Teen Parties: Keeping Your Child Safe
As the the new year gets underway, so do the parties. It is important for parents to foster an ongoing discussion with teens about the dangers of drug and alcohol use and also monitor their activities.
Talking to teens about the risks associated with drug use and the physical harms caused by using drugs is one way you can help prevent them from accepting an offer to use. In addition, parents should follow up the conversation by monitoring their teen's behaviors. Parents can do a few simple things to help keep their kids drug-free:
ASK QUESTIONS: Who is your teen hanging out with, where is the party, how often will the supervising parents check in on the teen group, and so on.
SET RULES: Establish with your teen that drug and alcohol use is unacceptable, and agree on consequences for breaking those rules.
Like families before them, the K family looked nervous and even slightly embarrassed about being in counseling. After listening to the initial background of their presenting problem the mother asked a very common question. "Is this normal?" If I had a dollar for every time I heard that question in my office.
ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES: Did your teen come home reeking of alcohol or smelling of pot? Enforce the punishment that you and your teen agreed upon.
TALK TO YOUR TEEN: Before the party gets hoppin', lay down some ground rules with your teen and role play what they need to do in case things get out of hand.
CHECK- IN: me gets away from teens when they are having fun, so don't rely on them to check in with you. Be proactive and pop in on the fun—often.
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