Prom/Graduation Season--Fun and Safe Planning

Prom and graduation are exciting and significant celebrations for many high school students. Prom is a special evening of dressing up, dancing, and enjoying friends. High school graduation, a "rite of passage," moves students into adulthood. We live in a society of celebrations and PARTIES, oftentimes involving alcohol and other substances. Unless your children have already made plans to stay the night at a friend's house, they may be on the road driving while being under the influence of substances or riding in a car with an intoxicated driver during this celebratory season. In fact, 32 percent of San Juan County high school seniors reported over the last 30 days (at the time of the survey) as having ridden in a vehicle driven by someone who had been drinking alcohol (Washington State Healthy Youth Survey, 2004).

Parental supervision of parties celebrating the end of the school year is critical to protecting youth from injuries (car accidents, alcohol poisoning, brain damage, sexual assault, etc.) or deaths caused by drinking. Many parents even believe it is okay to permit their kids and friends to drink in their home, thinking that at least the kids will be drinking in a safe environment and they won't be driving. However, it is illegal for parents to give alcohol to their kids' underage friends. Also, this gives kids mixed messages from parents, such as teen drinking is not harmful and breaking the law is okay as long as you don't get caught. Are these the messages that we want to send to our kids?

Research shows that parents have a great deal of influence on a youth's decision to use alcohol or other drugs. Teens whose parents talk to them regularly about the dangers of drugs and alcohol are 42 percent less likely to use drugs than those whose parents don't, yet only one in four teens reports having these conversations with their parents (Partnership for a Drug-Free America news release, 4/26/99).

Parents and other adults can do several things to prevent underage drinking and keep teen parties safe:

--Know where your children are at all times, whether or not it's prom or graduation night

--Verify and/or help to supervise the prom or a drug-free teen party at your or a friend's home

--At the drug-free teen party, have lots of planned activities with other adults there to help supervise

--Serve sparkling cider, soft drinks, water, and lots of snacks

--Tell guests who leave the party that they may not return

--Take car keys from any guests who arrive under the influence of alcohol or other drugs and have their parents or another responsible adult pick them up

--Make sure your children do not have access to alcohol kept in your home or homes of friends

--Set an example for your children by modeling no use or responsible use of alcohol

--Set clear expectations for children about alcohol and drug use and enforce consequences for breaking the rules

--Join community efforts to educate other parents about the potential consequences of underage substance use and what they can do to prevent it

--Talk with your children about substance use. Keep those communication doors open.

Let's keep this season fun and safe for our teens!

For more information, please call Susie Teague, San Juan Island Prevention Coalition at 378-9683.

Comment on this story.

COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in our online community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read.