Today, after prom parties are a common extension of the big celebration. Hosting one at your home can be an antidote to wondering what the teens are up to by allowing them to experience later night fun under adult supervision. But, it’s important to go in prepared before agreeing to host an after prom party for your teen.
Set the Rules
It is never a good idea to completely trust teens to their own devices. The facts is that most teenagers do indulge in drinking and other activities that parents would rather they not do, therefore it’s important to have the conversation with your own child, and their closest friends about what the rules are. Under no circumstances should you, as a parent ever agree to provide alcohol for an underage teen party. There are severe consequences to doing so, and it’s just not the right example to set.
Let the Kids Make Plans
The food, music, decorations and even prizes should be chosen by your child’s closest group of friends. They’re just not going to like the same things you did in high school or that you like now. If you’re going to host it, let the teenagers make it a party they’d want to come to. If cost is a problem, ask the other parents and the teenagers to pitch in with money to help cover some of the costs.
Make Invitations
The best way to control what happens at a party is to make it VIP only. If they don’t have an invitation they can’t get in. This prevents gate crashers and those who might cause problems at the party from attending. It’s not uncommon when word gets around about a party for people that don’t even know the child to show up. If there are many teenagers it can be hard to keep track, so require invitations to get in, then perhaps create a hand stamp or a wrist band so you can recognize who should be there and who shouldn’t at a glance.
Take Your Role Seriously
Don’t just hide in your bedroom all night during the party. It is okay to let them have their fun without you breathing down their neck continuously, but it’s important that every hour or so you walk through the entire house, checking every single room, and the grounds of your home outside. If you do find something going on that you don’t want to happen, if it’s not illegal, just stop it and don’t make a huge embarrassing deal about it. If it’s something illegal, you can still be quiet about it and call the parents or take the offending children home without breaking up the entire party.
After prom parties usually are all night affairs consisting of lots of food, snacks and even breakfast in the morning. They are fun ways for teenagers to celebrate the end of their school year, as well as their youth. It may be a hard night for you, but with the right planning and expectations it can be a great way to keep your children safe.
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