Living with teenagers can be a nightmare and most parents tread on eggshells 24 hours a day in fear of setting off a hormonal mood swing.

Having interviewed 1000 UK families with children aged 13 – 18, British camping company www.olproshop.com has discovered that sharing an experience like a Festival can strengthen parents’ relationships with difficult teens. OLPRO found that the duration of a Festival is short enough to avoid irritations building up whilst also providing common ground for communication.

Dave Stewart, MD of the www.freshairlearning.com and outdoor development expert, commented on the reasons behind this:

“Our natural environment has long been held to offer a range of therapeutic effects – our body biochemistry changes, our blood pressure drops and our mood lightens. We become open to fresh ideas.

Many of the boundaries normally encountered in the home limit creativity and relationships. These are relaxed or do not exist in the outdoors. This can create a sense of freedom, trigger significant shifts in perspective and enrich our conversations with one another.”

What is different about your parents at a festival rather than at home?

Less strict 69%
We talk more 19%
There feels less of an age gap 9%
Work & solve problems as equals e.g. putting up tent 3%

How are you different with your children at a festival rather than at home?

Work & solve problems as equals e.g. putting up tent 49%
We talk more 32%
There feels less of an age gap 12%
Less strict 7%

In what circumstances do you find it easier to talk to your parents?

Whilst listening to music together 57%
Whilst travelling somewhere in the car to share an experience24%
When they are drunk 17%
When I am drunk 2%

In what circumstances do you find it easier to talk to your children?

Whilst listening to music together 59%
Whilst travelling somewhere in the car to share an experience 36%
When they are drunk 2%
When I am drunk 3%
What type of holiday do you prefer with your parents?

Short ones 65%
Camping 19%
Beach 12%
Activity 4%

What type of holiday do you prefer with your children?

Camping 31%
Beach 28%
Activity 30%
Short ones 11%

What is it about camping with your parents you enjoy?

Sharing chores equally 68%
Connecting with nature 23%
Being in close proximity 7%
Less reliance on technology 2%

What is it about camping with your children you enjoy?

Less reliance on technology 76%
Being in close proximity 18%
Sharing chores equally 4%
Connecting with nature 2%

What is it about a Festival that improves your relationship with your parents?

Allowed more freedom 42%
24-hour party atmosphere 30%
Enjoying new experiences together 17%
Encourages our family to plan more activities together 11%
in the future

What is it about a Festival that improves your relationship with your children?

Encourages our family to plan more activities together 66%
in the future
Enjoying new experiences together 25%
Allowed more freedom 6%
24-hour party atmosphere 3%

What did you discover about your parents that surprised you whilst at a Festival?

I like them and enjoy their company 46%
They drink more than I thought they did 28%
They have a sense of humour 19%
We share similar and unexpected tastes 7%

What did you discover about your children that surprised you whilst at a Festival?

They drink more than I thought they did 34%
They have a sense of humour 32%
I like them and enjoy their company 29%
We share similar and unexpected tastes 5%

Which of your parents did you feel closer to after the festival?

Dad 62%
Both equally 30%
Mum 9%
Neither 1%

How long after returning from a festival does the feel-good factor last with your parents?

A week or more 67%
A day or two 27%
An hour or so 3%
It didn’t 3%

How long after returning from a festival does the feel-good factor last with your children?

A week or more 75%
A day or two 19%
An hour or so 4%
It didn’t 2%

OLPRO is an innovative family camping equipment manufacturer. Included within its range are three technically designed, different-sized tents that sleep 3, 6 or 8 people respectively. Easy-to-erect, the tents are so waterproof, you could put them up in 5 metres of water.

The company has also created mix-and-match melamine table wear, sleeping bags in two funky designs to co-ordinate with their tents and windbreaks.OLPRO also offers specialist camping and caravanning chemicals, tent pegs, ground carpets, camping accessories, caravan accessories & SMD lighting.

www.olproshop.com