I have a different angle on this teen only area issue. I have two teens and they are both good kids and we encourage them to be independent. However, there are times when we need to know where they are. Over the past two weekends there were two instances, one in the teen only room of the library and another at a musical performance, where I was treated with what seemed like disdain, and some obstruction, when trying to locate my teen. Both instances stemmed from poor communication on the part of the people offering the teen-only opportunity. In the library, we had never been to this particular library located in downtown San Francisco. My daughter had performed at an event in the downstairs theater and the librarian running a teen program called "in the mix" introduced himself and invited the performers to tour the music studio located on the second floor of the library. No mention was made of this being a teen only space. After a while, we and some other parents were getting ready to leave and wanted to round up our kids. We went up to the music studio area and walked in, not noticing any sign that indicated teens only (certainly we knew it was directed at teens but 'no adults allowed' is a different thing.) We were greeted somewhat rudely by a man (adult), who informed us it was a teen only space. Still being confused we informed him we had just watched our kids perform downstairs and were getting ready to leave and they had gone on a tour of this area. He continued to harass us until the tour guide came rushing out and informed the hyper vigilant librarian that this was a special case. He either thought we were over protective parents or pedophiles-either is insulting and there should be some gray area here when parents are trying to locate their teens. A week previous, we had gone to watch our teen perform with her band at a music venue --a great experience but not the area of town where you want your 15 year old girl wandering unsupervised at night. No communication was made between the organizers and the parents as to where the kids would be and after her solo performance, our daughter who was sitting at a table with us left telling us she was going to the bathroom. For hours, she didn't return and someone told us she was upset with her performance. We texted her and got no response. Let me reiterate that this is a music venue with several bars located in an area where you don't want her wandering around at night. It was after 10pm by this time. Someone told me the kids had special seats (something no one previously told us) behind a curtain near the front of the mezzanine. I went to the man guarding the area and told him my daughter had gone AWOL and could he check if he was back there. I know this venue and know that behind the curtain are only 4 or 5 tables and either letting me peek back there to make are she was ok or going back there and asking for her by name would be simple, but he rudely told me, "Look I don't know your daughter from anyone else." I insisted he let me back to look and I established she was back there and her phone was dead so she didn't get our texts. The music school running this event is for teens and we think they are wonderful. We had no issue with her hanging out with her friends but no one informed the parents where the kids would be--this was another instance of giving teens their own space, which I fully support but the parents still need to know where they are in a setting like this. So I support teen areas and teen activities, but there needs to be communication with the parents before kids are whisked away to these private areas. There is no excuse for treating parents like pariahs. I'd worry about my best friend if she disappeared on me in a public place, too.