For many high school students, the senior prom is one of the highlights of their school career. It is the celebration of 13 years of hard work and is seen as a rite of passage on to the next phase of life.
But even though the prom’s focus is on the teens, this season can be tricky for parents, too. It isn’t necessarily just the teens that get caught up in all the peer pressure. Plenty of parents know the realities of dealing with the idea of being known as the “cool” parents.
“The whole notion of being the cool parent who has the after-prom party, takes the car keys and allows alcohol in order to keep their teen and the rest of the group ‘safe’ is a flawed thought process,” says Hamilton County Juvenile Court Judge Rob Philyaw. “What we really need is for parents to be the parent.”
According to Tennessee law, there is no time when a child can legally drink before age 21. If an 18- or 19-year-old is caught holding a beer without even having a sip, he or she can still be arrested for underage possession, and the mugshot on Right to Know or Google won’t go away unless all charges are dropped, which could certainly impact future job opportunities. A 16- or 17-year-old caught with alcohol at a house party or behind the wheel automatically loses their driver’s license and must go through an expensive, long, arduous process to regain their driving privileges.
If you have a teen headed to the prom, there are some things you as parents can do to help ensure they have a great time.