Checklist for Parents
Monitoring Your Teen - Checklists:
Before your teen goes out make sure you talk with them about the following:
- Do you know your curfew?
- Do you know consequences of breaking curfew?
- Where are you going?
- What are you doing?
- Who will you be with?
- Will alcohol be present? What will you do if it is?
- Will there be adult supervision?
When your teen returns, check for the following:
- Is your teen easily able to talk with you? Are they coherent?
- Is there a smell of alcohol on clothing or breath?
Talk about what happened while they were out:
- Were there any problems or peer pressures encountered?
If so, how did they handle it? How did they feel about it?
- Was alcohol present? If so, were they concerned about anybody
putting themselves or others at risk? What was or could have been
done to prevent problems?
- Was there adult supervision? Was it adequate
to keep people safe?
Ongoing:
- I know my teens' friends, especially their four best friends.
- I know the places my teen hangs out.
- I sometimes show
up early or unannounced to a gathering or event.
- I know
the parents of my teens' friends.
- I talk with the parents
of my teens' friends regularly by email & phone.
- I
talk with my teen about alcohol and how to refuse it without embarrassment.
- I praise and reward good behavior.
- I follow-through
on consequences when rules are broken.
- I encourage my
teen and their friends to have fun without drinking, through other
activities, (sports, family activities, hobbies, clubs, etc).
- I encourage my teen to ask for help on important decisions.
- I encourage my family to eat dinner together frequently.
- I do not furnish alcohol to minors.
- I do not allow teens
to consume alcohol in my home.
