for transportation, and/or contribute to a hotel room. As a result, most teens can’t cover the cost on their own and require financial help from their parents. You can approach this hurdle in a variety of ways. After the concert is announced:
    • Start saving money
    • Find odd jobs around the house or neighborhood
    • Ask for less from your parents[1]
  3. Research the artist, concert, and venue. When you ask your parents if you may attend the concert, they’ll want specific details about the artist, concert, and venue. To prepare for their questions, answer the following questions:
    • Who/what group is performing?
    • What type of music does the artist/group perform? Is it appropriate for your age group?
    • Who listens to their music? Is it mainly people your age?
    • When is the concert?
    • Where is the concert? Is it close to your house? Do you need to pay for a hotel room?
    • What time does the concert start and end?
    • How expensive is the ticket?
    • Are your friends going? Will one of their parents serve as the chaperone?[2]
    • Do they sell alcohol at the venue?
    • Does the venue provide a free parents room?
    • Are you allowed to bring your cell phone?[3]

Asking Your Parents

  1. Find a time to talk. Before the tickets go on sale, you need to speak to your parents. Asking about the concert at the “right” time may increase your chances of hearing “yes.”
    • Talk to them when they are free. “Hi, Mom. Do you have a few minutes to talk?” “Hey, Dad. Are you free right now?”
    • Avoid asking them about the concert if them seem stressed, distracted, or busy.[4]
  2. Express your gratitude. Asking outright to attend a concert might result in an immediate “no” from your parents. You can soften your request with a few kind, appreciative words.
    • “Thank you for working so hard to provide for me.”
    • ”I really appreciate everything you do for me.”
    • I am grateful for all of the opportunities you’ve given me.”[4]
  3. Introduce the concert into your conversation. Once you’ve told them how much you appreciate them, it is time to mention the concert. Provide your parents with the basic information:
    • Who is performing?
    • Where is the concert
    • When is the concert
    • What time is the concert
    • How much will it cost
    • ”My favorite artist, ____, is performing in ____ on ____. The concert starts at ____ and ends at ____. Tickets cost ____.”
  4. Ask politely. The goal of this talk is to get permission from your parents. Instead of telling them you are going, ask them if you may go.
    • ”May I go to the concert, please?”
  5. Give your parents more information. Before your parents say “yes” or “no,” they may ask you questions about the concert. As you answer their questions, remain respectful and calm. Don’t get defensive.
    • Let them know if your friends are planning to attend.
    • Let them know if someone is chaperoning.
    • Tell them more about the artist/group and the music.
    • Explain how you plan to pay for the concert.
    • Let them know if there is a designated “parents room” at the venue.

Bargaining With Your Parents

  1. Offer to help cover the expenses. Your parents may be reluctant or unable to pay for the concert. You can overcome this obstacle by:
    • Offering to pay for part or all of the cost
    • Offering to do work around the house in exchange for money towards the concert
    • Asking for a loan from your parents
    • Asking for the ticket for a holiday or your birthday present[1]
  2. Find a chaperone you can all agree on. Did you intended to go to the concert without a chaperone? The thought of you at a concert without an adult might make your parents uncomfortable. Rather than insisting you are old enough, mature enough, and responsible enough to go to a concert without an adult, present them with a few alternative solutions. Suitable options might include:
    • An older sibling or cousin
    • Your parents or a friend’s parents
    • A trusted babysitter or nanny[5]
  3. Ask your parents to reconsider. At the end your conversation, your parents may say “no” to the concert. Rather than throwing a fit, remain calm, cool, and collected. Ask them to spend some time thinking about it. In a few days, ask if they’ve reached a decision.
    • While you wait for them to decide, remain on your best behavior.[4]

Tips

  • Buy all the tickets with your group at once, so that your seats are together or if it's general admission, agree to stick together once you've arrived at the venue.
  • Pre-arrange drivers before the concert.
  • Ask your parents first before buying tickets. That way it's respectful.
  • Once you've left for the show and are headed to the venue, make sure to keep your phone near so that if they call or text, they can get in touch with you. If they can't, they might suspect something is wrong and panic.
  • Be calm and don't get defensive if they say no.

Warnings

  • Don't act defensive or whiny when asking.
  • If your parents say no don't complain or start arguments as this means that if you want to do more things in the future it could affect it.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVfXiznCGRE
  2. ↑ http://insider.ticketmaster.com/teens-tweens-first-concert-alone/
  3. ↑ http://www.metroparent.com/daily/parenting/tweens-teens/teens-first-concert-parents-can-make-safe-fun/
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/hanaan-rosenthal/advice-for-teens_b_2037523.html
  5. ↑ http://www.smosh.com/smosh-pit/articles/heres-how-convince-your-parents-let-you-do-something
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