They want to party! Do we leave them? When? Where?
Adolescence, first departures and parties. Should teenagers go to these parties? How to be sure that there will be nothing harmful in these events? Can I trust my children? These are some questions that assail the parents in these situations, we must not cut their wings, but we will have to establish rules and reach agreements to allow children of these ages to participate in these activities.
The importance of socializing in adolescence
The adolescent should not be prevented from attending this type of event since at these ages it is very important socialize. Create a group of friends and feel integrated into it is of vital importance in adolescents. However, we must be aware of the circle with which it relates and the type of activities.
It is one thing to accept that the child should relate beyond the family and another is to allow these friendships hurt. To ensure that this does not happen, the best thing is a good education that makes the children know how to choose their group of friends according to the values learned at home.
Chat with teenagers
Parents should talk with their teenagers before they go to a party. Communication is the best tool. Those parents who speak with your children about alcohol and drugs, they are more likely to finally these children do not consume these products once they get older.
It is also recommended that parents know their children's friends. It is always safer to allow a teenager go to the party that organizes his circle of friends closer than that which has made a new group that is totally alien to the family. The information is power in these cases.
To know how these friends are, we parents should strive to know them. We have to be in contact with them and the other parents, invite them home to see how they behave, to talk a lot with our children about how their friendship relations go to detect any possible problem before it gets worse.
Establish rules for nighttime outings
Parents should allow their teenagers to attend parties if they make them meet certain standards. It is convenient to negotiate the nocturnal departures with the adolescent children. These are some of the rules that can be negotiated:
- Teens should communicate to parents where the party will take place If this occurs in a friend's house and later moves to another room, the parents must know about it and if they do not give their consent, the children must return home.
- Time limit. The adolescent and the father must agree on a time of return that must be met scrupulously. This is an excellent way to check the level of responsibility that the child has.
- Talk with the children. The teenager should have a talk with his parents about certain issues. For example, you have to ask them what they are going to do in case there is alcohol. You also have to make them see that in the event that a situation appears that they do not control, they must call an adult to solve it.
Damián Montero
More information: How to treat teenagers Guide for parents who want to succeed. Author James B. Stenson.
