Would you allow your teenage child to host a drinking party? One couple did and now they are facing charges. Over the summer they allowed their eighteen-year-old daughter to have a party with about thirty of her peers to celebrate graduation. The parents were home but claimed that they didn’t know the teens were drinking. My question to them, “How could you not know?”
The police came to the party after a party guest crashed his car on his way home. Police found alcohol and marijuana in the teenager’s car and when they found out the source was the party at the Bjork home they came to investigate. The police found empty cups, vomit, and beer cans littering the road in front of and to the side of the house.
In Massachusetts it is legal to give your own children or grandchildren alcohol but not to provide it for other minors. So now the parents who have always been law-abiding citizens and have never been in trouble before are facing charges.
I am glad to see that the law is being taken seriously. Underage drinking is a huge problem. The teenager driving was lucky that the person driving the other car was not killed, but only suffered minor injuries.
If you let your teenager host a party I suggest you follow a few simple rules to insure your own safety and the safety of your guests.
- Have a no alcohol or drugs policy. Let your teenager know beforehand that alcohol and drugs will not be allowed. Provide other drinks like soda instead.
- Check in periodically. Don’t leave the party in the hands of your teenager. Let your child know that you will check in on the group at random times to make sure things are going okay.
- Limit the guests. Limit the amount of guests that are allowed to attend. The more kids at the party the more likely that illegal activities will take place. It also prevents kids who were not invited or who are not well known by your own child from attending.
- Provide some activities. Teenagers need something to do. Rent some movies, break out some games, or provide sports equipment like a volleyball net and volleyball.
Remind your teenager that you want them to have a good time but not at the expense of anyone’s safety or the law.
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