Question:
My 16 year daughter recently invited a group of friends over to our house who were advised ahead of time that there would be no cigarette, alcohol or drug use allowed. Her dad and I posted a sign at the door stating the rules. There were several kids who went ahead and brought alcohol. My daughter was not involved with the alcohol. When we discovered this we took the alcohol from them. Our intent was to provide a safe environment for our kids but it turned out differently.Can you please give some advice as to how to handle teenage parties and what to do when an underage teenager is caught with illegal substances in our house?
Answer:
ParentingTeensOnline expert, Stephen Wallace, fields questions about drugs and alcohol. Stephen Wallace is the Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions), and has served as school psychologist, camp director, and college professor. You can read more about him on SADD's site. Stephen answers:
It sounds like you did due diligence in notifying your daughters guests about the ground rules, reminding them when they arrived, and supervising them while they were there.? I know that many parents also do bag checks, removing any beverages (including water and soda) that might have been mixed with alcohol. Others simply do not allow bags in the house and do not allow kids to leave and come back.? The good news is that your daughter was not involved.? While I am sure that you praised her for making a good choice, reiterating your support for her good behavior is important.? Continue to talk with her about the issue, stressing your expectations and what the consequences would be if she violates family rules.
Read the ParentingTeensOnline hosting teen parties.