Your teen’s first disco is a rite of passage and while many parents would prefer to keep their children from going out altogether and there is a likelihood that your teen will want to attend a teen disco with their friends. There are always good and bad when it comes to underage discos and as a parent it’s best to research and see which one you feel is the safest for you teen.
Discuss with other parents
Whether it’s your eldest child, or your youngest, it’s still best to discuss with other parents what they think of certain discos in your area. If your teen is going with a group, discuss with their friends’ parents a plan of action when it comes to attending the disco. Maybe you could even co-ordinate between each other about dropping off and picking up your children from the underage club.
Talk to your teen
Even though it’s hard to ignore the negative reports surrounding teen discos in the media, it is still best to talk to your son or daughter about why they want to go. Listen to your child’s perspective they may simply want to spend time with friends or assert some independence when it comes to socialising at the evening time. You should still warn your child about the risks at underage discos as well and advise your teen to stay together in a group.
Set boundaries
It’s important to trust your child but it is just as equally as vital to feel reassured that your child will be safe attending their first teen disco. Make sure the group of friends that your teen will be going with are indeed “good friends” and that they will stick together when they’re at the disco. It is a good idea again to discuss with other parents about organisation when it comes to your teen and their group going to an underage disco. If you haven’t already start a conversation about sex and relationships with your teen, as they will be in environment where they will interacting with teens of the opposite sex.
But do emphasise to your child that you are trusting that they will behave responsibly and make sure to assert that there will be consequences to their actions, especially if they do break a level of trust between you both.
