Praising your teen

[suezque15]

Seeing as our daughter was at school and musical practice all day, then to a basketball game,We asked her to come home after the game last night and not go out further. After much "telephone debate", she finally agreed. When she got home, she was in a good mood and we were wondering what gives. It turns out everyone she was with was going to a party where there was going to be alcohol and/or weed, and she now had an excuse not to go to the party because we told her she had to come straight home from the game. She was actually GLAD she had a valid excuse not to go, and possibly get intoa drinking and driving situation.

[tbamom]

I have no problem being the one to blame when my boys (17,15) refuse to go to house parties. I have always had a rule that they may not go if parents won't be home or if there is to be drinking/drugs. I will phone the parents to check and I will walk them to the door to introduce myself. The fact that they know this and all their friends know this means that they can save face by saying "you know I'd love to but my mom :rolleyes:".

[tacobell123]

Kids will be kids, teens will be teens. They're going to do what they want to do and that's that. So work with that and just let them know that regardless of what happens, you're there for them.

Tell them that it's better to crash on a couch at a party than crash on the road. Always let them know that you will be a DD for them if they ever need it. Alcohol makes people think they are good drivers.

Drunk driving is NO JOKE. People think they're fine until they lose control for a second and that's that. Heck, drop them off at a party if you have to do, so they don't have a way to drive home. Tell them to call you for a ride in the morning.