Posted on May 29, 2009

Parties and celebrations abound as the school year nears it close, and your teen is undoubtedly going to attend at least some of them, including Prom and graduation parties. While you can’t be there to hold your child’s hand and ensure his or her safety, you can sit down with him or her and talk about playing it safe.

Driving
Talk to your child about the dangers of drunk driving. If your teen doesn’t have a cell phone, lend them one for the night so he or she can call you for a ride—no matter the time. It’s also a good idea to equip your teen with cab money and the phone number of your local cab company. Also emphasize that there will likely be other people on the road who are driving under the influence, so it’s important to drive defensively and always be on the lookout for other drivers.

Alcohol and Drugs
A good way to discourage your teen from drinking or doing drugs is to talk to them about the science of substance abuse. Tell them that if they want to remember Prom or their graduation party, they shouldn’t drink. The hippocampus is the part of the brain that stores memory, and that because it is still developing in teens, even small amounts of alcohol can erase their memories of the night.

In addition, drugs and alcohol lessens inhibitions, which can lead to risky behaviors like driving under the influence and having sex. The prefrontal cortex, which controls decision making, isn’t mature until a person is in their late 20s, so teens are especially vulnerable to the effects of alcohol on their judgment. Tell teens that this can lead to alcohol poisoning, fatal accidents, unwanted pregnancies and STDs, and more.

You should also warn your teen about the dangers of spiked drinks, and that he or she should always keep an eye on a beverage (no matter what kind). GHB or Rohypnol (“date rape” drugs) can easily be slipped into drinks, causing inability to move and unconsciousness.

Parties
There will be countless parties occurring toward the end of the year, so you may want to set some boundaries. For instance, if a party is occurring at someone’s house, call that person’s parents to make sure the party will be supervised and that alcohol will not be allowed. If you are unable to get ahold of the parents or if it seems the parents will be out of town, steer your child to a party you feel more comfortable with.

Talk to your child about a curfew and the consequences of not making it home by that time. You may want to extend the curfew a bit for special occasions like Prom and graduation night, but it should still be reasonable.

You may also want to suggest that your child attend an after-Prom or after-graduation party hosted by the school; these parties usually go well into the night and are closely supervised.

The best way to keep your teen safe is to talk to him or her openly and honestly. Make sure they know you want them to have fun but to come home safely without harming themselves or others.