Surviving teenage parties

Parties can be an important way for teenagers to connect with friends and have fun. Think when you were that age – one of the worst things was for your parents to stop you going to a party or having friends over. Much better to try and keep parties a positive experience all round.

Helpful tips

• Talk to your teenager about how many people they aim to invite – try and agree on a reasonable number.
• Make sure all invites are personal and only invited guests can come.
• Agree ground rules and expectations.
• If you don't want alcohol this must go on the invite; if there will be alcohol you may want to let other parents know.
• Set a clear finishing time and put this on the invite.
• Agree that you will be there at the party – in the background.
• Consider having other adults there too.
• Tell your neighbours beforehand.
• If you don't want alcohol, confiscate it at the door.
• Make sure the music volume stays reasonable.
• Ask uninvited or poorly behaving people to leave.
• Call parents of any partygoer who is obviously drunk – or maybe if there is more than one adult present, take them home.
• Keep the food coming, monitoring things at the same time.