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by Victoria Pericon
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<p>
With the rise of after prom parties and
weekend long post prom getaways, more and more parents of high school
juniors and seniors have valid worries about the supervision of their
teenager at non-school sponsored celebrations.  In
fact, forty six percent of all fatal car crashes on typical prom
weekends in 2004 involved alcohol.
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<p>
In previously years, the recently
closed Club Avalon and Heaven night club relaxed their 21 and over
admission policy during prom season in order to admit partying high
school students.  This year, several websites listing &ldquo;No ID&rdquo;
events have popped up to entice students into purchasing tickets to
bashes, which in some cases will be hosted by pop celebrities.
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<p>
The upcoming prom season is the number
one topic, Dr. Susan S. Bartell, a psychologist specializing in
teens, hears about these days from the chidren she works with and
their parents.  &ldquo;Resist weekend-long post-prom getaways that are
all about drinking, unless an adult is nearby and can check in on the
partiers,&rdquo; says Bartell.
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<p>
When it comes to prom drinking, Denise Whitmer, the About.com Guide
for Parenting Teens suggests parents let their prom-going teens &ldquo;know
you do not condone underage drinking for any reason. Give them a
scapegoat&hellip;you. Roll play and let them use you as the excuse. Tell
your teens to tell anyone who wants them to partake in drinking
they&rsquo;d be grounded until they&rsquo;re thirty.&quot; Bartell
also advises parents to &ldquo;be clear about your expectations
before prom and be aware of pre-prom parties that are all about
getting drunk before prom.&rdquo;
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While many parents have teamed up to
sponsor alcohol and drug-free celebrations, the challenge has been to
make the party entertaining enough for students to attend.  Mothers
Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and Nationwide have teamed up to help
keep teens and communities safe through the MADD
BuzzFree Prom. Participating
students
support each other by signing the &quot;PROMise to Keep It Safe&quot;
pledge and commit to having a safe and sober prom night. MADD
BuzzFree Prom is also providing teens with a list of
after prom activities which can safely extend the celebrating.  From
going to a late-night diner all dressed up to
throwing an after prom party in a friend&rsquo;s backyard, parents can
assist their teens with these alternate events which do not rely on
their being on the road late at night.  Dr. Bartells also
advises parents look out for limousine rides that provide alcohol (or
at least allow the kids to bring their own).
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<p>
Another safe alternative to the
out-of-control prom experience would be to have the teens participate
in the &ldquo;Cereality&rdquo; experience.  Cereality Cereal Bar &amp; Caf&eacute;
(www.cereality.com), the &ldquo;all cereal, all day&rdquo; chain of
restaurants will be offering after prom parties at their three cafes
and does  &ldquo;distance catering&rdquo; delivering the Cereality experience
(pre-mixed buckets of favorite cereals and toppings) to homes with
teens arriving for breakfast at 2AM. This is a fun way to end the
prom and the children will be engaged in an activity most of them
enjoy doing&mdash;eating.
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<strong>
This article was written by Victoria Pericon.<br />
If you wish to use this article in any manner, you must <a href="index.php?option=com_content&amp;task=view&amp;id=51&amp;Itemid=165">request permission</a>.</strong> <br />
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