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Letting your teenager have a party

When your teen asks to have friends to sleep over – maybe after a party – or asks to sleep over at a friend’s with a group of other teens, your first response may be a downright NO. Visions of out-of-control drinking, drug taking or unprotected sex probably flash through your mind. 

But the fact is, at some point you are going to have to take a risk and leave your teenager on their own with others

It is worth spending time discussing and planning with your child on how a party could work out successfully.  Although teenagers may want to be left on their own, it is reasonable for you to be at the party venue, but maybe not in the same room. Knowing that a parent or responsible adult are around and available may stop their friends overstepping the mark.  You could also use older siblings to monitor the party to keep events under control.

  • Decide how much alcohol is age appropriate (over 15 years of age) and within CMOs’ guidelines and stick to the plan.
  • Talk to parents of other children about whether there will be alcohol or not. If there is going to be alcohol available, let them know what alcohol and how much will be served so they can decide if they are comfortable having their child come to the party
  • Check that other children coming to the party are not bringing any additional alcohol to your house. Be aware of alcohol being smuggled in (potentially in plastic water bottles)