Of the 20 million junior and senior high school students in America, half drink monthly. Whether it's New Year's Eve, the prom or just a normal weekend pizza party that your teen might attend, there is a good chance that there will be drinking. While we have issues with this, our main concern needs to be whether or not they will then get behind the wheel if they have been drinking or doing drugs, or get into a car with a driver who has been drinking or doing drugs.
Another statistic put out by the U.S. Surgeon General is that '33% of nearly 200,000 students surveyed said that their parents often do not set clear rules. And half said that they are not disciplined routinely when the break the rules'.
So there is our answer. That's how we keep them as safe as we possibly can. Set the rules and limits, don't deviate in this matter. Be a loving brick wall.
Here are a few tips on how to do this:
- Know where the party is and talk to the parent of the teenager who is throwing the party. If you're not comfortable with that parent, there are a few questions that you can ask them to really feel out the situation. Ask them straight out if there will be any drinking. Tell them you don't approve of underage drinking and that you would have to report it if there was. Ask them if they know what the fine is in your area for allowing underage drinking.
- Model good behavior, never get behind the wheel after you have been drinking.
- Take the keys on New Year's Eve. This is a given in my household. Many states don't allow young drivers to be driving after midnight anyway. But more importantly, New Year's eve is not a night for inexperienced drivers to be on the road.
- Hire a limo for the prom. Share the expense with a group of other parents. Instead of having your teenagers go someplace to eat after the prom, have a nonalcoholic champagne breakfast for them at home.
- Curfews should be set long before your teenager leaves your home. Make them non-negotiable at that point. One red flag is when your teenager calls to ask to spend the night after they are already at a party.
Related Parenting Quiz: Are you raising a healthy teen?
